Britain honoured its war dead today as Armistice Day services took place across the country.
Veterans, serving personnel, politicians and members of the public gathered to observe a two-minute silence at 11am. Many stood in rain and bitterly cold conditions to pay their respects.
At the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens in Alrewas, Staffordshire, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester laid a wreath before joining those gathered for the silence.
The couple were later shown around the memorial, also known as the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens, and spoke with members of the public attending the service.
Last year, the Princess of Wales attended the Alrewas service, joining veterans in remembering fallen soldiers and laying a wreath in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean laid poppy wreaths at the Angel Memorial in Westminster Hall, within the Houses of Parliament, to mark the end of the First World War.
They were joined by Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, who read a poem during the commemoration.
Sir Lindsay later processed to the House of Commons’ Lower Waiting Hall for a Turning the Page ceremony commemorating Alan Scott Balfour, who died in 1918.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, pictured centre, arrives at the Western Front Association’s Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Wednesday
The Band of the Coldstream Guards before the Armistice Day service at the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens in Alrewas, Staffordshire
The Duchess of Gloucester speaks to members of the public after laying a wreath and observing the two-minute silence
The Duke of Gloucester is shown the memorial after the Armistice Day service at the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting attended the Western Front Association’s annual Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, central London, where he marked the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
UK Government representatives, senior international military figures, schoolchildren, cadets and members of the public joined him, braving the rain to honour the war dead.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also paid tribute during a ceremony at the National Police Memorial in central London.
Images shared by the Metropolitan Police on X showed Sir Mark holding a wreath, taking time for reflection and speaking with fellow officers.
KEEP READING: I’m A Celeb’s Mariella Frostrup and Jack Skipper arrive in Australia
Further wreaths were laid at a service at the Portsmouth First World War Memorial in Guildhall Square, Hampshire. Farming Minister and Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan joined Royal Navy officers and other dignitaries at the event.
A veteran placed a cross of remembrance during the service, while Royal Navy officers stood to attention and saluted.
In Dover, Kent, crowds gathered at the Tommy statue, which commemorates the soldiers of the First World War.
Scotland also hosted a series of Armistice Day services, including one in the Garden of Remembrance in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens.
The one o’clock gun at Edinburgh Castle was fired at 11am to signal the beginning of the two-minute silence.
Rev Dr Karen Campbell, the national chaplain of Royal British Legion Scotland, led a short service.
Other commemorations were held at the Scottish National War Memorial inside Edinburgh Castle and in Glasgow’s George Square.
Wreaths laid during an Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph
Members of the armed forces take part in an Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph
Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle speaks during the Armistice Day service at Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament
People pay their respects during the Western Front Association’s Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph
Poppy crosses at the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Armistice Day
An annual Armistice display was installed at Sourton Cross, near Okehampton in Devon, to remember three Royal Navy personnel who died in a helicopter crash on Dartmoor in June.
Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson, 42, Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, 31, and Petty Officer Owen Green, 24, were killed during a night-time training exercise in the area.
Karen Hutchings, a local shopkeeper who organises an annual Armistice display at her shop in the Devon town, said she wanted to dedicate the 2026 installation to the HMS Yeovilton-based crew.
She said the crash had been “very poignant” and that the three service members should be included in this year’s acts of remembrance.