Remembrance Day Services 1: 2003-2021

[Frelinghighness]

The Festival of Remembrance was perfect as ever, but it was a long seat to watch. I would recommend to shorten it, to make it less swollen and pompous and let the youth be more involved. Also the very thick sauce of the Church of England over the proceedings maybe is food for thought.

The UK is one of the most secularized states in Europe, the population is more multi-ethnic and multi-religious (or not religious at all) as ever before. Then rasing a "battlefield altar" in Albert Hall and singing the one Christian hymn after the other with an Anglican bishop in full ornate saying prayers and give a blessing looks like the Remembrance is stil in modus 1958.

What about Her Majesty's most loyal servicewomen and -men who are Sikh, Hindu, agnostic, Muslim, purely secular, Catholic, Humanist or whatever? I hope that the festival -as perfect and spotless the execution was- will find a more inclusive formula.

You bring up a good point

 

[Countessmeout]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what uniform/coat was Prince William and Prince Charles wearing?
Also, Harry's?
Princess Alexandra looks wonderful to me, last night and today. I didn't realize she was so short, shorter than Sophie.

William is in the dress uniform of a squadron leader for the RAF.

Harry is in the captain's uniform of the household calvary.

Charles is in his air marshal uniform for the RAF.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Remembrance Day Services: 2003-2017

Queen Elizabeth. What memories can she have.....



https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/nintchdbpict000366406621.jpg?strip=all&w=711

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/12/11/4643B69D00000578-5074463-image-a-134_1510485716492.jpg

The last photo is very touching. The BRF has always had a large military history and sadly some military related deaths so HM can relate a lot to the soldiers and their families whom the service is commemorating.



I agree with the poster who bought up the cold weather here in London today being a factor for Philip's frail appearance. It was raining on the Jubilee pageant and he later ended up in hospital (not that I'm saying the same will happen to Philip after this morning, but just how due to his old age, he can be affected negatively by the weather).

 

[Dman]

Complete Coverage of Remembrance Sunday 2017:

 

[An Ard Ri]

They seemed to have changed some of the hymns this year at the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall,I was looking forward to Jerusalem as in previous years but not this year.

 

[VictoriaB]

The last photo is very touching. The BRF has always had a large military history and sadly some military related deaths (I'm thinking of the former Duke of Kent and Prince William of Gloucester here) so HM can relate a lot to the soldiers and their families whom the service is commemorating.

The Late Duke of Kent was killed during WWII but Prince William's death was not military related, in fact he never served in the armed forces. His death took place during an air race.

 

[Skippyboo]

The last photo is very touching. The BRF has always had a large military history and sadly some military related deaths (I'm thinking of the former Duke of Kent and Prince William of Gloucester here) so HM can relate a lot to the soldiers and their families whom the service is commemorating.



I agree with the poster who bought up the cold weather here in London today being a factor for Philip's frail appearance. It was raining on the Jubilee pageant and he later ended up in hospital (not that I'm saying the same will happen to Philip after this morning, but just how due to his old age, he can be affected negatively by the weather).

Prince William of Gloucester didn’t die on military duty. He died in an air show air race as a civilian pilot. He never was in the military.

 

[Dalriada]

Remembrance Day Services: 2003-2017

They seemed to have changed some of the hymns this year at the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall,I was looking forward to Jerusalem as in previous years but not this year.

You’re dead right Ard Ri. Unfortunately the Royal British Legion seemed to have taken media advice from the broadcasters and have notched the patriotic tunes down a bit to make a more pan generational programme. With regard To what Duc was referring to earlier, they are really trying to make it even more Bon homie without too much overt jingoism reserved for the Last Night of the Proms. However, the so-called “church of England sauce” remains a tiny fraction of the broadcast reserved to the finale for what is deservedly a commemoration for the Fallen in a kingdom with a state religion. One can only look over their shoulder at continental attempts to honour the Great War and WW2 and especially in those states and kingdoms who do not recognise any God, and wonder why bother since their ceremonies are short, cold and godless. The Netherlands comes to mind.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Remembrance Day Services: 2003-2017

The Late Duke of Kent was killed during WWII but Prince William's death was not military related, in fact he never served in the armed forces. His death took place during an air race.

Thank you for the correction. As his death was aviation related I had just presumed that he was involved in the RAF.

Prince William of Gloucester didn’t die on military duty. He died in an air show air race as a civilian pilot. He never was in the military.

Victoria had already corrected me above. I’ll remove that part of my post then as it seems I stand corrected.

 

[Spheno]

Remembrance Sunday 2017

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what uniform/coat was Prince William and Prince Charles wearing?
Also, Harry's?
Princess Alexandra looks wonderful to me, last night and today. I didn't realize she was so short, shorter than Sophie.

Princess Alexandra has lost height over the last several years as she has become older.

 

[ladongas]

Galleries from this morning

Pictures and Photos | Getty Images

https://www.rexfeatures.com/livefeed/2017/11/12/remembrance_service,_london?folder=Remembrance Day

William looks about 12 years old in the Getty pictures.

 

[Skippyboo]

William got his hair cut the other day. It’s super short on the sides thus he looks super young in his uniform

 

[BMC]

Galleries from this morning

Pictures and Photos | Getty Images

https://www.rexfeatures.com/livefeed/2017/11/12/remembrance_service,_london?folder=Remembrance Day

Thanks for posting these links.

IMO Prince Philip did not look well at all. I know at his age it is a minor miracle that he was there at all but still...

 

[Pranter]

I think it was pretty cold out, doesn't take much to get to you. He's been fine here lately.


LaRae

 

[Lady Nimue]

In one of the short videos (in one of the Daily Mail articles) one can watch as the Queen and Camilla both let their gaze drift sideways to take in Prince Philip who seems to be struggling to maintain an upright balance (the video cuts off at a crucial moment). It's obvious to me that he is seriously impaired. The Queen's tears may have had many reasons, in fact.

A very poignant moment for many, many reasons.

BTW sitting and standing are two different capacities (from a certain perspective). Sitting in a cart one drives could still be done, while prolonged standing is an effort. Both can exist side-by-side. Anyway, very gallant, and dedicated, for him to have made the effort. The Queen, too, seemed fragile on her feet. Time is passing.

 

[Dman]

In one of the short videos (in one of the Daily Mail articles) one can watch as the Queen and Sophie both let their gaze drift sideways to take in Prince Philip who seems to be struggling to maintain an upright balance (the video cuts off at a crucial moment). It's obvious to me that he is seriously impacted. The Queen's tears may have had many reasons, in fact.

A very poignant moment for many, many reasons.

BTW sitting and standing are two different capacities (from a certain perspective). Sitting in a cart one drives could still be done, while prolonged standing is an effort. Both can exist side-by-side. Anyway, very gallant, and dedicated, for him to have made the effort. The Queen, too, seemed fragile on her feet. Time is passing.

Yes, I too recognized that moment. Philip is a strong and dutiful man, but The Queen and Camilla took notice of his instability on the balcony. Can’t be easy for a man his age to stand in that damp cold weather either. There are good days and there are the not so good days.

 

[W.Y.CII]

I hope it isn't off-topic: is there any meaning for the number of remembrance poppies you wear? as I see some wore a couple of poppies (like the queen) while some only wore one.

 

[Countessmeout]

I hope it isn't off-topic: is there any meaning for the number of remembrance poppies you wear? as I see some wore a couple of poppies (like the queen) while some only wore one.

Traditionally you wear one. But some people have taken to wearing multiple, to represent different people who served in the war.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...] The Queen's tears may have had many reasons, in fact. [...]

I have seen the whole Remembrance Sunday on BBC One and I have not seen Her Majesty in tears.

 

[Countessmeout]

I have seen the whole Remembrance Sunday on BBC One and I have not seen Her Majesty in tears.

I assume people mean this, where it looks like she is wiping away tears

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Interna...-remembrance-day-1-gty-jt-171112_12x5_992.jpg

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I assume people mean this, where it looks like she is wiping away tears

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Interna...-remembrance-day-1-gty-jt-171112_12x5_992.jpg

Some dust. The Queen looked every inch in control to me. No any tear.

 

[MARG]

I have seen the whole Remembrance Sunday on BBC One and I have not seen Her Majesty in tears.

Nobody is saying the Queen bawled her eyes out with a big ugly cry, but get a grip, the woman is as human as the rest of us and unlike most of the rest of us, she and Philip are among the diminishing number of WWII veterans. So yes, I do believe she did indeed allow a tear to fall and Prince Philip's condition may well have contributed. Not only did he lean against the wall, he coughed and hacked his way off the balcony after. It says a lot about the strength of will of the man that he would not even allow himself to cough during the ceremony.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/nintchdbpict000366406621.jpg?strip=all&w=711

The first photo shows HM eyes definitely glittering.
The UK Observes Remembrance Sunday Photos and Images | Getty Images

 

[Countessmeout]

Yes indeed, there is no missing the glimmer.

One does not have to be stone faced, to be calm and collected. There is a difference between tears and bawling.

 

[Osipi]

What is more poignant at a remembrance service than HM, The Queen visibly moved to profound grief remembering those that have given their lives for their country? Does she not reflect and show the emotions that the nation itself feels as they remember those family members and friends that have given the ultimate sacrifice? Those pictures say it all. They give true meaning to what Remembrance Day is all about.

Very poignant also was the fact that the DoE didn't have to be there. He was visibly uncomfortable and the cold weather could not have done him any good at all. The fact remains that he wanted to be there. He felt he needed to be there. To him, a little bit of discomfort and perhaps aches and pains and coughs were nothing compared to what many of his friends of his generation went through and gave their lives.

These two people personified what Remembrance Day is really all about. Its not about them or their comfort or their positions and status but its about being able to be there in a peaceful nation because of those that have fallen to keep it that way and to remember them.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I am sorry. I am no native English speaker. Someone "in tears" meant "crying" to me, but apparently it has another meaning as well. No bad word about the Queen and the Duke: my apologies.

 

[Osipi]

S'ok Duc. Sometimes the English language is the hardest one to perceive the meaning of something. Even for those that have English as their native tongue.

I wouldn't say that the Queen was "in tears" but more that she was visibly moved by emotion. A tear or two may have escaped but that happens sometimes when people are feeling a deep emotion.

 

[irish_royalist]

In one of the short videos (in one of the Daily Mail articles) one can watch as the Queen and Sophie both let their gaze drift sideways to take in Prince Philip who seems to be struggling to maintain an upright balance (the video cuts off at a crucial moment). It's obvious to me that he is seriously impaired. The Queen's tears may have had many reasons, in fact.

A very poignant moment for many, many reasons.

BTW sitting and standing are two different capacities (from a certain perspective). Sitting in a cart one drives could still be done, while prolonged standing is an effort. Both can exist side-by-side. Anyway, very gallant, and dedicated, for him to have made the effort. The Queen, too, seemed fragile on her feet. Time is passing.

The Countess of Wessex was on a different balcony, and there were screens at the sides of the balconies, so I doubt she would have been able to see the DoE if she had glanced sideways.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The Duke of Edinburgh looked frail indeed. Even so the Duke of Kent, I must say. The Prince of Wales did not look frail but very aged. Of course the mood was quite sombre, as usual at Remembrance Sunday. The two sons of the Prince of Wales looked dapper in their uniforms, especially Harry with that bright red collar.

 

[csw]

Obviously I don't know about those in the Royal Box [!] but the steps into the auditorium at the Albert Hall ARE vertiginous...

See, the Royal Forums are highly educational. I learned a new word today. Thanks!