Royal support for The Royal British Legion's Annual Festival of Remembrance
Her Majesty The Queen was joined by other senior Royals in paying tribute to veterans and serving personnel at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 10 November.
The Royal British Legion's moving annual event honoured those who have died in conflict as well as serving personnel, their families and civilian supporters.
This year the Torch of Remembrance was carried by Corporal William Rigby, 24, from the 4th Battalion The Rifles, who lost his twin brother Corporal John Rigby while they were both serving in Iraq this year. Their father, Douglas Rigby, read the Festival Citation.
Lance Corporal Michelle Norris, 20, the first woman to be awarded a Military Cross for braving heavy sniper and machine-gun fire in Iraq, marked the start of the Service component of this year’s Festival by carrying the Book of Remembrance.
World War I veteran Harry Patch, who served in the trenches during the battle of Passchendaele, received applause and a standing ovation when he was presented to the audience.
A variety of performers took to the stage during the evening and performed to a full house. Classical quartets Blake and All Angels wowed the audience with powerful renditions of classical favourites, while promising new singer Tori White sang the Poppy Appeal's official song, Please Remember Me.
Katherine Jenkins graced the stage at the Festival for her third year alongside fellow opera singer Alfie Boe, the military musicians and the Massed Bands of the Guards Division; The Band of HM Royal Marines and the Central Band of the RAF.
The evening ended with a poignant two minute silence as thousands of poppy petals fluttered from the ceiling of the Royal Albert Hall in symbolic reference to those lives that have been lost in conflict, past and present.
