Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a reception and dinner in aid of the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal at St James’s Palace, London, on Thursday 10 November. Others who attended in support of this important cause included the actresses Penelope Keith and Susan Hampshire.

The Appeal was launched in April 2009 by The Duke of Cambridge, who is its Patron, to develop the Arboretum into a world-renowned centre for Remembrance. As a serving member of the Armed Forces, His Royal Highness has shown particularly empathy for the charity’s aim and the Appeal is particularly close to his heart.

The Arboretum, which is part of The Royal British Legion family of charities, is home to over 200 memorials, including the iconic Armed Forces Memorial, which commemorates all those who have been killed on duty or as a result of terrorism since the end of the Second World War to the present conflict in Afghanistan.  

The Appeal will fund the building of a Veterans Pavilion to provide a venue for functions, events, and acts of Remembrance. It will also help create a Remembrance and Learning Centre for visitors, which will have a strong focus on explaining the importance and meaning of Remembrance. 

Before dinner, The Duke of Cambridge made a speech during which he called the Arboretum an “iconic focal point for the Nation’s remembrance of British heroes.  It is a place of sanctuary….a place of quiet pride in the selflessness and sacrifice of those who have gone before.”

Major General Patrick Cordingley, the Appeal Chairman, and Mrs Jacqui Thompson also made speeches.  Jacqui, an inspiring mother of five daughters, is the widow of Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson of 3 Squadron RAF Regiment, who was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in April 2008.  At 51, Gary is the oldest member of the UK Armed Forces to have been killed during the 10 year conflict.  Jacqui took the opportunity to explain to guests the personal significance that the National Memorial Arboretum and the Armed Forces Memorial has for her and her family.  

During the evening The Duke and Duchess spoke to many guests, including Jacqui, who was touched by how down-to-earth they were: “They were so sincere and interested”, she said “I felt they could have been my son and daughter.”

The evening was an outstanding success in raising funds for the Appeal and the profile of the National Memorial Arboretum.  Major General Patrick Cordingley said: “We knew we simply could not go on holding major events on a muddy field or not offer comfortable places for people to sit, relax and contemplate.  We knew we had to better honour our heroes and all they stand for.  We had to ensure that every building and facility matched the ideal of an inspirational centre for remembrance for the whole nation.  This is the reason we held the dinner and we are grateful to all those who have supported us so magnificently.”
 

Please click on the leaf below to make a donation to The Appeal.