King Charles III leads Britain's Remembrance Sunday ceremony for war dead

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III led Britain’s annual ceremony of remembrance for the country’s war dead on Sunday, under November sunshine and the shadow cast across Europe by the almost 4-year-old war in Ukraine.

As Parliament’s Big Ben bell tolled 11 a.m., thousands of military personnel, veterans and members of the public gathered in central London fell still for two minutes of silence, broken by a single artillery blast and Royal Marines buglers sounding “The Last Post.”

The 76-year-old king, dressed in the uniform of an army field marshal, laid a wreath of red paper poppies on a black background at the base of the Cenotaph war memorial. Erected over a century ago to honor the British and allied troops killed in World War I, it has become the focus of annual ceremonies for members of military and civilian services killed in that war and subsequent conflicts.

The national ceremony of remembrance is held every year on the nearest Sunday to the anniversary of the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m. Similar memorial services are held in dozens of towns and cities across Britain and at U.K. military bases overseas.

A military band played as heir to the throne Prince William followed his father in laying a wreath on the simple Portland stone monument inscribed with the words “the glorious dead.”

Other members of the royal family followed, including the king’s youngest brother, Prince Edward — but not former prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The king stripped his brother Andrew of his titles last month and evicted him from his royal mansion over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Wreaths were also laid by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, other political leaders and diplomats from across the Commonwealth of Britain's former colonies.

Queen Camilla, the Princess of Wales and other members of the royal family watched from their traditional place on a balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Many of the wreaths were made of poppies, and most people in attendance wore paper poppies on their lapels. The scarlet flowers that bloomed on the muddy battlefields and makeshift graveyards of northern France and Belgium during World War I — made famous by the poem “In Flanders Fields” — have become a symbol of remembrance in Britain and other countries.

Like many other NATO members, Britain has increased its defense spending since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Britain says it will spend 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035.

After the wreath-laying, some 10,000 military veterans with gleaming medals marched past the Cenotaph, accompanied by jaunty military music and applauded by well-wishers lining the sidewalks. Among them, in wheelchairs, were about 20 of the dwindling band of WWII veterans, the youngest of them 98 years old.

Donald Poole, 101, who served in as a Royal Army Ordnance Corps explosives handler in the conflict that ended 80 years ago, said it was “a great honor to be able to pay tribute to the poor souls who have died in all conflicts.

“I know how lucky I am to still be here thanks to all those who have fought and served, past and present,” he said. “I also want to pay tribute to the civilian services who suffered during the Second World War, particularly the fire service, who saved so many lives during the Blitz — many of whom lost their own.”

Britain's Prince William attends the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London, Nov. 9, 2025. (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

Chelsea Pensioners march during the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's King Charles III attends the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's King Charles III salutes as he attends the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Veterans arrive at the beginning of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at The Cenotaph on Whitehall in London, Sunday Nov. 9, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)

Soldiers form up on Whitehall ahead of the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Poppies are seen on a cross during the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch, Leader of Britain's Conservative Party, carry a wreath during the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's King Charles III attends the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

ROME (AP) — There were plenty of Filipino flags waving in support of Alexandra Eala amid the statues lining the picturesque Pietrangeli court at the Italian Open on Friday.

Eala beat 31st-seeded Wang Xinyu 6-4, 6-3 to follow up her three-set victory over Magdalena French in the opening round and put together consecutive clay-court victories for the first time since the qualifying rounds for the 2024 French Open.

“Yes, I did notice it,” Eala said of the Filipino support in Rome.

The 20-year-old Eala has become a worldwide sensation among the large Filipino diaspora ever since her breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals last year. Her fan base expanded again when she beat Clara Tauson in a long third-set tiebreaker in the first round at the U.S. Open last year for her first win in a major.

She attracted more attention at this year’s Australian Open — the closest Grand Slam to the Philippines.

Eala also noticed Filipino flags hanging outside a building on her way to visit the Vatican this week.

“I was like, ‘OK, we really are everywhere.’ And then I later learned that that’s the embassy of the Philippines to the Vatican,” she said. “And funny story: My great grandmother, she used to work there way back when. So it was full circle or something sentimental.”

While Eala prefers faster surfaces, she has plenty of access to clay courts at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain where she's based.

“I have a great team, very knowledgeable, and they are definitely guiding me and navigating me through this phase of the tour,” Eala said. “I trust in them a lot.

“What I’ve been trying to do is just be very patient and kind of try to enjoy being in that mode or that kind of mindset of being physically pushed and trying to stay in that suffering kind of zone."

While Eala is preparing for the French Open, her favorite Grand Slam remains Wimbledon.

“Growing up, Wimbledon was always the Grand Slam for me because I loved the tradition and seeing it from afar was very beautiful,” Eala said. “I saw everyone was in all white, the grass was so green, everything very elegant. So I carry that opinion until now.”

Eala has played in the main draw of the last four Grand Slams. So Roland Garros will mark her second time around in that category. She’s ranked No. 42.

“I haven’t been past a second round in a Grand Slam,” she said, “so that would be nice.”

Being based in Spain — the Nadal academy is in Manacor on the Balearic Islands — has helped Eala learn a third language after Filipino and English. During the recent Madrid Open she was able to do interviews in Spanish.

“To be able to get out of my shell and really break that barrier of being embarrassed was a great step for me," she said. “Having a third language is really a great skill and it’s very useful so I’m quite proud of myself.”

Eala’s emergence helped the Philippines host a WTA 125-level tournament in January. Amid huge attention, she reached the quarterfinals.

“Every time I go home I’m able to experience Manila in a different light because thankfully I’ve been getting better and better,” Eala said. “Home will always be home and I love going back there.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

FILE - Supporters of Alexandra Eala of the Philippines react during her first round match against Alycia Parks of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

FILE - Alexandra Eala of the Philippines waves to her supporters following her first round loss to Alycia Parks of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)