13 Nov 2011

Queen leads Remembrance Day tributes

The Queen joined Prime Minister David Cameron, military chiefs and watching spectators at London’s Cenotaph today as she led the country in honouring its war dead.

Her majesty laid the first wreath to commemorate members of the armed forces who died fighting in all conflicts since the First World War. She was followed by other royals: Philip, Charles, William, Andrew, Edward and Anne.

Prince Harry is in the United States on the final stage of his Apache helicopter training. He attended his squadron’s remembrance service parade in Arizona.

A two-minute silence was observed as Big Ben struck 11 o’clock. The Duchess of Cambridge watched events from the balcony at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building, alongside the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who yesterday returned from visiting British troops in Afghanistan, paid tribute to the armed services.

“We know that public opinion of the armed services as at a record high. The armed services have acquitted themselves incredibly well, of course, in Afghanistan on an ongoing basis, and also in the operation in Libya over the course of this year.

The public hugely respects and admires what our service people do and the professionalism with which they do it. Philip Hammond, defence secretary

“The public hugely respects and admires what our service people do and the professionalism with which they do it, and we’re here today to remember those who sadly have paid the ultimate price.”

The death was announced earlier this week of Territorial Army soldier Private Matthew Thornton, 28, of the 4th Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, who was killed by an improvsed explosive device while on patrol in Helmand province. His death takes the number of British personnel killed in Afghanistan to 385.

Elsewhere in the UK, relatives of those killed in the 1987 Remembrance Day IRA bombing in Enniskillen attended the annual commemoration event at the town’s cenotaph, in County Fermanagh.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond led tributes north of the border, laying a wreath during a service at the Stone of Remembrance on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

“Today is a day to proudly remember the bravery of all thsoe who have given their lives in the service of our nation and whose sacrifice will never be forgotten.”