To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.
To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Zebra Bookmark
To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.
To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.
Yesterday, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Justin Trudeau melted hearts by appearing side by side in France. However, while the Twittersphere lit up with comments about the so-called “le sexy trio,” the reason for their gathering was actually quite solemn. The men, along with Prince Charles and President Hollande of France, joined forces to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I’s Battle of Vimy Ridge.
This fact may come as a surprise to those who had simply glimpsed snapshots of the day on their social media feeds. But in reality, each man wore a clear symbol of the gravity of the occasion—a red poppy pin.
In England, the remembrance poppy commemorates servicemen and -women who have died in the line of duty. The red poppy pins are always artificial and have been in use since 1921. The origin of this symbol can be traced back to a poem about World War I written by John McCrae. The poem, titled “In Flanders Fields,” begins with the lines:
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.
In the U.K., the pins are sold by the Royal British Legion, in order to help raise money for veterans. They are generally worn around England’s Remembrance Day and at other events that commemorate veterans. Above, a look back at instances when the British royal family has worn remembrance poppies.
By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement.
Pumpkin Bookmark © 2023 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices