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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

King Charles set to 'break Queen's tradition' on first Remembrance Sunday as monarch

King Charles will reportedly break a tradition set by his mother the late Queen when he leads the nation at his first Remembrance Sunday service as monarch.

His Majesty is set to lay a wreath on behalf of the country at the Cenotaph in Central London in the annual Remembrance ceremony on November 13. The ceremony was said to be a key event in the late Queen's diary and she only missed it on a handful of occasions during her 70-year reign. Her wreath featured around 90 poppies and was either laid by her personally or on her behalf in latter years by Charles.

King Charles lays a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of the Queen on Remembrance Sunday in 2020 (Getty Images)

However, this year, the Telegraph reports that new monarch Charles will lay a wreath that has a different design from his mother's.

His wreath will reportedly feature fewer poppies than the late Queen's - although the flowers on it will be bigger - and it will also feature a wide ribbon in his racing colours.

Former Kings George V and King George VI are thought to have included a ribbon in their family racing colours into their own wreaths.

The late Queen lays her wreath at the Cenotaph in 2015 (Jonathan Buckmaster/Daily Express)

In addition, Queen Consort Camilla will have a wreath designed for the first time, which will be placed at the Cenotaph, although she will reportedly not lay it herself with that job falling to an equerry while she watches from the balcony of the Foreign Office.

This follows the tradition of the Queen Mother, who would also watch proceedings from the balcony during the reign of her husband King George VI - the late Queen's father.

A joint wreath from the Prince and Princess of Wales William and Kate will also be laid at the Cenotaph, with the ribbon on theirs reportedly in the colour "Wales red".

Queen Consort Camilla, Kate and Sophie Wessex at Remembrance Sunday last year (PA)

At last year's Remembrance ceremony, Charles led the Royal Family in laying wreaths at the Cenotaph in London just hours after it was announced the Queen would be unable to attend the event due to a sprained back.

The Queen, who died in September, only ever missed seven Remembrance Sunday events in her 70-year reign - the one last year, four due to being abroad on royal tours and two when she was pregnant.

However, in recent years she opted to watch the service from the Foreign Office balcony, with Charles laying her wreath on her behalf.

He was joined by Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward in placing tributes at the Cenotaph. Watching on from the balcony were Camilla, Kate and Sophie Wessex.

During the short service, those present observe a two-minute silence, while wreaths are also laid by the Prime Minister, former PMs and other politicians as well as High Commissioners from the Commonwealth.

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