Passchendaele Centenary

Members of the Belgian and British Royal Families attended a series of events to mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele on July 31st. Click HERE to check out the previous day’s events.

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium were joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence as they took part in commemoration ceremony of the Battle of Passendaele at the Tyne Cot Cemetery, which is the largest war cemetery. The Prince of Wales gave a speech and then laid wreaths with King Philippe. The Duke of Cambridge read “A Soldier of The Great War Known Unto God” while the Duchess laid a posey. Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also gave a speech.

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Afterwards, the British and Belgian royals opened the trench at the Dugout Church of Zonnebeke, which was followed by the solemn opening of the British Memorial Garden. Finally, the royal group visited the Passchendaele Memorial Garden exhibition, where they met relatives of victims of the First World War. The Prince of Wales also visited the Artillery Wood Cemetery, where many Welsh soldiers are buried.

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King Philippe wore a dark suit with a grey tie. Queen Mathilde wore a beige Natan dress with a Fabienne Delvigne hat and large gold stud earrings. The Prince of Wales wore a tan suit with his medals and badges. The Duke of Cambridge wore a navy suit with the regimental tie of the Household Division and medals. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a Catherine Walker coat and Jane Taylor hat with Princess Diana’s Collingwood pearl earrings and a pearl and diamond brooch borrowed from the Queen.

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One thought on “Passchendaele Centenary

  1. I’m glad to see that the soldiers who fought and died there have not been forgotten.

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