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Boris Johnson was pictured laying a poppy wreath upside down on the Cenotaph during today's National Service of Remembrance in London.

The Prime Minister made the apparent minor gaffe as he paid tribute beside Jeremy Corbyn and other party leaders, who halted election campaigning for Remembrance Sunday.

His handwritten message, pinned to the top of his poppy wreath, said: "To the immortal memory of those who laid down their lives for us all."

However, when he approached the war memorial on Whitehall, video coverage showed him turning the wreath over, apparently by accident, which meant his message ended up at the bottom of the wreath and upside down.

Other political leaders, including the Home and Foreign Secretaries, then laid their wreaths next to his with the messages at the top, not the bottom.

(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

(Image: PA)

The position of the wreath attracted comment on social media. One Twitter user said the act was "baffling".

Others pointed out that Jeremy Corbyn has faced criticism in the media in previous years for similar such minor indiscretions as wearing a small poppy and a "scruffy" coat, or failing to bow his head deeply enough.

It was unclear whether the wreath was later turned the right way up.

Separately BBC footage also showed Mr Johnson stepping forward apparently a few seconds too early, before stepping back, then stepping forward for a second time.

(Image: BBC)

Jeremy Corbyn was criticised by some on social media last night for not attending the Festival or Remembrance at London's Royal Albert Hall.

However, aides said he was on his way back from meeting people affected by flooding in South Yorkshire, and Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry attended on his behalf.

Mr Corbyn's message said: "In memory of all those who have died in war. Let us strive for a world of peace."

The Leaders of the Lib Dems, SNP , DUP, Commons and Lords also attended today's service alongside the Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Sussex, Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Kent.

(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage) (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

A uniformed Prince of Wales was the first to place a wreath of poppies at the foot of the memorial on behalf of the Queen.

The Queen, dressed in black, shed a tear as she looked on from a balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, flanked by the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Cornwall.

An equerry laid a wreath on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh who was not present at the ceremony for the second year in a row after having retired from royal duties in 2017.

More than 800 armed forces personnel congregated on Whitehall to form a hollow square around the Cenotaph.

As Big Ben struck 11am, the traditional two-minute silence was observed by dignitaries and the crowd of thousands of poppy-wearers lined up along Whitehall.

(Image: Adam Gray / SWNS) (Image: Adam Gray / SWNS)

The start and end of the short period of reflection for those killed in conflicts past and present was marked by the firing of a gun by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, positioned on Horse Guards Parade.

This year marks 100 years since the first two-minute silence was observed on Armistice Day on November 11 1919.

For the first time, the Ambassador of Nepal placed a wreath in honour of the contribution Gurkha regiments have made to Britain's military campaigns for the past 200 years.

Five former prime ministers - Sir John Major, Tony Blair , Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May - as well as Mayor of London Sadiq Khan , were also present to pay their respects.