Prince Harry and The Queen led tributes to fallen war soldiers on Thursday as they carried out separate commemoration events in London, ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend.Harry, 30, made his way to Westminster Abbey, where he was given the honour of opening the 86th Field of Remembrance.The Prince carried out the same engagement last year, when he was accompanied by his grandfather The Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Harry holds the rank of captain in the army
As expected, Harry, who holds the rank of captain in the army, donned his full military attire for the ceremony.The royal looked visibly moved as he laid a Cross of Remembrance in memory of the thousands killed in both world wars. A cross made out of poppies was positioned in front of two wooden crosses that belonged to the graves of unknown British soldiers.Harry gave a salute and the Last Post was sounded, followed by the traditional two-minute silence. The Prince then spent the next hour visiting the plots and meeting war veterans.
Prince Harry was tasked with opening the 86th Field of Remembrance
One guest Harry spoke to was Lisa McKinlay, the widow of Lance Corporal Jonathan McKinlay, who died in Afghanistan in 2011 while serving with 1st Battalion The Rifles. Lisa had placed a wooden cross with a poppy and a photograph of her late husband at the front of the Afghanistan war dead section. "Harry was saying how nice it was to see the names on all the crosses," she said. "He knows about The Rifles and everything they do, and was saying how much support they give to their families. "He said you have to strike a balance between spending your time remembering what has happened and moving forward with your job and family."
Prince Harry met war veterans and members of the public at Westminster Abbey
The Queen, meanwhile, attended a separate event in London with the Duke of Edinburgh. The couple were joined by Harry's brother Prince William and King Philippe of the Belgians.The 88-year-old reigning monarch was responsible for opening the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden held in honour of those killed at Flanders. The event took place at Wellington Barracks in central London – not far from Buckingham Palace.Both Her Majesty and King Philippe lay wreaths in the garden and observed prayers.