Major London landmarks have been lit up to mark Remembrance Sunday - as a two-minute silence is set to be observed across the UK to honour the nation’s war dead.
Tower Bridge was illuminated with red lights on Sunday night while the Houses of Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower, which is home to Big Ben, was lit up with images of poppies.
On Remembrance Day on Monday, a minute’s silence will be held across the country at 11am while Sir Keir Starmer will mark the day at a ceremony in Paris.
Remembrance Day - also known as Armistice Day - is commemorated every November 11 to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany which led to hostilities on the Western Front of World War I ceasing on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918.
The Prime Minister travelled to Paris on Monday on the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.
According to Number 10, he is believed to be the first UK Prime Minister to have attended these commemorations since Winston Churchill joined General de Gaulle in 1944.
He will mark the armistice alongside British and French veterans and is expected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, and memorials near the Champs Elysees.
Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to France to commemorate Armistice Day is a reminder that “we can never take the freedoms we enjoy in Europe for granted”, Defence Secretary John Healey said.
The Prime Minister is attending commemorations across the Channel to mark “a special year” and the “close relationship” between London and Paris, said Mr Healey.
Asked why Sir Keir was making the trip, Mr Healey told Sky News on Monday morning: “This is a special year.
“We mark 80 years D-Day invasions and some of the critical battles that liberated Europe and ended the Second World War.
“This is also a mark of the close relationship between the two leaders, between (President Emmanuel) Macron and Starmer, but also the historic bonds between our two countries and our two militaries.”
He added that the visit was “very fitting” and a reminder that “we can never take the freedoms we enjoy in Europe for granted”.
The royal family attended at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert on Hall on Saturday evening, while on Sunday the King led the nation’s tribute to the country’s war dead during a poignant service of remembrance on Whitehall, watched by the Princess of Wales.
Charles laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph in recognition of the fallen from conflicts dating back to the First World War, and other floral tributes followed from members of the royal family, Sir Keir Starmer, other political leaders and foreign diplomats.
It was Kate’s most poignant official engagement since returning to her royal duties following her treatment for cancer, and saw her observe from a government building balcony in solemn silence.
Queen Camilla missed the Remembrance events as she was recovering from a chest infection.
The Queen watched the moving Remembrance Sunday service from Raymill, her Wiltshire home, and observed the two minutes’ silence privately, Buckingham Palace said.
