The nation will fall silent for two minutes as the King leads acts of commemoration to honour those who lost their lives in military conflict.

At London's Cenotaph during the National Service of Remembrance on Sunday, Charles will be accompanied by members of the royal family alongside key political figures to lay wreaths.

About 10,000 veterans are expected to participate in the Royal British Legion’s annual parade, which will feature delegations from more than 300 military and civilian groups.

Those taking part in the march span every generation, ranging from young military cadets and grieving children to a small number of remaining Second World War veterans.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "I’m incredibly proud to be honouring those whose sacrifice continues to protect our way of life to this day.

"Remembrance Sunday gives us an opportunity, not only to mark that sacrifice and offer our gratitude, but also to reflect on its significance. To reflect on the selflessness and courage it takes to commit your life to protecting others.

"I want to offer my personal thanks to those who served and those who continue to serve in our Armed Forces communities to this day."

Among those participating is 43-year-old Steve Hooper, a former RAF mechanical transport driver who served during the conflict in Iraq and will join the Invictus Games Alumni contingent.

He said: "I saw a lot of trauma in Iraq as an ambulance driver, and when I came back, I was struggling with sleep and having flashbacks. If it wasn’t for the support I received from the Royal British Legion through the Invictus Games, I don’t know where I’d be today.

"I am proud to be marching alongside my fellow team members as we reflect on our recovery journeys and remember all those who weren’t as lucky. I’ll also be thinking about the families who still live with the impact of service and conflict. For me, it’s a time to pause, acknowledge and remember."

Joining the parade for her very first time is Annie Duplock, a 103-year-old veteran of the Women’s Land Army.

Having misrepresented her age in order to register, Ms Duplock enlisted in the Land Army back in 1940 when she was just 16.

She spent four years working at a Leicestershire farm, where her long days were filled with harvesting crops, ploughing fields and milking cows to support the home front throughout the Second World War.

Speaking over eight decades later, she said: "I feel very honoured to be taking part in the parade and to represent the Land Girls. I’m very excited, although a little apprehensive as I don’t quite know what to expect.

"I think it will be a very emotional day, bringing back memories of all those who didn’t return home. It will be lovely to be there and remember them."

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "This Remembrance Sunday, we come together to reflect and honour the sacrifices that our Armed Forces made all those years ago in the First and Second World Wars and continue to make today.

"It is our duty to ensure that the immense courage of those who have served our country is never forgotten. They went to war to give us 80 years of peace.

"We are about to raise the first generation for whom fighting a war really is part of history. Our future generations must know the significance of those who served in our national story, that they forged a path for friendship and cooperation that meant no-one in our country has had to fight a war since.

"Today, we remember them, in grief and in gratitude, mindful that their legacy lives on in the freedom we enjoy today."

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: "I grew up with my grandfather and great-grandfather’s war medals proudly on display in our living room. Defence runs in my blood and I feel intently the importance of remembrance to those who have served and their families.

"This weekend is a moment to pause and reflect on the enormous debt we owe to our Armed Forces, to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms, and to thank the personnel keeping us safe tonight.

"We have a moral duty to stand by our veterans and the military families who sacrifice so much. They are the best of us, and we owe them our support as well as our gratitude and admiration."

Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said: "Today we honour the courage of all those who have served and died in conflict.

"For the Armed Forces community, remembrance is a deeply personal time during which we reflect on the service of our predecessors and remember the colleagues we have lost.

"That same spirit of service continues to drive the men and women who serve today."

Mark Atkinson, director general, Royal British Legion, said: "As we come together on Remembrance Sunday, we pay tribute to all those who have served and sacrificed, from generations past to those still serving today.

"This year we have paid tribute to those who served in more recent conflicts, including the challenging operations in Bosnia, the Iraq War and the first Gulf War, and recognised the families who continue to live with the impact of that service.

"From risking their lives in war zones, providing support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, and spending time away from loved ones, we owe those who serve in the Armed Forces, and the families who stand alongside them, our gratitude. We encourage the nation to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice."