King Charles was joined by members of the Royal Family at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening to attend the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance. Dressed suitably in sombre black, the Queen, the Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were among senior royals who came to pay their respects to the fallen and were noticeably moved throughout the service.
Prince George, 12, also made a special appearance alongside his mum at the concert, which came after he joined his parents at a veterans’ tea party at Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day back in May.
With heartfelt tributes to the servicemen and women who have lost their lives, as well as performances from the likes of Sir Rod Stewart, Hannah Waddingham and Sam Ryder, the concert is always a fitting start to Remembrance weekend.
The Prince of Wales, meanwhile, did not join the rest of his family as he had landed back in the UK from Brazil, where he had been marking the fifth anniversary of the Earthshot Prize, only hours before and opted to prioritise his upcoming appearance at the Cenotaph on Sunday.
The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence were also not in attendance as they are carrying out a military-focused tour in Australia.
After the King, who became Patron of the Royal British Legion last year, and the Royal Family were welcomed into the auditorium by the state trumpeters of the Household Division, Sir Rod Stewart and the RAF Squadronaires took to the stage to perform Sentimental Journey.
This year’s concert, hosted by actress and singer Hannah Waddingham, is particularly special as it commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
There are several key moments planned, including a stirring tribute to the Royal Air Force, following the death of the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John Hemingway, back in March. It will be marked by a performance of High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr and read by actor Douglas Booth.
As well as hosting the evening, Hannah Waddingham will also perform Dame Vera Lynn’s 1939 classic, We’ll Meet Again, before Sir Rod Stewart and the Massed Bands perform his classic, Sailing.
As well as marking the 80th anniversary since the end of the Second World War, 2025 marks 25 years since the UK Government lifted the ban on gay, lesbian, and bisexual personnel serving openly in the armed forces.