Tristan da Cunha wreath laid at the cenotaph for the first time
Report from Tristan Government Representative Chris Carnegy
Photos from BBC coverage of the annual Whitehall Cenotaph Remembrance Service
The Prince of Wales laying a wreath on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
Immediately behind Prince Charles in the front row, second from left, is Chris Carnegy
with the Tristan da Cunha wreath that he was preparing to lay at the Cenotaph.
On Sunday 14th November 2021 I joined ministers and Representatives from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on behalf of the government and people of Tristan da Cunha and those of our wider Territory including St Helena and Ascension.
This is the first time Tristan has had the honour of participating in the UK’s central national act of remembrance, and it coincides with the centenary of the creation of this tradition.
UK-based Representatives from Tristan da Cunha and St Helena are now invited in alternate years on behalf of the Territory.
It’s a great and solemn honour to have been asked to lay the wreath, and to represent an island that has twice played a strategic role in Britain’s military plans, having been garrisoned in 1816 and 1942.
The Tristan da Cunha wreath was laid directly after those laid by the Royal Family and UK parliamentarians, and before the Commonwealth High Commissioners and others who took part.
Chris Carnegy approaching the Cenotaph with the Tristan wreath, with Tracy Knight
who represented the Turks and Caicos Islands, who can also be seen alongside Chris in the other photos.
Chris with other Overseas Territories and Crown Dependency representatives
pausing before laying their wreaths.
The wreath laying - Chris is second from the right.
The group pause having laid their wreaths
Chris is the penultimate member of the group to depart the Cenotaph and line up
in the front row of dignitaries who laid the first wreaths of the annual ceremony of remembrance.