His Majesty The King will lead the nation in a two-minute silence this Remembrance Sunday, honouring all those who died or suffered in conflict.
The act of remembrance will take place at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.
Members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, senior politicians and faith leaders will join the King to mark the Armistice of the First World War and pay tribute to those who served in subsequent conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces.
Around 10,000 veterans are expected to march past the Cenotaph as part of the Royal British Legion’s annual procession. More than 300 Armed Forces and civilian organisations will be represented, with participants ranging from military cadets and bereaved children to some of the last surviving veterans of the Second World War. A further 10,000 members of the public are anticipated to line Whitehall to witness the March Past and take part in the national silence.
This year’s commemorations follow significant anniversaries earlier in 2025, marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe and the Far East. Events held on VE Day and VJ Day paid tribute to those who fought overseas, the children evacuated from their homes, and the millions who served on the Home Front.
While the nation pauses to remember, British Armed Forces personnel will continue operations across the globe. Nearly 9,000 service members will be deployed on missions and overseas bases on Remembrance Sunday, from protecting NATO’s eastern flank and securing vital shipping routes to assisting de-escalation efforts in the Middle East and training Ukrainian troops.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“This Remembrance Sunday, we pause as a nation to honour all those who have served our country. We reflect on the extraordinary courage of our armed forces in the World Wars and subsequent conflicts, whose service secured the freedoms we cherish today.
Eighty years since the end of the Second World War, we remember a generation who stood against tyranny and shaped our future. Their legacy is peace, and our duty is to protect it.
Such sacrifice deserves more than silence, which is why this government remains committed to supporting veterans, their families, and those who serve. Today, we remember, and we renew our promise to uphold the values they fought for”.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“This year, as we marked eighty years since the end of the Second World War, we have been reminded of the immense courage and sacrifices made by all those who have served our country.
On this Remembrance Sunday, we come together again to reflect and honour the sacrifices of our Armed Forces, past and present, and to ensure that their service is never forgotten. Today, we remember them, in grief and in gratitude, mindful that their legacy lives on in the freedom we enjoy today”.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
“On Remembrance Sunday we come together to honour those who fought and died so we could live in freedom.
We pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our country, and we recognise the dedication of those who serve in our Armed Forces today to safeguard the peace we all inherited.
As a nation, we pay our respects and thank our entire Armed Forces community. We will never take their service for granted”.
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton KCB said:
“Remembrance Sunday stands as both an important moment of national reflection and an opportunity for personal acts of remembrance. It is a time to honour all those who laid down their lives so that we might live in freedom as well as recognising those serving today, who continue to protect us.
From the Cenotaph in London to memorials in towns and villages across the United Kingdom, and wherever our Armed Forces serve around the world, we pause to remember their courage, their sacrifice, and their enduring legacy. We shall remember them”.
Philippa Rawlinson, Director of Remembrance at the Royal British Legion said:
“In a year that marks 80 years since Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan, we reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of the Second World War generation, aware that this is one of the nation’s last opportunities to recognise, thank and honour the small number of veterans still with us today.
As we come together on Remembrance Sunday, we not only pay tribute to them but to all those who have bravely defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.
From risking their lives in warzones to spending time away from their families, and providing vital support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, the dedication of our Armed Forces community is extraordinary. We encourage the nation to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice”.
101-year-old Donald Poole, a veteran of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who will be marching with the Burma Star Memorial Fund said:
“It is a great honour to be able to pay tribute to the poor souls who have died in all conflicts, and I know how lucky I am to still be here thanks to all those who have fought and served, past and present. I also want to pay tribute to the civilian services who suffered during the Second World War, particularly the Fire Service, who saved so many lives during the Blitz – many of whom lost their own”. Photo by UK Government, Wikimedia commons.