This Sunday, November 14, marks Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom, a holiday celebrated following Remembrance Day on November 11, which commemorates British soldiers who fought in conflicts throughout British history. The British royal family showed up to pay their respects to the military during the week, and on Saturday, Prince William and Kate Middleton attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

While many royals attended, including Prince Charles and Camilla and Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, the Queen was conspicuous by her absence due to her recent hospitalization and absence from royal duties; according to the BBC, the Queen had originally planned to go to the wreath-laying at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day the following day but However, she had to withdraw at the last minute due to a sprained back.

Following tradition, Kate and the other women in attendance wore black, while the men wore suits. In addition, according to People, each attendee wore a red poppy pin, the symbol of Remembrance Day, which was started 100 years ago this year by the Royal British Legion, a veterans' charity.

The poppy pins, usually worn from All Souls' Day on November 2 through Remembrance Sunday, are thought to be a reference to the World War I poem "Flanders Fields" written by Canadian officer John MacRae in 1915. The first line of the poem, which describes flowers blooming on a soldier's grave, reads as follows Between the crosses, in rows, And in the sky In the sky still flies a lark, bravely singing. The cannon's sound is scarcely audible.

Some Remembrance Day participants can be seen wearing black poppies to commemorate the contributions of black, African and Caribbean servicemen and women to the British war effort. Since it is a solemn and important day in the British calendar, it is no wonder that the royal family spent the week paying their respects.