King Charles Attends Remembrance Sunday for the First Time Since Becoming Monarch

King Charles is leading the royal family at the Remembrance Sunday service.

The monarch, who turns 74 on Monday, joined members of the royal family at the Cenotaph war memorial in London to honor those who have died in war at the National Service of Remembrance, also known as Remembrance Sunday.

At 10:59 a.m. local time, King Charles emerged through the door of Whitehall, followed by his son and heir, Prince William, and sister, Princess Anne. As Big Ben's chimes began at precisely 11 a.m. to herald the national two-minute silence, Charles raised his right arm in salute.

Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty King Charles

King Charles laid a new wreath, the design of which pays tribute to the wreath of his grandfather King George VI and his mother Queen Elizabeth. The wreath's poppies were mounted on an arrangement of black leaves, as is traditional for the monarch, and featured the King's racing colors: scarlet, purple and gold. The royal racing colors were also incorporated into the wreaths of King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

The wreath was accompanied by a handwritten card bearing his new cypher, which was revealed in September.

RELATED: Why Are Members of the British Royal Family All Wearing Poppy Pins This Month?

Chris Jackson/Getty King Charles

Queen Camilla watched the service from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

For the first time, a wreath was laid on Queen Camilla's behalf by an equerry from the Royal Household. The Queen Consort's wreath featured her racing colors, inherited from her grandfather, and echoed the wreath of the previous Queen Consort, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. It also featured a handwritten card with her new cypher.

Both the King and the Queen Consort's wreaths were produced by The Poppy Factory.

Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince William and King Charles

Prince William also laid a wreath — the one previously laid by the former Prince of Wales, featuring the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

The service at the Cenotaph was also attended by Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales; Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex; Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; and the Duke of Kent.

After all the poppy tributes had been laid at the Cenotaph, a short service of prayers and hymns was led by the Bishop of London. It ended with the national anthem, "God Save The King," sung by the veterans and members of the royal family. King Charles departed followed by his family, while up on the balcony Camilla and Kate made their exits, Kate stepping aside for the Queen Consort to precede her into the building.

Isabel Infantes - WPA Pool/Getty King Charles with Prince Edward, Prince William and Princess Anne

At the annual service, which always takes place on the second Sunday of November, veterans gather to take part in the two-minute silence and watch the military parade. Members of the royal family pay tribute alongside new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, members of the cabinet, opposition party leaders, former prime ministers, the mayor of London and other ministers. Representatives of the Armed Forces, Fishing Fleets and Merchant Air and Navy also attend along with faith communities and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries.

Following the service, Prince Edward took the Salute at the March Past of Veteran Organizations on Horse Guards Parade.

Chris Jackson/Getty Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton

Although this marks the first month of Remembrance Day events since Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at age 96, immediately making her son Charles the new monarch, the historic Queen did not attend last year's ceremonies. The monarch canceled several engagements after being hospitalized the previous month and told to rest by doctors. Although Queen Elizabeth had planned to attend the Remembrance Sunday service, she pulled out at the last minute due to a sprained back. Charles laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on his mother's behalf.

The royal family has played a central role in the Remembrance Day commemorations since Queen Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, laid the Unknown Warrior to rest in Westminster Abbey on November 11, 1920. He unveiled The Cenotaph war memorial in nearby Whitehall later on the same day. On Sunday, the official Royal Family Twitter account shared photos of King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III laying wreaths.

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"The Royal Family is showing gratitude for the loss of life basically occurring in their name — certainly in the name of the Sovereign as the head of state," A Century of Remembrance author Laura Clouting previously told PEOPLE, referencing the British military oath. "Remembrance is very, very personal for them."