Queen and future kings lead homage to Britain's war heroes

November 9, 2008Nov 9, 2008, 11:00 PM GMT

Ninety years after the guns fell silent on the battlefields of WWI, the Queen has paid solemn tribute to Britain's fallen heroes.

Her Majesty bowed her head and paused for a moment of thought as she laid a wreath - this year containing 90 poppies - at London's cenotaph.

Three generations of royals joined the sovereign at the weekend's Remembrance Day ceremony, reflecting the mood of a day that united young and old in a determination never to forget the sacrifice of a generation of young British men. Also remembered were the 500,000 soldiers killed since the end of what was known as the Great War.

The Queen's tribute was followed by that of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and Prince Charles.

For Prince William, an army officer, the occasion was particularly poignant since two of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice since November 11 last year were members of his own squadron with the Household Cavalry.

His brother Harry paid his respects at a service held by his unit the Blues and Royals at their Windsor base in Berkshire.

This year the wreath laid by the Queen at the London cenotaph contained 90 poppies - one for each year since the end of the first World War Photo: © Getty Images

Three generations of the royal family, including the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex, paid their respects to the million and a half soldiers who've laid down their life for Britain in that conflict and others since Photo: © Rex

At the service Prince William - flanked by his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, and uncle, Prince Edward - must have been thinking of his own fallen comrades Photo: © Getty Images

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