The royal family’s Armistice Day centenary commemorations have wrapped up at Westminster Abbey where the Queen laid flowers on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.
Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla, accompanied the Queen to what was a solemn ending to a weekend of remembrance.
Senior royals such as Prince Edward, Prince Michael of Kent, Richard, the Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte Van Deurs.
Prince Philip, who retired from public duties last year, did not attend.
But while the ceremony came just seven hours after the family’s morning engagement at the London Cenotaph, each royal opted for a new look.
Meghan chose a long-sleeved dark blue top with a boatneck neckline and large buttons and a matching skirt and hat.
Catherine, who’s known to be thrifty when it comes to her fashion choices, rewore a favourite long, dark green coat by Catherine Walker & Co.
She paired the coat with a pair of stunning Gianvito Rossi heels.
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The Queen arrived wearing her usual splash of colour, this time a bright purple coat that featured a black collar and gold buttons, with a matching hat.
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall was also dressed in a purple coat and hat, not dissimilar to her mother-in-law’s outfit.
Both Prince William and Harry wore blue suits, with the Duke of Sussex appearing to sport the same tie he wore on Saturday night to the Festival of Remembrance.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived with wife Elke Büdenbende who, in a historic act of reconciliation between Germany and Britain, had attended the earlier ceremony at the London Cenotaph.
British Prime Minister Theresa May was also in attendance.
Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster led the service while the address was given by The Archbishop of Canterbury, who officiated Harry and Meghan’s wedding last May.
Prince Charles, who had laid a wreath on behalf of the Queen at the Cenotaph earlier in the day, read from the Bible during the service.
Fresh flowers replaced the scarlet poppies which usually line the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, with children who have contributed towards a range of Armistice projects across the UK also placing flowers at the grave.
SOMBRE OCCASION
Earlier, the royal family paid their respects to the fallen at the London Cenotaph, with Prince Charles laying a wreath for the Queen.
Prince William and Catherine and Prince Harry and Meghan, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall all attended the morning national remembrance service.
It was also the first time that a procession of 10,000 members of the public, who were chosen by ballot, laid wreaths at the Cenotaph.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who announced her pregnancy last month, wore a structured black jacket and a small black fascinator.
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, wore a black, military-style jacket that had a cream neckline and silver buttons.
The chic coat was cinched at the waist and was paired with a black hat.
Prince Harry, who served in the army, and Prince William, who served time in the navy, wore military uniforms, however questions were raised on social media as to why the Duke of Sussex did not wear a poppy.
The Queen wore a black jacket which was buttoned up to her neck and a black hat.
She was accompanied by the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall on a balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as her son and future King, Prince Charles, laid a wreath on her behalf.
However Prince Philip was not in attendance, having retired from royal duties last year.
It’s the first time the Duke of Edinburgh, 97, has missed the service.
The Duchess of Sussex stood next to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s wife Elke Büdenbender on a nearby balcony to the Queen.
It’s the first time Germany has sent a national leader to the British proceedings, with President Steinmeier laying a wreath in what was a historic act of reconciliation between the two countries.
Last year was the first time the Queen had handed over the wreath laying responsibility to her son who turns 70 on November 14.
The Queen has missed laying the wreath just six times since 1945 — she was overseas on four occasions and was pregnant twice.
Other members of the royal family, British Prime Minister Theresa May and opposition party leaders also left floral tributes before people gathered to observe a two minute silence at 11am.
London’s iconic Big Ben also chimed despite being covered in scaffolding for conservation works.
It comes after the Queen and senior members of the royal family attended the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday night.
The family, including the Queen, were expected to attend a final service on Sunday night at Westminster Abbey.
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