Prince Harry lays wreath ahead of England v New Zealand tie at Twickenham

The Duke of Sussex has laid a wreath at Twickenham, on the eve of the centenary of the First World War Armistice.

Harry attended the rugby Test between England and New Zealand, and met descendants of two England captains who died in the war.

Lancelot Slocock and Ronnie Poulton were among 27 England players who died in the conflict, with 13 New Zealand players among those who died.

Rain teemed down in west London as the duke and Winston Peters, New Zealand’s deputy prime minister, laid wreaths before the Last Post was played and a minute’s silence was observed, as part of England Rugby’s commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of the war.

Harry earlier met Jack Davis, the nine-year-old great great grandson of Lancelot Slocock, also known as Noel, who as a second row forward captained England against Scotland in 1908. He was accompanied by his grandfather Richard Slocock.

He also met 10-year-old Max Garnett, whose father, James is the great nephew of Ronnie Poulton.

“He was very interested in our relatives who died in the First World War,” Mr Garnett said.

“It’s very, very emotional. His soil is buried on the side of the pitch, so every England home team will run over his soil every time they play.”

The boys were wearing full England replica kit ahead of being mascots for the match.

Jack accompanied hooker Dylan Hartley onto the pitch and Max Hartley’s fellow England co-captain Owen Farrell.

The duke also met Rugby Football Union president Chris Kelly and his New Zealand Rugby Union counterpart Maurice Trapp, plus former England captain Lewis Moody.

He also spoke with James Whitlock and Arron Williams, two guests of the Injured Players Foundation (IPF).

Mr Whitlock suffered a catastrophic spinal injury playing for his university in 2013, with the IPF helping him to complete his veterinary training.

Williams was injured 11 years ago playing for Basildon RFC and works as a police officer.