Seven living former Prime Ministers today stood at the Cenotaph for what is thought to be the first time in history.
Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major lined up for the national Remembrance Sunday service on Whitehall, led by the King.
It is convention for former Prime Ministers to attend the service in memory of the nation’s war dead.
However, the number of surviving ex-premiers has swelled after a year of turmoil which has had three occupants of 10 Downing Street so far.
Ms Truss occupies an unusual place in their ranks, as her 49-day premiership - the shortest in British history - was so brief that she never laid a wreath on the Cenotaph as PM.
Their spouses watched the ceremony from a nearby balcony, including Ms Truss’s husband Hugh O’Leary and serving PM Rishi Sunak ’s wife Akshata Murty.
According to PA Media, it is the first time in modern history that the UK has had seven living former premiers.
When Gordon Brown became PM in 2007, only three of his predecessors were still alive: Sir Tony, Sir John and Baroness Margaret Thatcher.
The increase reflects both the rapid turnover of prime ministers in recent years and the age of those who have held the office.
Of the seven living ex-PMs, three are still under 60: Mr Johnson, aged 58; Mr Cameron, 56; and Ms Truss, 47.
Two are still below 70: Sir Tony (69) and Mrs May (66). Mr Brown is 71 and Sir John is 79.
With the next general election due no later than January 2025, a Conservative defeat at the polls could see this group grow even further, from seven to eight.
It came as the King has honoured the nation's war dead for the first time as monarch and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in remembrance of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Thousands of veterans proudly wearing their medals, military families and the public packed Whitehall for the Remembrance Sunday ceremony.
In recent years, Charles had performed the role on behalf of the Queen as the Prince of Wales.
But as the first chimes of Big Ben rang out at 11am on Sunday and a two-minute silence began, he stood before the Cenotaph in his role as head of state.
A volley from a gun fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from nearby Horse Guards Parade rang out to signal the start of the moment of silent reflection.
It was punctuated by the sound of London traffic before another loud blast marked its end.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute to the fallen on behalf of the Government by leaving a wreath.
He was followed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, other party leaders, senior members of the Cabinet, military chiefs of staff and high commissioners.
Watching from the balcony of a Government building was Camilla and the Princess of Wales, and nearby on another balcony was the Countess of Wessex and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
