Why Royals Wear a Poppy | A History of Remembrance Poppies | Princess Kate Gives Away Poppy

Why do royals in the United Kingdom and beyond wear poppies during the last week of October and early November? Well, it’s connected to Remembrance Sunday and the legacy and history of World War I. Princess Kate, also known as Kate Middleton, graciously gave away her poppy to a child earlier this week as well. In many ways, World War I was one of the most devastating wars ever experienced by the U.K. Approximately 880,000 soldiers died on battlefields in Western Europe. And it was over their graves that red poppies started to grow. Quickly, the red poppy became a symbol of remembrance for troops and became a physical token of honoring those killed in combat. As a result, the British royal family officially wear poppies through Remembrance Sunday. There’s also a deeply personal connection as well, as the Queen Mother lost a brother in World War I. King George V also wrote his reflections on the process of overseeing the burial of the Unknown Warrior, who remains bur