LONDON – A vivid sea of red ceramic poppies now flows from the Tower of London, honoring the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The moving tribute was visited by Queen Camilla on Tuesday as part of the United Kingdom’s commemorative events.
The installation features 30,000 handmade poppies, symbolizing remembrance and representing the lives lost in World War II. The bright red flowers spill dramatically from the historic White Tower, forming a powerful visual metaphor for the bloodshed of war.
“They become a metaphor for the spilled blood of all those who died in the war,” explained designer Tom Piper, who helped bring the display to life.
This tribute echoes a similar installation from 2014—”Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red”—which commemorated the centenary of World War I and drew millions of visitors, including the late Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Camilla took part in the tribute by planting a poppy herself and speaking with members of the installation team. A day earlier, she stood alongside King Charles, Prince William, and other royals during a military parade and flypast outside Buckingham Palace, joining veterans and the public in remembrance.
The poppies, created by artist Paul Cummins, will remain on display at the historic Norman fortress, which was bombed during WWII, until November 11—Remembrance Day.