Queen Camilla travelled by train to pay a very special tribute on Armistice Day.
The Queen joined the Poppies to Paddington service which has been running for several years to allow tributes for Remembrance to be sent to London by those who can’t necessarily get there themselves.
Her Majesty joined the special train at the station nearest to Ray Mill, her home in Wiltshire. That meant that commuters waiting at Chippenham got a surprise on the morning of November 11 as The Queen walked down the platform to join the Poppies to Paddington express.
She was given a send off by local school children who wanted to add their own wreath to the tributes being sent to London and presented The Queen with a ring of knitted poppies which she took with her.
One of them, noticing The Queen’s dark green outfit, asked her if she’d dressed in the same colours as the train carriage of the Great Western Railway which runs the Poppies to Paddington service. Queen Camilla smiled and replied ”of course”.
Dozens of bright red poppy wreaths were safely stowed on board, ready to be laid at the War Memorial which stands inside Paddington Station.
The huge bronze statue depicts a World War One soldier reading a letter from home as he waits for the next battle to begin on the front.
The poppies that were laid there came from towns across the south west of London as well as from south Wales. Those places have long been connected to London by the train service which is now Great Western Railways. The Poppies to Paddington service is also a reminder of the trip taken by many from that area who signed up to fight in war and who made their way to London to continue their journey on to the battlefields.
On her arrival at Paddington, The Queen joined a short but moving service held on the platform at the London terminus.
Music came from the Military Wives’ Choir and then, at 11am, the whole station fell silent for the national tribute.
Queen Camilla bowed her head as she took part in the silence. She then laid a wreath at the war memorial, the first of many tributes placed there on Armistice Day.
Later, she spoke to some of the members of the Military Wives choir as she met those taking part in the ceremony. Poppies to Paddington began in the pandemic when GWR started taking wreaths to London so that people could still pay tribute despite the restrictions imposed by social distancing.
The Princess of Wales laid her own wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum where she attended the national service of remembrance taking place there on Armistice Day.
The Princess bowed her head and stood in quiet contemplation for several moments after placing the wreath, which was covered in bright red poppies and bore the feathers of the Prince of Wales, on the memorial.
Later, she met some of the veterans who had taken part in the service including 100 year old Donald Redston who shared secrets on staying healthy with her as the Princess knelt down to talk to him.
The Prince of Wales delivered a message to school children across the country on Armistice Day. Prince William recorded a special video message reflecting on the importance of remembrance for the Royal British Legion’s annual assembly which is relayed online to thousands of youngsters aged 9 to 14. There is every chance two of his own children, 12 year old Prince George and 10 year old Princess Charlotte, watched their dad in school today.
Prince George had already taken part in the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance for the first time. He made his debut at the event on November 8, arriving with his mother, the Princess of Wales, and sitting in the front row of the royal box with her, King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The King led the nation in commemoration on Remembrance Sunday when he laid a wreath on behalf of the whole country at the Cenotaph.
