King Charles III on Sunday led Britain in a two-minute silence to honour its war dead in his first remembrance service since being crowned, a day after violence marred commemorations.
The memorial was at the centre of ugly confrontations on Saturday, Armistice Day, when police scuffled with a group of counter-protesters — opposed to a huge pro-Palestinian march — as they attempted to reach the site. Almost 10,000 veterans marched past the Cenotaph memorial in central London, while thousands more members of the public gathered in tribute to British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who have died in battle. The king, along with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, laid wreaths on the Cenotaph shortly after the nation fell silent at 11:00 am (1100 GMT).
“The courage and commitment shown by our servicemen and women, both today and throughout the generations that came before them, is humbling and I know many across the country will be honouring their memory today in quiet reflection,” said Sunak. “Recent events have served as a stark reminder that we cannot take the hard-earned peace we live in for granted.
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