Full Breakdown
Royal Family Leads 2026 Anzac Day Commemorations in London
4/25/2026, 11:12:32 PM
Dawn Service at Wellington Arch
At 5 a.m. on 25 April 2026, Princess Anne, representing King Charles III, attended the dawn service at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner. She wore a green coat and a red poppy, and placed a wreath of red poppies on the New Zealand War Memorial. The program included a reading of John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”, the Last Post and national anthems. The ceremony was organised by the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions and attended by Minister for Veterans Louise Sandher-Jones.
Cenotaph Wreath-Laying and Westminster Abbey Service
In the morning, Princess of Wales Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, led Cenotaph ceremony. She laid a wreath with a note signed by her and Prince William reading “In memory of Australian and New Zealand soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.” She wore a navy coat dress, Diana’s sapphire-and-diamond earrings and a poppy. After one-minute silence and Last Post, she attended Westminster Abbey’s Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving, featuring readings by High Commissioners Cooper and Weatherill and a Maori waiata by Ngati Ranana.
Data & Significance
The Gallipoli campaign caused more than 100,000 deaths. Anzac Day is a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand and is observed worldwide, reinforcing Commonwealth ties and the monarchy’s role in remembrance.
Timeline
05:00 – Dawn service (Princess Anne); 09:30 – Cenotaph wreath (Princess of Wales); 11:00 – Westminster Abbey service (Princess of Wales).
Official Statements
The Royal Family’s X post read: “Today is #ANZACDay – which honours the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peace-keeping operations.” High Commissioners Cooper and Weatherill each laid wreaths, noting the shared heritage.
Criticism
In Australia, small groups booed Welcome-to-Country ceremonies; Defence Minister Richard Marles called the behaviour “deeply disgraceful.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” — Reverend Dr Lyndon Drake (reciting Laurence Binyon)
- “In memory of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.” — Note on the wreath signed by Catherine and Prince William
- “Today is #ANZACDay – which honours the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.” — Royal Family X post
- “To boo in that way goes completely against that. It is deeply disgraceful,” — Richard Marles, Australian Defence Minister
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media accounts differ on the colour of Princess Anne’s coat at the dawn service, describing it as emerald-green, dark green or burnt-orange. The exact shade was not confirmed by official statements.
What’s Next
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will begin a state visit to the United States on 27 April, shortly after the Anzac Day events.
