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| Queen to dedicate forces memorial | Queen to dedicate forces memorial |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales are due to dedicate the new national Armed Forces Memorial to those who have died since World War II. | The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales are due to dedicate the new national Armed Forces Memorial to those who have died since World War II. |
| The huge £6m stone circle in Alrewas, Staffordshire, bears the names of 16,000 service personnel. | The huge £6m stone circle in Alrewas, Staffordshire, bears the names of 16,000 service personnel. |
| The names of the men and women, killed in combat and training as well as in acts of terrorism, have been carved onto the memorial's walls. | The names of the men and women, killed in combat and training as well as in acts of terrorism, have been carved onto the memorial's walls. |
| The royal party will be joined by politicians including PM Gordon Brown. | The royal party will be joined by politicians including PM Gordon Brown. |
| There is room for 15,000 more names to be carved on the Portland stone walls of the memorial, at the National Memorial Arboretum. | There is room for 15,000 more names to be carved on the Portland stone walls of the memorial, at the National Memorial Arboretum. |
| The magnificence of this new memorial will, at long last, provide a fitting recognition for all those killed on duty since the end of the Second World War Prince Charles | The magnificence of this new memorial will, at long last, provide a fitting recognition for all those killed on duty since the end of the Second World War Prince Charles |
| The royal party, which includes the Duchess of Cornwall, will hear prayers for the dead by the Archbishop of Canterbury. | |
| They will then tour the memorial, designed by architect Liam O'Connor, before meeting the families of service personnel. | They will then tour the memorial, designed by architect Liam O'Connor, before meeting the families of service personnel. |
| Prince Charles said the people of the UK owed those whose names featured on the memorial "an enormous debt of gratitude". | Prince Charles said the people of the UK owed those whose names featured on the memorial "an enormous debt of gratitude". |
| "The magnificence of this new memorial will, at long last, provide a fitting recognition for all those killed on duty since the end of the Second World War," he said. | "The magnificence of this new memorial will, at long last, provide a fitting recognition for all those killed on duty since the end of the Second World War," he said. |
| We are now in the position in this country of having a memorial which will bring home to many the total scale of the sacrifices and commitment Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup | |
| "It does not differentiate between those killed in the heat of battle or on a training exercise, by terrorist action or on peace-keeping missions." | "It does not differentiate between those killed in the heat of battle or on a training exercise, by terrorist action or on peace-keeping missions." |
| As the Queen tours the monument, she will pause by their name of her cousin, Earl Mountbatten, killed by a Provisional IRA bomb in 1979. | As the Queen tours the monument, she will pause by their name of her cousin, Earl Mountbatten, killed by a Provisional IRA bomb in 1979. |
| The memorial will open to visitors on 29 October. | |
| 'Extremely proud' | |
| The most senior officer in the military said the memorial will serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices being made. | |
| Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it is a chance for the British public to reconnect with the military. | |
| "I think there is no doubt that the British public is extremely proud of its armed forces," Sir Jock said. | |
| "It is equally important that the public understand and support the armed forces, not just in themselves, but in what they do." | |
| Sir Jock said with post-war military deaths more likely to come in "ones, twos and fours", it has become harder for the public to collectively appreciate those losses. | |
| "I am delighted that we are now in the position in this country of having a memorial which will bring home to many the total scale of the sacrifices and commitment that people in the armed forces have made," he said. |