A soldier appeared to faint at the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London today.

The woman, a member of the Queen’s Household Cavalry, was pictured face down in the road during the event today.

A crowd behind barriers look on in concern, with one spectator putting her hand over her mouth as the solider lay on the ground with her helmet fallen off.

It is not known what caused the fall, however guardsmen have previously fainted at high profile events.

In 2019 and 2017, several guards passed out during Trooping the Colour, which occurred in high temperatures, with one man helped away on a stretcher.

Today’s incident came before the two minute’s silence was held at 11am.

It comes as the Queen, 95, had to miss the service today after spraining her back.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5video

Buckingham Palace released a last-minute statement cancelling her appearance an hour-and-a-half before the event started in central London.

The injury is understood to be a recent sprain that sparked concerns over the impact of a car journey and a period of standing.

It comes after the monarch stayed in hospital overnight for the first time in eight years in October and cancelled two trips.

The palace statement read: ‘The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph. Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.

‘As in previous years, a wreath will be laid on Her Majesty’s behalf by The Prince of Wales.

‘His Royal Highness, along with the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra will be present at the Cenotaph today as planned.’

Future king Charles appeared tearful as he laid a wreath on behalf of his mother to honour those who laid down their lives to protect others.

Former soldiers said the service was particularly poignant this year as the event returned to full size following the Covid lockdown.

Afghanistan veteran David Atkin said: ‘It’s such a poignant time of year for me having lost friends myself in Afghanistan. It gives me the opportunity to really remember their memory and all the good times we had.

‘It’s probably even more poignant this year because I know a lot of people, especially from the RAF Regiment Association, who should have been marching there last year and are no longer with us, so they’re not able to march this year, so we’re doing it for them as well.’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer stood beside the prime minister while former prime ministers lined up behind Mr Johnson.

John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May all paid their respects, while Prince William, the Earl of Wessex and Princess Anne also laid wreaths.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article