Emotional services will be held across the country to mark the anniversary of the end of the first world war and a two-minute silence will be observed at 11am to remember those who lost their lives in military conflict. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are due to attend the Armistice Day service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, with services also following in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Portsmouth. In Edinburgh, Lord Deputy Councilor Lesley Marion Cameron will join veterans, staff and members of the public to pay their respects in the city’s Garden of Remembrance. The short outdoor service led by the National Home of the Scottish Legion, Reverend Dr Karen Campbell, will be followed by a wreath-laying before the One O’Clock Gun fires at 11am. from Edinburgh Castle. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley will attend a memorial service organized by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. He wittily said: “Since 1918 we have been celebrating Armistice Day and paying tribute to the brave men and women who served to give us peace. However, as we salute our troops this year, that peace has been shattered by a Russian aggressor. “As we honor the war dead of the past, we also remember Ukraine’s struggle for freedom today. The UK stands steadfastly with our friends and allies in defending freedom and democracy in Ukraine and I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with a historic ally in Paris today.” Smartly, he will also meet the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna. They were expected to discuss the two countries’ support for Ukraine, working together to improve energy security and illegal immigration, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. Subscribe to The Guardian Headlines UK A roundup of the top morning headlines emailed straight to you every day of the week Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. They will also discuss preparations for next year’s UK-France summit, he added. The armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany in a railway carriage in the forest of Compiègne to end the first world war in 1918.
