After the moving annual Remembrance Day Service at Cenotaph, tonight The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the Queen and members of the royal family for a special service held at Westminster Abbey to mark the Centenary of Armistice Day.
The Armistice, that ended the First World War, was signed on this day 100 years ago in 1918. This week various events have been organized throughout the UK to mark the big historical day.
As in most of the special services, today’s service was also held at Westminster Abbey. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby led the service today.
The Queen arriving at Westminster Abbey for tonight’s service. Usually, royal women wore dark colours to commemorate remembrance events. Tonight they wore bright colours representing hope and joy people felt at the end of the WWI.
The ceremony began with the Queen and the President of Germany placing fresh flowers at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.
The flowers are brightly coloured to symbolise celebration and include heather, gerbera, lilies, roses and chrysanthemums.
Members of the Royal Family took their seats in Abbey.
Actor Sophie Okonedo OBE read from the diary of socialist Beatrice Webb, 11th November 1918: ‘Peace! London to-day is a pandemonium of noise and revelry, soldiers and flappers being most in evidence. The ashes of socialists and writers Sidney and Beatrice Webb lie in the north aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey.
Beatrice was born in January 1858 in Gloucestershire, a daughter of a wealthy businessman. She was an early pioneer of socialism and aided the poor, founded co-operative societies and trade unions and with husband, Sidney started the London School of Economics and advanced ideas for social security.
Actor John Simm read from John Jackson, Private 12768: Memoir of a Tommy: ‘…on the stroke of the eleventh hour the sounds of war ceased abruptly…after years of noise, the calm and quietness of that cold, November, day was bewildering.’
Nine young people placed flowers at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. The nine have been involved in commemorative events over the past four years, researching the lives of members of the Armed Forces who served during WWI.
British Prime Minister Theresa May read Isaiah 58: 6-12. Then the Choir of Westminster Abbey performed the True Light by Judith Weir CBE, Master of the Queen’s Music. It was commissioned for this service by UK Government Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Actor Simon Russell Beale CBE reads from The Unfinished Task by Winston Churchill: ‘The penalty of defeat is ruin. The reward of victory is responsibility. It is an awful recompense…’
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reads 1 St John 4: 7-11 in German.
German President and his wife were the guests at the Remembrance Event this weekend. They were the first German guests to attend the Remembrance Event since its origin in 1919.
Here’s an English translation from the Order of Service.
The ceremony ended after the reading from Charles, Prince of Wales. He read St John 15: 9-15, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.
The Westminster bells rang to mark the end of the special Armistice Day Service after the National Anthem.
For the special service, Catherine wore green Catherine Walker Coat that she first wore in at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2017 and then The Duchess left for her first official Paris Visit wearing the same coat.
The coat features a Gold Button Detailing at the front and contrast black Velvet collars, cuffs and pockets lapels. The knee-length Coat dress has fitted silhouette with a slightly flared skirt.
Catherine paired the coat with a handmade a crescent moon shaped black velvet Jane Taylor Headband. The £890 headband (ided by @HRHWessexBlog) is made from sumptuous velvets and is available in many different colours. A customised order can also be placed at the website in a colour that is not available already.
Recently we have seen Duchess wearing similar headbands. Many people don’t like the style but in my opinion, Catherine looks great in these headbands. We saw Catherine wearing a similar style at the christening of Prince Louis and then at the wedding of Sophie Carter.
The Duchess wore the same Cassandra Goad Cavolfiore Pearl Studs that she wore earlier in the day and we first saw at the christening of Prince Louis in July this year. And a single poppy.
Catherine carried Jimmy Choo Celeste Velvet Clutch premiered last night at the Festival of Remembrance. She has the same model in three different colours i.e. nude, blue and red.
Duchess was wearing Gianvito Rossi’s ‘Gianvito 105’ Black pumps. she owns the pumps in 4 colours i.e. nude, black, red, burgundy.
Next, we will see Catherine on Wednesday, November 14, When she will visit South Yorkshire with Prince William.
