King Charles’ Guards Honor 9/11 Victims With Special Performance at Buckingham Palace
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the grounds of Buckingham Palace became the setting for a solemn tribute to the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives.
On Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, the British Army’s Band of the Coldstream Guards took part in a commemorative Changing of the Guard, performing a selection of British and American music in honor of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Among the pieces performed were John Philip Sousa’s “The Thunderer” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” as the guards made their way toward Buckingham Palace. The ceremony on the palace forecourt later featured the national anthems of both the United States and the United Kingdom, along with “Hymn to the Fallen” from Saving Private Ryan and “Amazing Grace.”
Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represent King Charles
King Charles was represented at the ceremony by Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, and Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester.
The couple took the Royal Salute on the palace forecourt alongside U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens. Stephens attended with his wife, Harriet, while British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was also present.
Around 40 invited guests, including British and American nationals, attended the commemorative event.
The ceremony offered a visible expression of solidarity between Britain and the United States as both countries marked a quarter-century since the attacks.
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A musical tribute rooted in a gesture made after 9/11
Friday’s performance also echoed a gesture made by Queen Elizabeth shortly after the attacks.
On Sept. 13, 2001, just two days after the terrorist attacks in New York City, Queen Elizabeth requested that the Band of the Coldstream Guards perform the U.S. national anthem during the Changing of the Guard.
The 2026 commemoration carried that connection forward, with American music and the U.S. national anthem incorporated into the ceremony alongside British musical and ceremonial traditions.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards has long been associated with Changing of the Guard ceremonies at Buckingham Palace. The British Army describes the band as one of its regular Army bands, with ceremonial duties that include performances at major royal occasions.
Remembering the victims of September 11
Sept. 11, 2026, marked 25 years since members of the al-Qaeda terrorist group hijacked four planes.
Two of the aircraft were flown into New York City’s World Trade Center, while another struck the Pentagon. The fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to regain control of the aircraft.
The attacks killed 2,977 people, making 9/11 the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. The consequences have also continued for thousands of people who worked, lived or attended school near Ground Zero and have experienced lingering, debilitating illnesses.
The anniversary ceremony at Buckingham Palace came as Britain and the United States continued to honor those whose lives were changed or lost that day.
King Charles and Queen Camilla paid tribute in New York
The Buckingham Palace ceremony followed a visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City earlier in 2026.
In April, the royal couple visited the memorial and placed a bouquet of white flowers at the edge of the south reflecting pool to honor those who died in the attacks. Among the victims were 67 British nationals.
The visit marked Charles and Camilla’s first time at the memorial, which opened in 2011. They were joined by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during the brief commemorative ceremony.
During their time at the site, the King and Queen also met families of victims and first responders who took part in rescue efforts following the attacks. They met serving personnel as well as representatives of charities supporting victims’ families.
A handwritten card attached to the flowers expressed the royal couple’s remembrance and solidarity with the American people.
The message read: “We honour the memory of all those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001, and stand in enduring solidarity with the American people in the face of such profound loss.”
The card was signed “Charles R” and “Camilla R,” following the traditional form used by the sovereign and his spouse. The “R” comes from the Latin words Rex and Regina, meaning king and queen.
- The tribute at Buckingham Palace on Sept. 11 brought that message of remembrance back to Britain, with the Guards’ music providing a ceremonial link between the United Kingdom and the United States on the 25th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history.