Why Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Royal Family Members Are Wearing Poppies

The red flower is closely tied to Remembrance Day in the U.K. — and even Veterans Day in the U.S.

The royal family members are adding a meaningful symbol to their ensembles.

Royal watchers may have noticed that royals have been sporting red poppy pins on their outfits in recent weeks. Kate Middleton and Prince William both wore the symbols while sporting matching green jackets during their joint visit to Scotland on Nov. 2.

They then continued to wear them during individual outings — the Prince of Wales, 41, wore it throughout his visit to Singapore for the Earthshot Prize awards, while the Princess of Wales, 41, accessorized with a poppy pin on her camo jacket during her visit to the Queen's Dragoon Guards on Nov. 8.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

King Charles and Queen Camilla's crowns made headlines this week at the State Opening of Parliament (the first of the new monarch's reign), but they both also brought along a poppy pin to the event. The King, 74, wore his on his military uniform, while the Queen, 76, pinned her onto a handbag.

The royal couple also wore poppies throughout their tour of Kenya earlier this month.

Related: Kate Middleton Wears Camo as She Makes Debut in New Title Appointed by King Charles — and Promotes a Pony!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recognized veterans and service members in San Diego on Wednesday, spending time with personnel and their families at Camp Pendleton before opening a new Navy SEAL Foundation’s Warrior Fitness Program West Coast facility.

Meghan, 42, wore a wool cardigan featuring embroidered poppies by Carolina Herrera for the first event, and she opted for a red pin on her suit for the second outing.

Each November, the red poppy pins become a poignant piece of the royals' wardrobe. The poppy has been used since 1921 to commemorate military members who have died in wars.

The red flower is primarily associated with the U.K. and Commonwealth countries for Remembrance Day on Nov. 11. Although less common, the U.S. also uses the symbol — the Veterans of Foreign Wars conducted the first nationwide distribution of remembrance poppies before Memorial Day in 1922, and the American Legion Auxiliary distributes paper poppies in exchange for donations around Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

The poppy symbol is believed to have come from the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae, a poem about World War I. The opening stanza reads:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Related: Kate Middleton's Remembrance Service Style: See All Her Hairstyles and Looks from Over the Years

Members of the royal family will participate in several events honoring military personnel as Remembrance Day approaches. This weekend, royals will gather at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall and again for the National Service of Remembrance, also known as Remembrance Sunday, at The Cenotaph war memorial in London.

The social media accounts of the royal family also changed their photos on Thursday to reflect the somber nature of the occasion, as they have done in years past around Remembrance Day. The Royal Family pages on Twitter and Instagram follow the work of King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royals, while Kate and Prince William have a separate account.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.