Liz Truss among seven former Prime Ministers paying respects at Cenotaph

12 November 2023 , 11:33

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Seven living former Prime Ministers is the highest number on record (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Seven living former Prime Ministers today stood at the Cenotaph - the largest number in history.

For the second year in a row Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major lined up for the national Remembrance Sunday service on Whitehall, led by the King. It is convention for former Prime Ministers to attend the service in memory of the nation’s war dead.

However, the number of surviving ex-premiers has swelled after seven years of turmoil which has had five occupants of 10 Downing Street. Ms Truss occupies an unusual place in their ranks, as her 49-day premiership - the shortest in British history - was so brief that she never laid a wreath on the Cenotaph as PM.

Liz Truss never got to lay a wreath as Prime Minister (Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

When Gordon Brown became PM in 2007, only three of his predecessors were still alive: Sir Tony, Sir John and Baroness Margaret Thatcher. Of the seven living ex-PMs, three are still under 60: Mr Johnson, aged 59; Mr Cameron, 57; and Ms Truss, 48.

Sir Tony is 70, Mrs May is 67, Mr Brown is 72 and Sir John is 80. With the next general election due no later than January 2025, a Conservative defeat at the polls could see this group grow even further, from seven to eight.

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It came as the King has honoured the nation's war dead for the second time as monarch and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in remembrance of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Thousands of veterans proudly wearing their medals, military families and the public packed Whitehall for the Remembrance Sunday ceremony.

In recent years, Charles had performed the role on behalf of the Queen as the Prince of Wales. A volley from a gun fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from nearby Horse Guards Parade rang out to signal the start of the moment of silent reflection.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute to the fallen on behalf of the Government by leaving a wreath. He was followed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, other party leaders, senior members of the Cabinet, military chiefs of staff and high commissioners.

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Dave Burke