Remembrance Sunday commemoration events took place around the country on 12th November. At the Cenotaph in Whitehall, the Prince of Wales led the nation in honouring the country’s war dead, as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth observed the service from a balcony.
The Queen asked Charles to lay her wreath at the Cenotaph, in the first time the monarch has broken with tradition and not performed the symbolic duty while in attendance at the Whitehall service.
A two-minute silence took place at 11am and wreaths were laid at the foot of the Whitehall memorial by senior royals and political leaders including Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, leaders of the different faiths, servicemen and women and others.
The Greek Orthodox Church was represented by His Eminence, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira & Great Britain. As a Member of the Commonwealth, Cyprus was represented by His Excellency, the Cyprus igh HigHigh Commissioner, Euripides Evriviades, who laid a wreath on behalf of Cyprus at the Cenotaph.
At the Cenotaph in Haringey, there was a Civic Ceremony organised by Haringey Council and wreaths were laid by the Mayor of Haringey Cllr. Stephen Mann, MP for Hornsey & Wood Green Catherine West, and Leader of the Council Cllr. Claire Kober. Also present was Councillor Emine Ibrahim.
Wreaths were also laid by on behalf of the Cypriot Community Centre by its Chair, Susie Constantinides, and Secretary, Hasan Raif, by Christalla Evdokimou, Secretary of the Cypriot Women’s League and its members Soula Charalambous and Chrisoulla Mintis, and by Andreas Constantinides on behalf of St. Barnabus Church and the Greek-Orthodox community.
At the service, all faiths were represented, all of whom offered a prayer, including Bishop Athanasios.
Scouts and Guides, including those from St. Barnabus, paraded flags at the Haringey Cenotaph.
The official Remembrance Day was on Saturday 11th November, i.e. at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, which is when the Armistice was signed, officially ending the 1st World War.
Cypriots who came to the UK before the 2nd World War were called up, represented Britain and fought with the Allies, whilst 25,000 volunteered in Cyprus and fought as the Cyprus Regiment.
Photo: Peter Pentayiotis