King Charles Follows in Queen Elizabeth’s Footsteps With Rare Protocol Break on 9/11 Anniversary
King Charles recreated his mother's extraordinary protocol break in a rare gesture of support.
September 11th is a heartbreaking day in the US public memory. This year, the horrific tragedy marked 25 years. On Friday, King Charles chose to follow in his mother Queen Elizabeth’s footsteps with a meaningful show of support for those who lost their lives in the terror attack.
Usually, Buckingham Palace plays foreign national anthems only during state visits. However, 25 years ago, following the heinous 9/11 attacks, the late Queen took an extraordinary measure to express her solidarity with the US citizens. According to reports, breaking the royal protocol, she personally asked the Coldstream Guards to perform the US national anthem during the Changing of the Guard ceremony, although no foreign head of state was visiting.
This week, Charles also made a similar decision to mark the tragic anniversary. During the Changing of the Guard, the King’s Guard played ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ Although the monarch himself didn’t attend, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represented him at the occasion. They were accompanied by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Security Minister Dan Jarvis, and US Ambassador Warren Stephens and his wife, Harriet. On X (formerly Twitter), the official message read, "The ceremony included performances of both U.S. and U.K. National Anthems, ‘Hymn to the Fallen’ and ‘Amazing Grace'."
In 2001, further breaking from protocol, the late Queen shocked the world when she sang the US national anthem during a memorial service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on September 14. It was likely the first time a British monarch had sung the Star-Spangled Banner. “The Queen does not ‘sing’ national anthems,” columnist Richard Kay had written via PEOPLE at the time. “Her mouth never opens when they are played. It was the ultimate sign of unity, friendship, and support for America.”
In 2010, the Queen visited Ground Zero in New York during her US state visit and laid a wreath. Likewise, Charles and Queen Camilla also paid their respects at the poignant site during their state visit earlier this year. The pair laid flowers in memory of those who lost their lives to the harrowing attacks. They also met with first responders and families of the victims. The tragedy claimed 67 UK citizens.
Two weeks after 9/11, the late monarch had penned a touching letter to New York, which had lost thousands of lives to the tragedy, to appreciate the city and people’s “resilience and determination.” She also included a sombre message: “But nothing that can be said can begin to take away the anguish and the pain of these moments. Grief is the price we pay for love.”
