The Royal Family is shrinking: on the balcony on “Remembrance Sunday” the British showed themselves with thinned rows.
London - Remembering the fallen is one of the most important dates in the royal calendar.
On this occasion, the British royal family traditionally shows itself on so-called "Remembrance Day".
Royal Family: Queen has to cancel World War Memorial Day
The royals then traditionally lay wreaths at the cenotaph, a symbolic tomb in London's government district. The Queen actually wanted to watch the ceremony from a balcony at the nearby State Department. How seriously the Queen takes this commemoration became clear two years ago: Elizabeth II. Tears rolled down her face. But the monarch had to cancel the ceremony at short notice this year for health reasons.
A sprained back is responsible for this, as the palace announced.
It would have been the first public appearance of the 95-year-old after a hospital stay in October.
The cancellation should fuel speculation about the health of the queen again.
"After spraining her back, the Queen decided with great regret that she could not attend today's Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph," said the palace in the morning.
The Queen was "disappointed", the message continues.
Prince Charles leads remaining royals - with thinned ranks
This year heir to the throne, Prince Charles (73), who also laid the wreath, led the royals.
At his side: his wife, Duchess Camilla (74), Prince William and Duchess Kate (both 39).
Also there were: Prince Edward (57), Sophie, Countess von Wessex (56), Prince Michael von Kent (79) his wife Marie Christine von Reibnitz (76), Princess Anne (71), Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (66), the Duke of Gloucester (77), his wife Birgitte (72) and the Duke of Kent (86) with Princess Alexandra (84).
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Prince Edward (l) and Lady Ogilvy leave a space free during the memorial service for “Remembrance Sunday” at the Cenotaph in Whitehall where the British Queen Elizabeth II would have stood.
© Toby Melville / dpa
Photo comparison shows how divided the British royals are
What is striking about this compilation: Compared to a picture of the royal lodge in 2019, the royal family has shrunk significantly - and thus reflects how broken the family is.
Harry (37) and Meghan (40) are known to have fled to the USA, the Queen is sick and Prince Andrew (61) decided to resign temporarily at the end of November 2019.
There are three sexual abuse lawsuits pending against him in the United States.
All of them were seen in intimate unity in 2019 for the memorial ceremony.
For comparison: This is what the royal balcony looked like in 2019
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The royal family shortly before Remembrance Day 2019.
© Chris Jackson / dpa / picture alliance
In 2019, the line-up of the Royals looked very different.
A photo shows the British Queen Elizabeth II (M), with Duchess Kate (3rd from left), Prince William, Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince Andrew, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Great Britain, and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds , Prince Edward (2nd row, lr), Countess Sophie, Duchess Brigitte, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, husband of Princess Anne, Princess Anne, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan.
(jh / dpa)