The Queen will not be laying a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday and will watch from a balcony as Prince Charles does it for her
This year's remembrance service will be the first in recent history in which her Majesty has passed her royal duties onto her son, the Prince of Wales
- THE Queen will not be laying a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, royal officials have announced.
This year's Remembrance service will be the first in recent history in which the 91-year-old monarch has passed her royal duties onto son Prince Charles.
Prince Philip, 96, will also not be laying a wreath this year, having officially retired from royal duties in August.
Despite his retirement, it is understood that the Duke of Edinburgh still wished to be a part of the ceremony, and will be watching from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building.
Royal sources revealed that the Queen wanted to be with her husband for the service, having always previously attended together.
The Duke's equerry will instead take his place at The Cenotaph, as he and her Majesty watch from the balcony.
Philip, the longest-serving royal consort in British history, announced he was standing down in typically dry fashion in May, joking: “Well, I can’t stand up much longer.”
The Queen has missed the annual event just six times, twice while pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward in 1959 and 1963 respectively, and four times while on overseas tours.
Although Charles laid a wreath while the Queen was on a visit to Kenya in 1983, it will be the first time he has done so while she watches on.
The request to break tradition is likely to also raise questions over her health.
It is possible that the move will see Charles officially stepping up to take over more of her duties.
Armistice Day, on November 11, commemorates the end of four years fighting in World War I between the Allies and Germany at 11am on November 11, 1918.
As the head of the armed forces, the Remembrance Sunday service is seen as a significant date in the Queen's diary.
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Her Majesty, along with other members of the royal family, is still expected to attend the annual Royal Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on the Saturday.
The following morning, Prince Charles will lead the two minutes' silence at The Cenotaph in Whitehall.
