A TALENTED musician from York joined the King, Sir Rod Stewart and veterans at a concert in the capital to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Sam Lightwing was head chorister and deputy head boy at St Peter’s School in the city and studied music at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he now lives.
The 26-year-old, whose family now live in Stillington, played the saxophone at the Royal Albert Hall alongside the RAF Squadronaires and singer Sir Rod Stewart in central London on Saturday night (November 8) with the event televised on BBC1.
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On the night the King Charles appeared visibly moved as more than 5,000 people sang the national anthem. The 76-year-old monarch was joined on the night by the Queen, Princess of Wales and 12-year-old Prince George for the Festival of Remembrance organised by the Royal British Legion.
Sam, who grew up in Warthill near Dunnington, now works as a freelance musician in between teaching jobs.
As well as the performance by Sir Rod Stewart, there were performances by Sam Ryder and Keala Settle as well as music performed by the Central Band of the RAF, the RAF Squadronaires and the Band of HM Royal Marines.
The royal family stood and clapped as the Chelsea Pensioners in red uniforms entered the auditorium and marched across the stage while an orchestra gave a rendition of the Boys Of The Old Brigade.
Sir Rod Stewart performing during the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall (Jack Taylor/PA)
Hannah Waddingham, wearing a long purple dress and a poppy, performed We’ll Meet Again and spoke of the courage of her granddad, who is a veteran, as she addressed the audience.
Veterans in attendance at the event included those who had helped to plan D Day, some who had been prisoners of war and had survived direct hits at sea.
The Prince of Wales was not in attendance as he was travelling back from the Cop30 UN Climate Change summit in Belem.
The King was announced as a patron of the Royal British Legion last year and will lead the nation in a two-minute silence at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday.
The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance was broadcast at 9pm on BBC 1 on Saturday.
The King was present in the hall (Jack Taylor/PA)
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