Remembrance in America

Q. When is Remembrance Sunday 2026, and what time is the two-minute silence in the US?

Remembrance Sunday is Sunday 8 November 2026, and Armistice Day is Wednesday 11 November 2026. The silence at the Cenotaph in London is at 11am UK time. US clocks go back on Sunday 1 November 2026, so by Remembrance Sunday the times are:

• Eastern: 6am
• Central: 5am
• Mountain and Arizona: 4am
• Pacific: 3am
• Alaska: 2am, and Hawaii: 1am

Plenty of Brits in the US keep the silence live with London if they can face the early start. Others simply pause at 11am their own time. Services in the US are usually held at a sociable hour on the Sunday itself.

Q. Is Veterans Day in America the same as Remembrance Day?

Same date, different focus. Veterans Day on 11 November grew out of Armistice Day, and it is a US federal holiday. It was renamed in 1954 to honour all American veterans, living and dead. The day that remembers the American war dead is Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.

That is also why you rarely see poppies in America in November. The American Legion's poppy tradition centres on National Poppy Day, the Friday before Memorial Day, when volunteers hand out red poppies for a donation. So if you wear a poppy in November, expect the odd friendly question. It is a nice way to explain the tradition.

Q. Where can I get a Royal British Legion poppy in the USA?

The easiest route is Royal British Legion USA, run by the Legion's San Francisco Branch. It runs a USA Poppy Appeal that takes donations, and a USA Poppy Shop selling poppy pins, brooches and scarves priced in dollars, which ships within the United States. It says all profits go to the Royal British Legion. It also keeps a list of volunteer poppy distributors by state, though some entries may be out of date, so check before making a special trip.

The Legion's main online Poppy Shop in the UK lists UK delivery, so the US shop is the simpler option from here. Order in October to be safe.

Canadian poppies are another option. The Royal Canadian Legion has branches in California, Michigan, Ohio and Florida, and some hand out poppies locally. Branch 25 in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, publishes where to pick them up.

Q. Where are the Remembrance Sunday services in the US in 2026?

These are the British and Commonwealth services we have confirmed so far. Always check the organiser's page before you go, as details can change.

• New York, Sunday 8 November: the annual Remembrance Day service of the St. George's Society of New York and the Queen Elizabeth II Garden, 11 Hanover Square. Arrive from 10.15am for a 10.45am start. Free, but they ask you to register. Business attire, uniform or medals. The Daughters of the British Empire in New York also list this service. Details and registration
• Petaluma, California, Saturday 7 November: Remembrance Day service by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 at Liberty Cemetery, 20 Liberty Road, 11am to noon. You can attend in person or watch a free live stream on Zoom, which you register for in advance. Branch 25 events and live stream
• Mesa, Arizona, Monday 9 November: RAF Memorial Service by the Daughters of the British Empire in Arizona, at Mesa Cemetery. Time to be announced. DBE Arizona
• San Francisco: the Royal British Legion's San Francisco Branch holds an annual Remembrance service and says it will announce this year's venue. RBL San Francisco Branch
• Southern California: the Royal Canadian Legion's Western Zone USA held its 2025 service in Covina, with poppies for everyone attending. Watch its site for 2026. RCL Western Zone USA

Nothing near you? Local British societies, Daughters of the British Empire chapters and Episcopal churches sometimes hold quieter acts of remembrance, so it is worth asking. Our Community & Events page lists British groups city by city.

Q. How can I watch the Cenotaph Remembrance service live from America?

BBC iPlayer is not available in the US, but in 2025 the service was also streamed free on YouTube. GOV.UK's official guidance page carried a livestream link, and Sky News and ITV News streamed their coverage on YouTube. The GOV.UK page for 2026 usually appears in October, and we will add the link once it is up.

UK coverage starts around 10.15am GMT, which is 5.15am Eastern and 2.15am Pacific. If that is too early, the recordings stay up on YouTube afterwards.

Q. Are there Commonwealth war graves in the United States?

Yes, and more than most people expect. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records nearly 1,000 Commonwealth war graves in more than 470 places across the US. Many belong to airmen who died while training in America during the Second World War. Montgomery, Alabama, for example, has 78 of them in the Oakwood Cemetery Annexe. Arlington National Cemetery has Commonwealth burials from both world wars.

Visiting a local war grave on Remembrance Sunday is a quiet, meaningful way to mark the day. The Commission's website lets you search for graves near you.