How to Wear a Poppy, the Royal Family Way

Updated on 11/12/2018 at 7:43 AM

We know quite a few things about the royal family's dress code, including how many times they have to change on Christmas day (hint: it's a lot), why Prince William doesn't wear a wedding ring, or why Kate always wears a clutch. While the members of the family all have their own style, there's one thing that they do all have in common: poppies.

Every year, Harry, Meghan, William, Kate, the queen, and every other royal are seen wearing a red flower on their clothes around Remembrance Day, where they honor fallen soldiers who suffered or died in WWI and WWII. In the UK, poppies are sold by the Royal British Legion, and the donations help those in need within the Armed Forces community.

Whether they have two or four petals, are made out of plastic, or are encrusted with precious stones, poppies seem to always be worn in the same way, but is there a right way to do so? Read on to learn more about their significance and how they're meant to be worn.

The Poppy Is Worn Around Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is a day that commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars. It's held on the second Sunday of November, which is the nearest to Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918.

For many years, the poppy was only worn on the day itself, but people (including the members of the royal family) are generally wearing it from late October until mid-November.

It Has a Sad Yet Beautiful Story

At the beginning of the first World War in the Spring of 1915, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, was inspired by the sight of poppies that were covering the battle-scarred fields. He had just lost a friend, and wrote a now famous poem called "In Flanders Fields."

Moina Michael, an American academic, was inspired by his poem to make and sell red silk poppies which were then brought to England by a French woman named Anna Guerin. In 1921, the Royal British Legion was formed, and it ordered 9 million of these poppies in order to sell them on Nov. 11 of that same year. The first ever "Poppy Appeal" raised over £106,000 — which was a considerable amount of money at the time — and it was used to help WWI veterans to find employment and housing.

The following year, a Poppy Factory was set up, employing disabled ex-servicemen. Today, it still produces millions of poppies each year, which are mostly worn in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as a symbol of Remembrance and hope.

Everyone Can Have a Different Poppy

Scottish poppies have four petals and no leaf, contrary to poppies in the rest of the UK which have two petals and a leaf. Nowadays, they come in all sizes, and some are even set with precious stones. Poppies also come in white, which is seen as a pacifist alternative to the red ones, and in purple, which is to commemorate animal victims of war. But regardless of the way they look, all poppy merchandise can be bought throughout the year as part of the ongoing fundraising.

There Is No Official Guideline as to How It's Supposed to Be Worn

Although there is no official guideline, the Poppy is generally worn on the left lapel of a coat. In the photo above, Prince Harry can be seen wearing his on his hat, and it can also simply be worn on the left shoulder.