Under the watchful eye of British veterans and their families, the British Royal family, led by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, remembered Britain’s war dead during the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Centopah in Whitehall. At exactly 11 AM, two minutes of silence were observed in memory of those who died for Queen (as well as King) and Country. Following the Queen and the Duke who placed a memorial wreath of poppies were Prince William and Prince Harry, who represented the Prince of Wales, who is currently on an official visit to Canada. Additional wreaths were presented by the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Kent as well as prominent British politicians.

The first Remembrance Day was dedicated by King George V on November 7, 1919 to remember the sacrifices of those who served and died in World War I, but now Remembrance Day pays tribute to members of all conflicts from World War I to the present day conflict in Afghanistan. This year’s Remembrance Day will remembered as the first ceremony without any surviving World War I veterans present, as within the last year Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone, passed away.

Armistice Day is officially observed in the United Kingdom on November 11th as major hostilities in WWI were ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, with the signing of the Armistice.

This year, as in years past, poppies are placed in the Field of Remembrance, which is located at Westminster Abbey to remember those killed by war. During World War I, poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Europe. Traditionally from November 1st until Armistice Day, Britons wear small red poppies sold by the Royal British Legion. The funds raised from the sale of poppies support injured servicemen and women and their families as well as the families of those killed during active service.

To view pictures of the British Royal family, please visit Remembrance Day Services: 2003-2009.

Zonk British Royals Armistice Day, Duke of Edinburgh, Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, Prince Philip, Prince William, Remembrance Day

 Prince Harry spent his day off from helicopter training to take part in Monday night’s WellChild Children’s Health Awards. The ceremony honored the courage of British children as they dealt with serious illnesses.

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While the children and their parents were thrilled to see the Prince in their midst, there was one child who was not impressed.

“Are you sure you are Prince Harry?” asked six year-old Alex Burke. “Where’s your crown? So you’re not William then?”

Amused, Harry told Alex, “I’m here, you have to make do with me.”

Still unimpressed, the little boy, who suffers from neurofibrosismatosis type 1, then went to blow some bubbles. He continued to do so when the Prince picked him up.

Alex’s mother, Sarah Burke, from Manchester said:  “Alex was loving every minute of it and was not fazed at all to meet Harry. I have been showing him pictures of Harry and his brother, trying to explain who they are but he couldn’t understand why he wasn’t wearing his crown. I just told him that he wasn’t allowed to take it out with him.”

Other children the Prince met with included eight year-old Lucy Tutton, who won the Most Bravest Child award for caring for her ill sister. She sat on Harry’s lap for a brief chat before giving him a flower shaped balloon.

Another was a boy Harry’s brother, Prince William, met with not too long ago during a trip with WellChild. Upon seeing Harry, eight year-old Harrison Holmes gave him a photograph of William, whom he called the “Prince of Cuddles.” He asked Harry to give it to his brother, which Harry indeed promised to do.

Sonjapearl British Royals Awards, Children, Health, Prince Harry

“Delighted,” is the word to describe Prince Harry these days. On Sunday, it was revealed that he passed his basic helicopter pilot course with flying colors.

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This, after he has completed the required 40 hours of the course, where he learned to land and take-off, as well as handling some emergencies.

Now, the third in line to the throne could move on to learning to operate a military helicopter during dangerous weather, night flying, and more advanced handling methods and emergency drills. That will also take another 40 hours.

Harry would also get a chance to fly a Lynx helicopter, his preferred flying machine.

“I think the Lynx is more challenging, it’s more my cup of tea than the Apache,” he told reporters back in June.

“That’s how I feel but that might change halfway though.” However, he added: “I’ll fly wherever I’m told to fly.”

It is believed that Prince Harry initially failed his first attempt in the course back in February.

The Prince spent 10 weeks fighting in Afghanistan from late 2007 into early 2008. He has expressed interest in returning to combat, although the Daily Telegraph reports that Lynx helicopters do not see too much action.

If Harry continues on course, he will get in his wings in March 2010.

Sonjapearl British Royals Military Training, Prince Harry

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 After taking a striking photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, photographer Rankin will now aim his lenses at her two grandsons, Princes William and Harry.

“I think that Prince William and Prince Harry are amazing,” he told the Telegraph. “I would absolutely love to photograph them. For me, it’s not about celebrity or the privilege into which you were born. They have an incredibly difficult life and I think they carry it out with dignity. Obviously, I treat people with respect if they have earned it.”

The last time the royal brothers sat for any photographer, was for John Wonnacott. Wonnacott took a group picture to mark the 100th birthday celebrations for the princes’ late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Sonjapearl British Royals Portraits, Prince Harry, Prince William

 Prince Harry spent his second and final day in New York doing more fun events than on Friday, where he laid a wreath at Ground Zero and met with war veterans.

Saturday however saw him mingle with Harlem students and participate in the sport of kings – polo.

In the morning, Prince Harry went up to Harlem with fellow royal Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to the Harlem Children’s Zone. The project offers free programs and classes to low-income children. Harry spent some time chatting with the students.

A 10-year-old girl sitting at a desk covered with drawing paper and colored markers gave Harry a picture.

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“Is this for me?” Harry asked as he accepted it. Pointing to the desk and pens, he then asked, “You find yourself very lucky to have all this?” When she nodded, he replied “Good.”

After the tour of Harlem, Prince Harry geared up for an afternoon of polo. The Prince participated at the 2nd Annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic on Governor’s Island, which benefited his charity, Sentebale.

Before playing, Prince Harry gave a speech about the reason for setting up Sentebale (pronounced Sen-TEE-bah-LAY) with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Read more…

Sonjapearl British Royals Official Visit, Polo, Prince Harry, Sentebale, Sport, United States of America

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 Britain’s Prince Harry is in New York City for the next 36 hours. He arrived in the Big Apple earlier today.

The third in line to the British throne is here to raise money for his charity, Sentebale, and pay his respects to those who died in the 9/11 terror attacks.

The latter was the first event on Harry’s agenda for Friday. He stopped by Ground Zero, and met with New York Governor David Patterson and a few relatives of those who were killed that day. Harry then laid wreath on the fence that surrounds the deep hole where the World Trade Center once stood. The Prince then took a step back, and bowed his head for a moment of silence.

He left a handwritten note tacked to the wreath, citing an “admiration of the courage shown by the people.”

Later on, Prince Harry moved to Hanover Square, to the renamed British Garden, to plant a magnolia bush in memory of the 67 Britons who died on 9/11.

Next, Harry would go to the Veteran’s Medical Center to tour its prosthetics lab and meet some veterans. Prince Harry himself is a veteran in a sense. He fought for 10 weeks in Afghanistan in early 2008.

Tomorrow, the Prince will go to Harlem with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to check out community building programs. After that, he is going to take part in one of his favorite activities – playing polo on Governor’s Island.

The event which is attracting many celebrities and VIPs, will raise money for Harry’s Sentebale charity which helps children in the Lesotho, a small kingdom in southern Africa.

This visit to New York is part of a PR project to fix the Prince’s wild boy image. Despite his charity works and service in Afghanistan, Harry is best known for alcohol fueled parties and racially insensitive incidents over the years.

Sonjapearl British Royals Official Visit, Prince Harry, United States of America

 Royal brothers Princes William and Harry are hoping that their country will be the host of two major sporting events – the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and the Football World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

So eager are they, that the two made separate videos promoting the UK as the site for the events.

In William’s video, he explains, “England’s love for the game is world renowned, football is in our blood. I believe with England’s great passion for the game we will stage a World Cup to remember forever. A first-class festival of football.”

As for Harry’s video, he says, “you will have already heard about how we in England will give the game of rugby a truly global profile with our world class stadium and outstanding facilities for players and supporters. All of it will leave a long lasting legacy in this rugby-loving nation.”

It should be noted that Prince William is the president of the football association in Great Britain.

To see Prince William’s video, click here.

To see Prince Harry’s video, click here .

Sonjapearl British Royals Prince Harry, Prince William, Soccer, Sport

 Princes William and Harry joined their father, Prince Charles, in a 90 second video which aired on MySpace to encourage viewers to save the world’s rainforests.

The video also included the Dalai Lama, Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig.

But the big star of the video is a digitally animated frog, who sat with the three princes to discuss the need to save the environment.

In the film the Prince of Wales said: “Princes and frogs have a long association but our frog is symbolic with the world’s rainforests. The frog is a symbol of action against climate change.”

To check out the video click here.

Sonjapearl British Royals Environment, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William

 Royal fever in the United States is going to be high pitch next month!

That is because Prince Harry, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, is going to be making his first official trip here.

The third in the line to the British throne will be taking part in a New York polo match and will be doing a couple of engagements. One of them likely would be a visit to Ground Zero, site of the 9/11 attacks.

The polo match will be a fund raiser for his Sentebale charity, which helps children in the African kingdom of Lesotho.

The charity exhibition match will take place at the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic on New York’s historic Governors Island on May 30th.

Prince Harry has been to the United States before, but only for private trips to Disney World and Colorado as a boy.

Given Harry’s enormous popularity with women in the States, and because he is apparently single these days, it is possible he would receive the same celebrity treatment his brother, Prince William got during a visit to Canada in 1998. There, young girls were screaming at the mere sight of the Prince.

One could only expect the same thing for Harry!

Sonjapearl British Royals Official Visit, Patronage, Polo, Prince Harry, Sentebale, United States of America

 The young Windsors sweep the top three positions in the latest ranking of the hottest young royals by Forbes.

Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry are #1 and #2, followed by their cousin Zara Phillips. The list is compiled according to the royals’ “international Web and media presence and family wealth”, and is limited to those who are 18 to 25 years old.

The hottest young royals of 2009 are:

1. Prince William, United Kingdom

2. Prince Harry, United Kingdom

3. Zara Phillips, United Kingdom

4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Dubai

5. Princess Beatrice, United Kingdom

6. Princess Sirivannavari, Thailand

7. Princess Eugenie, United Kingdom

8. Andrea Casiraghi, Monaco

9. Charlotte Casiraghi, Monaco

10. Prince Azim, Brunei

Maricar British Royals Prince Harry, Prince William, Zara Phillips