Prince William lays wreath for war dead

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON (Reuters) - Prince William laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in London for the first time in remembrance of the war dead on Sunday.

The young second lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment, second in line to the throne, followed his grandmother the Queen in paying respects to the fallen at Whitehall amid overcast skies.

Among those he remembered were his former army mentor from his training school days at Sandhurst, Major Alexis Roberts, of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, who was killed in action in Afghanistan last month.

Other royals attending included the Queen's husband Philip and children Charles, Andrew, Edward and Anne. William's brother Prince Harry, also a second lieutenant, was to attend a separate service with his own regiment.

The leaders of political parties laid wreaths, as did high commissioners of Commonwealth countries whose soldiers fought in both world wars as part of the British empire.

Thousands of veterans marched to the memorial with medals pinned to their chests, standing in silence at the Cenotaph for two minutes as Big Ben struck 11 o'clock.

Services took place around the world, including among soldiers involved in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, 100 Royal Marines from 40 Commando held a service in Helmand province.