On Armistice Day, the United Kingdom observed a poignant two-minute silence to honor those who lost their lives in military conflicts, marking the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. Ceremonies were held across the country, with notable figures such as Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean laying wreaths at the Angel Memorial in Westminster Hall. They were joined by Massachusetts senate president Karen Spilka, who recited a poem during the solemn occasion.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting participated in the Western Front Association’s annual Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, where he commemorated the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The event drew UK Government officials, international military representatives, schoolchildren, cadets, and numerous members of the public, all braving the rain to pay their respects. Meanwhile, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester laid a wreath and observed the two-minute silence at 11am, engaging with attendees following the service.S1

In Portsmouth, Farming Minister Stephen Morgan joined Royal Navy officers and dignitaries at the WWI Memorial in Guildhall Square, where a veteran placed a cross of remembrance amidst a service attended by many. The Tommy statue in Dover also attracted a crowd for its tribute to First World War soldiers. Scotland held its own commemorations, including a service at the garden of remembrance in Edinburgh, where the one o'clock gun at Edinburgh Castle fired at 11am to signal the start of the silence, led by Rev Dr Karen Campbell, the national chaplain of Royal British Legion Scotland.S1