Royal watchers were surprised when 12-year-old Prince George appeared at the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday, November 8 — but not at the following day’s Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London. Many wondered why the young royal didn’t join the rest of his family for one of the monarchy’s most solemn annual events.
On Sunday, King Charles led the royal family at the traditional Remembrance Day ceremony, paying tribute to those who lost their lives in service to the nation. Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Edward, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke of Kent all took part in the event. About 10,000 veterans marched past the Cenotaph, joined by 20 WWII veterans and several political leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former PMs Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Tony Blair.
While George’s presence at Saturday’s event delighted royal fans, his absence on Sunday has now been explained. According to Town & Country magazine, the reason is quite straightforward — he’s still too young to participate.
Prince William himself didn’t attend the Remembrance Sunday service until he was 22 years old, in 2004, and only began laying wreaths at the Cenotaph three years later. Prince Harry followed in 2009, at age 25. Based on this tradition, it may be nearly a decade before Prince George takes part in the ceremony alongside his father. Kensington Palace has not commented on the matter.
Despite missing Sunday’s service, George’s attendance at the Festival of Remembrance the night before was widely celebrated online. Fans praised the young royal for joining his mother, Princess Kate, calling it a “sweet and symbolic” moment between mother and son.
“Aww, what a lovely first engagement together — they both look so happy,” one fan posted. Another noted how tall George looked beside his mother, while others reflected on how quickly he’s grown up.
Earlier this year, George also attended a special VE Day tea party at Buckingham Palace with King Charles and Queen Camilla, where he met and spoke with World War II veterans — a moment that hinted at his growing public role within the royal family.
