LONDON – King Charles III is echoing his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, with his moving 9/11tribute.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, in which almost 3,000 people were killed, the Band of the Coldstream Guards performed the U.S. national anthem on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on Sept. 11, in an adjustment to the regular Changing of the Guard ceremony.
The king's royal commemorative ceremony on Friday mirrored the powerful display of solidarity ordered by his late mother a quarter-century ago, just two days after the attacks. The queen's memorable adjustment to the formal daily parade broke with centuries of royal tradition as she honored another nation, with such gestures typically reserved for visiting foreign
leaders.
The king's tribute came after he visited the he 9/11 memorial and museum with Queen Camilla during their state visit to the U.S. in April.
The royal couple laid a bouquet of white flowers with a note that underscored the close ties between both nations. "We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss," the card read.
How did Queen Elizabeth react to 9/11?
On Sept. 13, 2001, the queen's adjustment to the formal ceremonial parade was a clear sign of respect for those who died in the attacks. At the time, thousands stood outside the London landmark as the guards, dressed in their red tunics and bearskin caps, performed the "Star Spangled Banner."
Some onlookers wept and waved the U.S. flag, while others sang along. For many others, there were no words. All they could do was watch.
During the iconic changing of the guard military display, soldiers usually perform "a selection of music ranging from traditional marches to songs from musicals and familiar pop songs," according to the official royal website.
"I want to be closer to home right now and this is the closest we can get," Laura Esposito, 34, of Boston, told The Guardian at the time as she watched the royal tribute wearing a jacket with the Stars and Stripes pattern.
Following the attacks, the queen also sent a condolence message to New York, recalling recent "terrible events." The monarch pointed out that "nothing that can be said can begin to take away the anguish and the pain of these moments," she said. "Grief is the price we pay for love."
In 2010, the queen visited the site of the World Trade Center in New York and laid a wreath.
Last month, following the death of Dolly Parton, the guards paid tribute to the Queen of Country music, who died Aug. 25 at 80 after a brief battle with cancer. The band performed "9 to 5" outside Buckingham Palace, during the changing the guard ceremony.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: King Charles' guard honors 9/11 victims on 25th anniversary: Watch
