Queen dedicates Armed Forces Memorial to post-war fallen

The Queen paid tribute today to the thousands of servicemen and women killed since the end of the Second World War, at the dedication of a memorial to honour them.

The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joined her at the ceremony for the new National Armed Forces Memorial.

The National Memorial Arboretum, in Alrewas, Staffordshire, pays tribute to members of the UK's Armed Forces killed on duty or as a result of terrorist action since 1948.

The royal party entered the ceremony as a military band, seated in front of the memorial's Portland stone walls, played the National Anthem.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, MPs and families of those whose names feature on the memorial watched as prayers for the deceased were said by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

There are currently 16,000 names carved on the memorial, with space for 15,000 more.

It includes those who have died in Palestine, Korea, Malaysia, the Falklands, Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.