Remembrance Sunday: Queen hands over Cenotaph duty to Prince Charles for first time in 65-year reign

The Prince of Wales laid the Queen’s wreath at the memorial, the first time the monarch has not performed the duty while in attendance at the service for Britain’s war dead

The Prince of Wales lays a wreath at the Cenotaph during Remembrance Sunday (EPA)

Prince Charles led tributes at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London, as the Queen watched on instead of laying a wreath herself for the first time in the 65 years of her reign.

The Queen had asked the heir to the throne to lay her wreath at the memorial this year as the UK fell silent in respect for the country’s war dead.

In a break with tradition, the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh observed the two-minute silence at 11am from a Foreign and Commonwealth Office balcony while senior members of the royal family and political leaders laid wreaths.

The Queen appeared to wipe away tears as she watched the ceremony, which pays tribute to those who have died in world wars and other conflicts.

Political leaders, including Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, joined senior royals including the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry in laying wreaths.

Since 1920, the service has traditionally been led by the country’s monarch. The decision to hand the role to the Prince of Wales has been seen by some as a significant moment in the transferral of duties from the Queen.

Buckingham Palace announced the change last month. It gave no official reason but a source said the Queen decided to hand over the duty to be with her husband Prince Philip, 96, who this year retired from his solo public duties.

The palace source also acknowledged the event was physically demanding for someone in their 90s.

The Queen appeared to shed a tear as she watched the service from a balcony (Getty) (Getty Images)

Prince Philip’s equerry laid his wreath, said Buckingham Palace, while Prince Charles also laid his own wreath.

The Prince of Wales had laid a wreath before on behalf of the Queen, in 1983 when she was out of the country, and when the Queen was in South Africa in 1999 she laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Durban. She also missed ceremonies in 1959 and 1963 while pregnant with her two youngest children, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

But this year was the first in which she has attended the service and not laid a wreath.

The Queen was joined in observing the service from Foreign Office balconies by other royal women, such as the Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex.

This year marks the centenaries of women’s service in the regular armed forces, the Battle of Passchendaele and the creation of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as well as the 100th birthday of forces’ sweetheart, Dame Vera Lynn.

It also marks the 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein and the creation of the RAF Regiment.

On Saturday night, the Queen and senior royals joined servicemen and women past and present at the annual Festival of Remembrance as the nation remembered its war dead on Armistice Day.

The monarch was joined at the Royal Albert Hall in London by thousands of veterans for the 90th anniversary of the event, organised by the Royal British Legion, of which she is patron.

Among the acts performing were singers Mel C, Emeli Sande, Tom Odell, Lesley Garrett and Alfie Boe, alongside hymns, prayers and readings.