Prince William and his wife Kate have appeared at a service marking Anzac Day, which honours Australia and New Zealand’s war dead.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were welcomed to Westminster Abbey by the Dean of Westminster and joined hundreds of guests from Australian and New Zealand communities in the UK.
Anzac Day – April 25 – marks the anniversary of the start of the First World War Gallipoli landings, and is a national day of remembrance for Australia and New Zealand.
Thousands of Anzac – Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – troops died alongside British allies in the ill-fated 1915 campaign.
Its legacy is the celebration of the “Anzac spirit” – courage, endurance, initiative, discipline and companionship – shown by the Antipodean troops.
The Dean, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, told those in the abbey in central London: “Today we gather to remember what must never be forgotten. We are also here to honour not just bravery, but common cause. We will reflect on the complex history that makes allies and enemies and leads us through war and peace.
“We remember the loyalties that bound the men and women of Gallipoli together. We think of their courage at a time when we are conscious of a very different conflict and of other challenges.
“We look around and find reason to pray for those caught up in war today. We look back and remember the recent anxieties, loyalties and demands of a pandemic which is not yet over.
“Knowing that trust, respect, service and resilience are virtuous acts, we commit ourselves once more to a renewed determination to seek peace and to work together for the good of all.”
A Kensington Palace spokesman said about the duchess being able to attend the service: “As a result of changes to the diary she is now able to attend.”
Britain's Prince William lays Anzac Day wreath in London
