The Duchess of Edinburgh donned three poppies as she made an emotional appearance at this morning’s Remembrance Sunday event in central London.
Sophie, 60, who was joined on one of the balconies of the Foreign Office by the Duke of Kent, could be seen visibly shedding tears as King Charles led the nation for a two-minute silence at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
The wife of Prince Edward dressed in traditional black, coordinating a dark coat with her hat, also opting for another standard accessory: the poppy.
However, while most choose to wear one, the Duchess opted to wear a triad, pinned on the left side of her coat.
It is believed that each of the flowers represents one of the main branches of the military.
These include the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, and the British Army.
Meanwhile, Queen Camila, 78, and the Princess of Wales, 43, stood together on the centre balcony of the Foreign Office as they observed the proceedings.
Like Sophie, the Queen opted to wear three poppies pinned to her coat.
The Duchess of Edinburgh looked sombre as she attended the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London
Kate, however, sported just one poppy, unlike in previous years, when she has donned three of the flowers.
However, her poppy was accompanied by a brooch, and while unconfirmed, it’s believed she may have been paying tribute to fallen ancestors with this pin.
Since 2015 and today, the royal has switched the number she wears, opting for three several years.
According to reports, in 2019, she wore the Codebreakers brooch, released that year to honour those who worked in signal intelligence, to pay tribute to her grandmother, Valerie Glassborow.
While Buckingham Palace has never confirmed why members of the Royal Family wear multiple poppies, there are several theories.
First, there is the theory that they represent the different arms of the military.
The late Queen Elizabeth II wore five poppies, and it was thought that each one paid tribute to a branch of the armed forces.
While never confirmed by the palace, they were thought to be the Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, the Civil Defence, and the Women’s Services.
Kate donned a poppy as well as a brooch as she attended the National Service of Remembrance on Sunday
The second theory is that multiple poppies are worn to honour multiple families members who fought and died at war.
As Kate’s great-grandmother had three brothers were who killed during WWI, it has long been thought that each of the three poppies honours one.
Others have suggested donning three poppies could represent the past, present, and future generations affected by war.
Another theory is that royals wear multiple poppies simply because a corsage is much more visible than just one.
As Kate stands on the balcony paying her respects to those who died in conflicts, she might just want to make sure the poppies are seen.
When it comes to why the Royals wear their poppies on their left-hand side, it’s commonly thought to be because this positions them closer to the heart.
Services have taken place across the country to honour the fallen, with this year’s Armistice Day marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
Some 10,000 armed forces veterans took part in the Royal British Legion’s march-past through Whitehall, alongside about 20 Second World War veterans.
Senior politicians and members of the Royal Family departed after laying wreaths so the thousands of veterans could start their march-past.
Ahead of the two-minute silence at 11am, military bands performed songs including Rule Britannia as crowds watched on along Whitehall.
