Today's Remembrance marks significant moment in Royal family's history

Never before in her long reign has the Queen come to the Cenotaph on Whitehall and not walked up the stone steps of the Cenotaph to place a wreath.

She has missed the ceremony before.

She was absent when pregnant and when overseas tours took her somewhere else.

But today she will lead the service from a balcony overlooking Whitehall.

It’s a position her own mother used to use.

Today, as the Queen Mother once did, the Queen will watch as members of her family lay their wreaths.

The Queen’s will be laid on her behalf by her son, the Prince of Wales.

Given the length of the service on an often cold November morning, and the steps which have to be navigated backwards, it will be a surprise to many that the 91 year old Monarch did not decide to do this many years before.

But with her husband now well into his 97th year, and her desire to be next to him at the Remembrance Sunday service, we will witness today another significant moment in the history of our royal family.

Its a moment when the Queen will pass her duties to her son, the heir apparent, Prince Charles.

It’s also the first remembrance service at the Cenotaph since the Duke of Edinburgh retired from public life earlier this year.

This couple both lived through - and served in - the Second World War.

He, at sea in the Royal Navy.

She, as a driver and mechanic in the Auxiliary Territorial Service - at the time the women’s branch of the British Army.

Buckingham Palace is very sensitive to claims that the Queen is handing over duties because of her age and the official reason for today’s decision is because she wants to be by her husband’s side.

But for anyone watching today, it will be a moment to reflect on the slow but inevitable change at the top of the Royal Family.

For The Prince of Wales, who himself will turn 70 next year, it marks another step on his journey to becoming king.