'Respect for the lives lost': UK Royal family's tribute to Ahmedabad plane crash victims; moment of silence observed

King Charles III and other members of the royal family wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence during his official birthday parade on Saturday, in memory of those who died in this week’s Air India plane crash. The symbolic gesture came at the King’s request. A statement from Buckingham Palace said it was made “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy.” The crash happened on Thursday, shortly after an Air India flight took off from Ahmedabad, heading for London. The accident claimed the lives of 241 people on board and at least 29 more on the ground.

The plane was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian. Only one person survived. As the head of state of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth – which includes India and Canada – the King’s tribute during such a major public event held added significance. The parade, known as Trooping the Colour, is a traditional military ceremony in central London, full of music and pageantry.

It marks the monarch’s official birthday and includes a grand review of troops on Horse Guards Parade near St James’s Park. The royal family members in uniform were seen wearing black armbands throughout the event. The moment of silence took place while the King stood on the dais after he had inspected the troops. This is not the first time such a gesture has been made during Trooping the Colour. In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II also observed a moment of silence at the same event, just days after the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people.