LONDON -- In a scaled-back service, Queen Elizabeth II led tributes Sunday to those from the U.K. and the Commonwealth who perished in wartime, as most veterans paid their respects at home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 94-year-old monarch looked on from a balcony at a government building above the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London on the 100th year anniversary of the memorial’s installation following the conclusion of World War I.
The public were unable to attend this year, with the event taking place during a second national lockdown in England, and were instead encouraged to take part in the two-minute silence at home.
Queen wears mask at tribute to Unknown Warrior
Queen Elizabeth II donned a face mask in public for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic when attending a brief ceremony at Westminster Abbey last week to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior.
While the 94-year-old monarch has been seen in public on several occasions over the past few months, she had not been pictured wearing a face covering until now. That had prompted some criticism.
On Wednesday, during her first public engagement in London since March, she wore a black mask that was edged with white.
Pictures of the ceremony were officially released late Saturday.
