As clocks struck 11am on November 11, 2025, the United Kingdom fell silent. For two minutes, a hush descended across cities and towns, from bustling London streets to quiet village greens, as millions paused to honor the fallen on Remembrance Day. This annual moment of reflection, observed at the exact hour the First World War’s guns fell silent in 1918, remains one of Britain’s most solemn traditions. Yet this year, the commemoration was accompanied by a swirl of royal intrigue, social media speculation, and the ever-present scrutiny of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, followed a weekend of tributes. On November 9, Remembrance Sunday, members of the Royal Family—including King Charles—joined politicians and nearly 10,000 veterans for the traditional March Past and laid poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph. According to NationalWorld, the Festival of Remembrance was a poignant affair, with the Princess of Wales among those attending a special ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum. The event, replete with readings, wreath layings, and personal reflections, was livestreamed for the public and broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, ensuring that even those at home could participate in the nation’s collective remembrance.
Yet, while the royal family gathered in London, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headlines of their own—albeit 5,000 miles away. On the night of Armistice Day, Meghan took to Instagram with a post that immediately set tongues wagging. She shared a video of Harry in full military uniform, filmed during his 2013 tour in Afghanistan. In the clip, Harry is seen in the midst of an interview, only to tear off his microphone and sprint to a waiting helicopter—an image that encapsulated both urgency and duty.
Meghan’s caption read: “As my husband says, ‘Once served. Always serving’. Thank you to all who served, sacrificed, and continue to serve. Honoring you on Veterans Day. And every day.” The post was notable for several reasons. As reported by The Mirror, Meghan does not typically mark Remembrance Day with public tributes, preferring to support Harry’s veterans’ work more privately. This year’s message, however, was both public and deeply personal, drawing immediate attention from royal watchers and commentators alike.
Judi James, a body language and communications expert, told The Mirror, “Meghan’s ‘Once served, always serving’ sounds like a personal homage to her husband here, especially as she even claims him as the source of the quote. As a message to her husband of her ongoing admiration and respect this posting looks impeccable although it might possibly have made him blush to see it does star him over the millions of other options.”
But the message, some believe, carried a coded subtext. James continued, “The wording suggests it might also be aimed at reminding the public not only about Harry’s active service but also about his claims of an ongoing ‘life of service’ despite leaving the Royal Family. In the face of the criticism over not wearing a poppy or PR clashes this might also be an intended reminder that Harry is actually one of the veterans that the day was all about.”
The Sussexes’ tribute came on the heels of a week fraught with awkward timing and public scrutiny. Days earlier, Harry had announced a “faux royal” tour in Canada, supporting veterans, almost simultaneously with Prince William’s arrival for what was described as the biggest event of his royal career. The overlap led to speculation about sibling rivalry and accusations that Harry was attempting to overshadow the future King. According to The Mirror, Harry’s team was quick to deny any intent to upstage, attributing the scheduling to security reasons.
As the royal family honored the war dead at the Festival of Remembrance, Harry and Meghan were spotted at a very different gathering: Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party in Los Angeles. The glitzy, James Bond-themed bash was attended by a host of celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, and Paris Hilton. Meghan faced criticism for not wearing a poppy—a symbol of remembrance in the UK—at the event, a detail that did not go unnoticed by the British press.
The intrigue only deepened when photos of the Sussexes at the party, initially shared by Kim Kardashian on Instagram, mysteriously disappeared from her feed. Fans speculated furiously on Reddit, with one user asking, “Why delete their pic, we saw them at the party?” Another suggested that the Sussexes may have requested the removal, commenting, “A bit cringe to accept the invite but not want your pics associated with attending (esp when there are pap shots of you going in or out).” The unexplained deletion added another layer of mystery to the couple’s already complex relationship with both the press and the public.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s media presence shows no sign of waning. She recently announced that her Netflix Christmas special, “With Love, Meghan,” will premiere on December 3, 2025. The special promises to showcase her favorite holiday traditions, crafts, and recipes, joined by celebrity guests. Yet even this festive programming has sparked headlines, as its release coincides with the start of a major royal event: the three-day German State Visit to the UK, hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. The overlap has been interpreted by some royal watchers as yet another instance of diary clashes between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
Amid all the drama, the core of Remembrance Day remained unchanged. As The British Legion noted, “Held each year at 11am on 11 November, the silence coincides with the time in 1918 at which the First World War came to an end and is observed at war memorials and in public places throughout the UK and Commonwealth.” The two-minute silence, broadcast by the BBC and marked at the National Memorial Arboretum, provided a rare moment of unity in a year otherwise marked by division and distraction.
As the world watched, the United Kingdom honored its war dead, veterans marched, and the royal family paid their respects. Yet, in 2025, Remembrance Day was also a story of how tradition and modern celebrity, public duty and private lives, can collide in the glare of the world’s attention. For all the headlines, the silence at 11am spoke louder than any social media post or royal controversy ever could.
