One can't bloody read it! Wills, Kate and Harry watch Queen unveil memorial honouring troops and civilians who served in Iraq and Afghanistan - but Prince Philip complains engraving is hard to see 

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The Queen was today joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to unveil a memorial to Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – but Prince Philip appeared unimpressed with the engraved writing.

He is said to have complained to the artist who created the sculpture that it was too hard to see and should be made darker.

The national memorial is dedicated to the 300,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen who served in conflicts between 1990 and 2015 – including the Gulf War. During that 25-year period 680 Britons lost their lives.

It is not intended to focus on the fallen and bears no names. But the design commemorates the service of those who put themselves in harm's way, including civilians, to protect the nation's interests, help those in danger and improve the lives of those in Iraq and Afghanistan by bringing bring peace and stability to the region.

The sculpture's creator, Paul Day, said the two stones represented 'the hostile, dry and mountainous nature of the landscapes of both countries', with a bronze disc in between featuring images of humanitarian work and civilian contribution on one side and a military scene on the other. 

Prime Minister Theresa May, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and senior figures from the Cabinet attended the sombre ceremony on Horse Guards Parade in London. 

They were joined by former prime minister Sir John Major, David Cameron, Jeremy Corbyn and Tony Blair – who was accused of having 'blood on his hands' after he took Britain into Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.

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The Queen was today joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to unveil a memorial to Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – but Prince Philip appeared unimpressed with the engraved writing (pictured)

The Queen unveils a memorial for the 300,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen who served in the wars between 1990 and 2015

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh (pictured left) were both in attendance at today's unveiling, as was Prince Harry (right)

William and Kate joined the Queen to unveil a memorial to Britons who served during the Gulf War and in Iraq and Afghanistan

Tony Blair risked further angering grieving families by attending today's ceremony. He was pictured looking emotional (left)

A band marches during a military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade in central London to honour today's service

Prince Harry joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured left) on Horse Guards Parade, and Chaplain of the Fleet Ian Wheatley (right), who led the service

Theresa May greets children after attending the unveiling of a new memorial dedicated to British military and civilians who worked to bring peace and stability to Iraq and Afghanistan following the wars between 1990 and 2015

The former prime minister sparked controversy earlier this week after he was invited to the poignant ceremony but relatives of Britain's war dead were not. It led to calls for Theresa May to apologise, while the Ministry of Defence was forced into a humiliating comedown over the invites that bereaved families branded 'too little, too late'. 

Around 2,500 invited guests, including representatives of veterans, serving military, bereaved families, charity workers, civil servants and politicians, were at the military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall.

There was a heavy armed police presence in the area and the busy thoroughfare of Victoria Embankment was closed to traffic on the stretch that ran past the memorial.

The Queen paid tribute to members of the military and civilians who worked to bring 'peace and stability' to Iraq and Afghanistan ahead of the unveiling of the national monument commemorating their efforts. 

Prince Harry then marked a sombre tribute to the start of the ceremony, quoting 'A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace,' from the Bible, as acting and former servicemen watched on.

Members of the Metropolitan Police choir sang to the hushed parade ground, before readings from the Gospel and prayers led by Air Vice-Marshal, Jonathan Chaffey.

The Royal Family and former leaders then joined fellow attendees in bowing their heads for the Lord's Prayer and a rendition of the Last Post, culminating in two minutes' silence.

HARRY'S READING 

Prince Harry marked a sombre tribute to the start of the ceremony with a reading 

A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: 

A time to be born and a time to die, 

A time to plant and a time to uproot, 

A time to kill and a time to heal, 

A time to tear down and a time to build, 

A time to weep and a time to laugh, 

A time to mourn and a time to dance, 

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them. 

A time to embrace and a time to refrain, 

A time to search and a time to give up, 

A time to keep and a time to throw away, 

A time to tear and a time to mend, 

A time to keep silent and a time to speak, 

A time to love and a time to hate, 

A time for war and a time for peace.

The Queen later unveiled the memorial, which towered above her, during a simple ceremony of dedication led by the Right Reverend Nigel Stock, Bishop to the Forces.

The senior cleric said a few short prayers and told the small congregation, which included Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, that the new London landmark would 'remain an inspiration to us and all who follow, to do our duty with courage and integrity'.

Artist Paul Day gave the Queen and Philip a guided tour of the memorial he created, pointing out features of the double-sided bronze tondo, or circular sculpture, between two large stones.

Day said the Queen seemed 'very enthusiastic' about the memorial when he was pointing out its features.

But he said Philip questioned the words on the two stone blocks like Duty and Service, saying they could be made darker.

He said: 'The Duke commented on the fact that the lettering wasn't necessarily clearly visible enough, it could be darker. Well that's an aesthetic decision that we might re-address afterwards.'

The artist went on to say: 'I'm not sure, I quite like the subtlety of the lettering with just the natural light casting shadow.'

Day said the Queen was intrigued by the surface of the two stone monoliths, that flank the round double-sided bronze piece, which are smooth but the ends have been left rough and slightly jagged.

The artist added: 'She commented favourably between the contrast between the rough and the smooth of the stone and what it represents.

'Rough is actually my way of interpreting the hostile, dry and mountainous nature of the landscapes of both countries.'

He added: 'The memorial is not, as it were, saying there's been a tidy end to things, it's a living thing, work is still going on to try and help secure peace and democracy.'

Day said the bronze disc features on one side images of humanitarian work and normal life to represent the civilian contribution and on the other is a military scene.

He said: 'I see it as a sort of medal offered by the nation to all the people who served.'

The event was overshadowed earlier this week after grieving families reacted with anger when it emerged Blair had been invited to the unveiling but they had not. Family members of the war dead said it was a 'disgrace'.

The families of two servicemen who were killed in the Iraq conflict said Blair's ticket for the memorial service should have gone to bereaved families. 

His presence was questioned by Diana Fitzgibbon and Gerry Cartwright, from Clapham, south London, whose 21-year-old son Lance Corporal James Cartwright was killed in a tank accident in June 2007.

Mr Cartwright, 64, said: 'I've got issues with Tony Blair and his government. I would like to have seen him.'

Asked what he would have said to him, he said: 'Goodbye is all I could have said to have him. And "why did you do that?" It's just a terrible waste.

'Probably they could have got another mum or dad or wife or husband (here today) to take his ticket.'

Ms Fitzgibbon, 59, added: 'I feel the same, but it's not going to bring my son back.

'Was it all worth it? I don't think so. They are still at war with each other, aren't they.'

The memorial is a dedication to the 300,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen who served in the wars between 1990 and 2015. This is side that Prince Philip was looking at

Prince Harry speaks at the Military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade as Air Vice-Marshal Jonathan Chaffey looks on

Gerry Cartwright (pictured left), father of Lance Corporal James Cartwright (right), questioned the presence of Tony Blair

A band plays during a military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade, before the unveiling of the memorial by the Queen

The Prince of Wales, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach and the Queen in Whitehall, central London

GUIDED TOUR: ARTIST SHOWS OFF MEMORIAL STATUE

Sculptor Paul Day was chosen to design the memorial dedicated to 300,000 Britons who served in the Gulf War and Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

The artist also designed the nearby Battle of Britain Monument as well as The Meeting Place, a large bronze statue of a couple embracing at St Pancras railway station in London. The memorial is not intended to focus on the fallen and bears no names.

Paul Day has also designed the nearby Battle of Britain Monument (pictured)

After today's service, Day gave the Queen and Prince Philip a guided tour of the memorial he created in Victoria Embankment Gardens in the shadow of the Ministry of Defence building, pointing out features of the double-sided bronze tondo, or circular sculpture, between two large stones.  

Day has undertaken commissions and exhibitions in Europe and the United States

Since his first solo show in Paris in 1995, Day has undertaken commissions and exhibitions in Europe, the United States and Canada.  

Their frustrations were echoed by Tracey Hazel, from Northumberland, whose son Corporal Ben Leaning, 24, of the Queen's Royal Lancers Battle Group, died in southern Iraq in April 2007 alongside Trooper Kristen Turton when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.

Ms Hazel, 50, said: 'It wasn't worthwhile. It achieves nothing, and it also ended my son's dad's life, which made me more angry.

'I always think anyone's innocent until proven guilty, but the Chilcot inquiry just proves different.'

Asked about Mr Blair's presence at the ceremony, she said: 'I honestly think somebody else should have had his ticket, like one of the parents.'

They also said that while the service had been 'absolutely beautiful', and it was nice for Prince Harry to have spoken with them and offered his condolences for their loss, it was 'upsetting' and 'a shame' that more bereaved families could not attend because of a restriction on numbers.

Mr Cartwright said: 'It (the service) is a lovely thing to do, and gives you a warm feeling. I just get a warm feeling doing it.

'But it's a bit upsetting that, because we've seen so many families that didn't get invited for whatever reason, a lack of numbers.

'We just feel lucky and guilty at the same time that we got invited.'

Mr Cartwright said it would have been 'wasteful' to have passed up on the opportunity to attend, saying: 'We are representing those that couldn't come.

'Maybe we're here for the others as well - we'll send them some pictures.'

Ms Hazel said: 'The service was absolutely wonderful, but now I feel bad for the other parents who couldn't come.

'I feel very guilty for being here, but I want to be here so I have got mixed feelings.

'We have to represent, but it does make you feel guilty because I don't know how I would feel if other people were here and I wasn't.

'But I would feel dishonourable to my son if I didn't come.' 

Reg Keys, whose son Lance Corporal Tom Keys, 20, was one of six Red Caps murdered by an Iraqi mob in an ambush weeks after the invasion in 2003, said: 'I would not have thought Tony Blair would have been a welcome face at such a service given we were misled over the Iraq war.

'I'm sure his ego will not allow him to stay away from it.

'A lot of families will not welcome his presence and after such a short space of time following the publication of the Chilcot report [into the second Iraq war].

'Had I been invited I would have gone to honour my son, but nobody invited me.'

Bob Wright, whose son Corporal Mark Wright, 27, died in a minefield in September 2006 in Afghanistan, said: 'Tony Blair is the man that started the ball rolling and we lost a lot of lives needlessly because of him. You would not have expected him to have been invited.' 

The Queen is seen unveiling the memorial on a big screen on Horse Guards Parade as the media and other guests look on

Prince Charles arrives ahead of the ceremony (pictured left) while Prime Minister Theresa May (right) is also seen attending

Former prime minister Sir John Major (far right), David Cameron (centre), Jeremy Corbyn and Tony Blair attended the service

The Royal Family and former leaders joined fellow attendees in bowing their heads for the Lord's Prayer and a rendition of the Last Post, culminating in two minutes' silence

'TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE': MILITARY WIDOWS SLAM THE LAST-MINUTE CLIMBDOWN OVER MEMORIAL SNUB

The Ministry of Defence was forced into a last-minute climbdown after snubbing bereaved parents of British soldiers from today's memorial service.

Some military widows have criticised organisers for failing to inform them about the major event or offer invites to all the bereaved families. 

Prime Minister Theresa May was urged to apologise for what was described as a 'careless oversight'.

She told Parliament no-one from the 'bereaved community' had been turned away, adding that the Ministry of Defence would make every effort to ensure relatives who wanted to attend were able to do so.

Wendy Rayner, whose husband Peter (right) was killed in Afghanistan, is one of those who feels 'snubbed' after not being told about the unveiling of the new memorial in Westminster

Widow Wendy Rayner said the offer was 'too little, too late'.

The 45-year-old from Bradford, whose husband, Sergeant Peter Rayner, was killed during a routine patrol in Afghanistan in 2010, said she would not be able to make the three-hour journey at such short notice.

She said: 'I think it is cheeky to turn round and say "Oh well, you can come now". I'm sorry but it's too little, too late. They should have just apologised.'

Victoria Bateman, from Colchester, will be attending, having answered an email from the Army Widows' Association, but described the belated invitation to other bereaved families as 'a bit of a slap in the face'.

She said: 'People have children, responsibilities, jobs. Many can't just go with so little notice.'

Mrs Bateman, whose husband, Lance Corporal James Bateman, was killed in Afghanistan in 2008, said the sister of a soldier who died alongside her husband has travelled to the service without an invitation.

Julie Hall, the mother of Darren Deady (pictured), said she was unable to get an invite

She said Shanna was attending in honour of Private Jeff 'JJ' Doherty, from Warwickshire.

Mrs Bateman, 33, said: 'She has not been given an invite but she is here and we are going to try and get her in.'

Another widow, former DUP MLA Brenda Hale, described the handling of the event as 'completely crass'.

Mrs Hale, whose husband, Captain Mark Hale, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, leaving behind his wife and two daughters, accused the MoD of failing to understand the plight of the bereaved.

Speaking earlier this week, the Co Down-based 48-year-old said: 'It speaks volumes that the MoD, despite the conflicts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and despite the number of families falling through the net, they still haven't got their act together and they still don't understand what it is like to be the family left behind, the family that has to go on alone.'

John and Marilyn Miller, whose son Corporal Simon Miller, 21, was slaughtered in the same incident as Tom Keys, said they were 'disgusted' they were not invited.

Mr Miller, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, said: 'Tony Blair has been invited but military families have not. It is an absolute disgrace. How can that be right?

'We were totally disgusted that we had not been invited. Of course we would have wanted to go, it is a memorial for our son as well.

'We are so angry and Marilyn is really, really upset.' Created by sculptor Paul Day, the memorial, in the Victoria Embankment Gardens near Westminster, honours twin themes of 'duty and service'. 

The chaplain leading the dedication service for the new Iraq and Afghanistan memorial sympathised with organisers over the controversy surrounding invites for bereaved families, insisting that space was limited.

Chaplain of the Fleet Ian Wheatley said even if the event had been staged at Wembley Stadium there would still have been people who could not get in.

The unveiling of the memorial has been overshadowed by criticism from some military widows who said they had not received an invite or even been made aware of the event.

The chaplain said: 'I know it was difficult and I've heard it anecdotally acknowledged right from the very beginning that it would be a problem.

'If you've got a site that can take 2,000 people and you're casting your net .... quite rightly so wide because you're including the living and the dead, not withstanding the amazing sacrifice people have made, you won't get everybody in so you have to draw the line somewhere.

'Inevitably some people (would) just be above and some people just below but I think the MoD engaged charitable assistance to draw up the up list to find people who would be good representatives and who might be considered deserving in some special way.'

He added: 'It's going to be controversial unless you do this in Wembley Stadium. Even then there would be people who wouldn't get in.'

Corporal Wright's father was also critical of the invite received by the leader of the Labour party, who is in attendance today along with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

He said: 'Jeremy Corbyn does not support the Army. Why has he been invited before the families?' 

The Ministry of Defence made a last-minute climbdown following the snub of bereaved families earlier this week, asking anyone who had not been invited and would like to attend to contact them.

Prime Minister Theresa May was later urged to apologise for what was described as a 'careless oversight'.

She told Parliament no-one from the 'bereaved community' had been turned away, adding that the Ministry of Defence would make every effort to ensure relatives who wanted to attend were able to do so.

Today's service was followed by an unveiling ceremony of sculptor Paul Day's memorial in nearby Victoria Embankment Gardens in the shadow of the Ministry of Defence building.

The artist also designed the nearby Battle of Britain Monument as well as The Meeting Place, a large bronze statue of a couple embracing at St Pancras railway station in London. The memorial is not intended to focus on the fallen and bears no names.

But it commemorates the duty and service of those who put themselves in harm's way to protect the nation's interests far from the UK, helped those in danger or worked to improve the lives of those in the Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan from 1990 to 2015.

The number of British forces personnel and MoD civilians who died while serving in Afghanistan is 456, for the Iraq conflict it was 179, and the Gulf War 47, according to figures from the Ministry of Defence.

Among the guests was former Royal Marine Commando Pete Dunning and his wife Lauren, from Wallasey in Merseyside. 

Dignitaries are joined by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at a Military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade in London

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, Theresa May and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Houghton attend the service

Reg Keys, left, said: 'I would not have thought Tony Blair would have been a welcome face at such a service.' His son Lance Corporal Tom Keys, right, was one of six Red Caps murdered by an Iraqi mob in an ambush weeks after the invasion in 2003

A band plays during the sombre and moving military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade in central London today

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are pictured arriving for the Military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured left) and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (right) are also in attendance today

The Drumhead with the Army Colours placed upon it at a Military Drumhead Service on Horse Guards Parade in London

THAT'S NO WAY TO GREET THE QUEEN! TODDLER HAS A BIT OF A MELTDOWN AS HE HANDS OVER A POSY

As Britain's sovereign, she's spent a lifetime meeting and greeting people of all ages.

But the Queen had to wait patiently for one cheeky little toddler today as he did his best to squirm out of handing over a posy at the unveiling of a new war memorial.

The 90-year-old monarch was joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to unveil the statue to Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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The Queen had to wait patiently for toddler Alfie Lunn as he did his best to squirm out of handing over a posy at the unveiling of a new war memorial in central London today

Alfie tries to squirm out of his mother Michelle's grip as she and her husband meet the Queen 

Before leaving the site of the new memorial, the Queen then received a posy from the Lunn family – Sergeant Mark Lunn, 29, who was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during a fire-fight in Basra, his wife, Corporal Michelle Lunn, 26, and their two-year-old son Alfie.

The Queen smiled as she approached the couple to chat to them, while the toddler squirmed in his mother's arms.

When the flowers were handed to the monarch, the little boy reached out for them.

The Queen smiled as she approached the couple to chat to them, while the toddler squirmed in his mother's arms

Before leaving the site of the new memorial, the Queen then received a posy from the Lunn family – Sergeant Mark Lunn, 29, who was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during a fire-fight in Basra, his wife, Corporal Michelle Lunn, 26, and their two-year-old son Alfie

Mrs Lunn said later: 'They're so unpredictable children, we tried our best. He was fine up until a few minutes before the Queen arrived.'

Little Alfie was a little more relaxed moments later when he met Theresa May.

He shook the Prime Minister's hand as she greeted the Lunns following the opening of the memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens in the shadow of the Ministry of Defence building.

The father of two was serving with the Armoured Support Group Royal Marines when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb as they made their way back to the Sangin crossing of Helmand River in May 2008.

The driver was killed while Mr Dunning lost both his legs, fractured his spine, punctured a lung and suffered burns to both arms and legs.

His life was saved by emergency surgery in Camp Bastion and almost two months of care at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital - including five weeks lying flat on his back.

Despite his horrific injuries, the 31-year-old found his way into skiing, spending two seasons on the British disabled skiing team until an injured shoulder curtailed his career.

Mr Dunning said: 'I don't regret a day of my service, even when I got blown up. Being in the military is the best job I've ever had, and if I could go back in there today and do it all over again, I would.

'I am proud of my service. In the military we get told where to be, what to do and how to do it, and that's exactly what we did when I was out in Afghanistan.

'Was it worth it? I would like to think so. I'd like to think we helped some of the people out in Afghanistan so they can try and live as free as possible so they can enjoy their lives.'

A guest of the Royal British Legion, Mr Dunning said he sees the unveiling of the memorial as a deserved thank you to all those who served during the conflicts, both military and civilian.

He said: 'It's always great to be recognised for the work that the military do out in the armed conflicts, but today it's not just about the military.

'It's about the civilians who were also working out there as humanitarian aid. In total in the three conflicts 682 military personnel unfortunately lost their lives, but we don't know about the civilians as well.

'Today it's great because we are celebrating their work that they did out there as well.'

Dr Shehan Hettiaratchy, a reservist with 144 Parachute Medical Squadron and surgeon at St Mary's Hospital in London, said the day marked an important acknowledgement of the role civilians played in the conflicts.

He said: 'For me, the memorial reminds me that a lot of the things I do today to save civilians in the UK, those practices were learned and honed in Afghanistan. 

'So, to my mind, the sacrifices that were made by individuals who served - both ones who were killed and ones who were wounded - those lives lost and the lives saved out there are translated back directly into saving lives in the UK and the world today because of what we learned.'

Dr Hettiaratchy said the severity of injuries he saw while posted in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, had made a lasting impression on him and his work.

'The most striking thing was the severity of the injuries, which really hadn't been seen before in medicine.

'We certainly hadn't had people surviving those kinds of injuries before. So that was the challenge.

Boris Johnson joins Prince Harry and Princess Anne as dignitaries watched the unveiling of a new war memorial in London

A band plays during a military Drumhead Service ahead of the unveiling of the national war memorial designed by Paul Day

Sophie Countess of Wessex arrives at Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall for the Iraq and Afghanistan war memorial unveiling

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be joined by Prince Harry and senior figures from the Cabinet at today's ceremony

A Military Drumhead Service takes place on Horse Guards Parade in London, ahead of the unveiling of a national memorial

A national memorial dedicated to the 300,000 Britons who served during the Gulf War and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will be unveiled by the Queen today

I HOPE HE DIDN'T GIVE YOU LIP! DUKE'S HARRY QUIP

The Duke of Cambridge told a former comrade of Prince Harry he hoped his younger brother had not given him 'lip' when they served alongside each other in Afghanistan.

William made the quip at a reception at Horse Guards Parade for military servicemen and women and civilians who had served in Afghanistan and the two Gulf Wars.

Kailash Gurung, 40, who formerly served in the Royal Gurkha Regiment, met Harry when the prince came to Afghanistan as a forward air controller in 2007.

On learning that Sergeant Gurung had met Harry during a stay at his Afghanistan base, William remarked: 'Well I hope he didn't give you any lip!

The Duke of Cambridge told a former comrade of Prince Harry he hoped his younger brother had not given him 'lip' when they served alongside each other in Afghanistan

William made the quip about Harry (pictured) at a reception at Horse Guards Parade for military servicemen and women and civilians who had served in Afghanistan and the two Gulf Wars

'Tell him where to go!'

Sergeant Gurung, who is now based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, as part of the 4 ROC Regiment, said the day had marked a special moment to reflect about friends he lost in the conflict.

He said: 'Some of my very close friends lost their lives, some of my very close friends have been injured for life. It's very emotional.

'It has sent me back, made me think about how it happened.'

The tightly guarded event, spread across two large, chandelier-lit marquees at the top of St James's Park, hosted hundreds of attendees from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan between 1991 and 2014.

The receptions followed a sombre drumhead ceremony in the parade grounds and the unveiling of a new memorial in the Victoria Embankment Gardens to commemorate those who served in the conflicts, where a total of 682 service personnel lost their lives.

The event has been criticised by some families, who feel all bereaved family members of those lost in the war should have been formally invited.

RAF reservist and former Afghanistan serviceman Ian Pollock, 56, said it was not clear why some people had not attended.

He said: 'They were given the opportunity to come, you don't know the circumstances of where they might be.

'Maybe it's too painful for them and maybe they don't want to be reminded of it.'

Prince Harry meets military personnel at a reception after the unveiling of the memorial for those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Prince Harry speaks with members of the Brigade of Gurkhas, at a reception on Horse Guards Parade earlier today

The Duke of Cambridge told a former comrade of Prince Harry he hoped his younger brother had not given him 'lip' when they served alongside each other in Afghanistan

As William greeted uniformed attendees in the marquee on Horse Guards Parade, the Duchess of Cambridge spoke to former servicemen to ask about their time in the Middle East.

One of those she spoke with was a former medic of the Royal Air Force's Jaguar squadron, Ian Ewers-Larose, 50, who praised the 'fantastic' drumhead service shortly before.

He said: 'It was fantastic. It was very apt, very moving and very poignant.'

But Mr Ewers-Larose, who served in the first Gulf War in 1991, said he looked back with mixed feelings regarding the conflicts as a whole.

He said: 'At the end of the day, we signed up to serve Queen and country, it's our role. So therefore we are sent to do what's required for our government and our country.

'At the time we were down there to sort the invasion of a sovereign state.

'For me, on that side, it was the right thing to do at the time.

'Subsequently, I think there's a bone of contention on the second one, potentially.

'The first Gulf War was the right one, and personally I think they should have gone in and finished it right there and then.'

Asked what he thought of Tony Blair's attendance at the event, as the former head of state who led the country into the latter two conflicts, Mr Ewers-Larose said he 'didn't really have much of an opinion on him'.

Mr Ewers-Larose, who has since retired from active service with chronic fatigue syndrome, said he had been pleased with the royal couple's work with medical charities to support those living with illnesses associated with military service.

He said: 'It's great. I think having the Duke and Duchess and also Prince Harry all highlighting it highlights it more and makes people more aware.

'And also, with the Duke and particularly Prince Harry having served in the forces and visually seen the effects of what can happen to servicemen and women, he'll have a very good understanding of it all.'

'The fact that we were so good at now keeping people alive, we now had to rebuild these guys and girls, and for me that was a complete game-changer.'

Lord Stirrup, chairman of the memorial project's board of trustees, was head of the Armed Forces in his role as chief of defence staff from 2006-10.

He said: 'Literally hundreds of thousands of British military personnel and UK civilian citizens served this country in all sorts of various ways in support of those campaigns and we felt that it was extremely important that the way they had conducted themselves, carried out their duties and the service they had given to the nation was honoured and commemorated.

'So the memorial is exactly that, it's to commemorate duty and service, it's not about the campaigns themselves per se, it's about those principles which are important in any civilised society and have always been an integral part of who and what we regard ourselves to be as a nation.

'We wanted to acknowledge the contribution of the many who had served.'

Grieving families' fury as Tony Blair attends the unveiling of a new war memorial to those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan

By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline

Grieving families have insisted Tony Blair should have been barred from the unveiling of a memorial to the Britons killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Blair, who ordered troops into battle in both wars, attended the ceremony on Horseguards Parade today alongside veterans, military top brass and the Royal Family.

The memorial commemorates the more than 800 British soldiers and civilians killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and the 1990 Iraq War.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was slammed for attending the unveiling of the war memorial to those killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns 

Mr Blair was seated near the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles (front row right) during today's ceremony 

The former prime minister was greeted by Nicola Sturgeon as the dignitaries gathered 

Ahead of today's unveiling, family members of the war dead said it was a 'disgrace' Mr Blair had received an invitation when they had not.

Reg Keys, whose son Lance Corporal Tom Keys, 20, was one of six Red Caps murdered by an Iraqi mob in an ambush weeks after the Iraq invasion in 2003, said: 'I would not have thought Tony Blair would have been a welcome face at such a service given we were misled over the Iraq war.

'I'm sure his ego will not allow him to stay away from it.

'A lot of families will not welcome his presence and after such a short space of time following the publication of the Chilcot report [into the second Iraq war].

'Had I been invited I would have gone to honour my son, but nobody invited me.'

Former Prime Minister's David Cameron and Sir John Major were also in attendance, pictured talking to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon  

Chancellor Philip Hammond (second left) joined the Duchess of Cambridge (left) and the Countess of Wessex (second right) 

Among the digntaries in attendance were Jeremy Corbyn, Carwyn Davies and Nicola Sturgeon, pictured to the left, and Boris Johnson right 

Bob Wright, whose son Corporal Mark Wright, 27, died in a minefield in September 2006 in Afghanistan, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn does not support the Army. Why has he been invited before the families?

'Tony Blair is the man that started the ball rolling and we lost a lot of lives needlessly because of him. You would not have expected him to have been invited.'

John and Marilyn Miller, whose son Corporal Simon Miller, 21, was slaughtered in the same incident as Tom Keys, said they were 'disgusted' they were not invited.

Mr Miller, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, said: 'Tony Blair has been invited but military families have not. It is an absolute disgrace. How can that be right?

Paul Flynn, pictured in the Commons today, said Britain must learn the lessons of the bloody Afghan conflict that cost 454 British service personnel their lives

'We were totally disgusted that we had not been invited. Of course we would have wanted to go, it is a memorial for our son as well.

'We are so angry and Marilyn is really, really upset.' Created by sculptor Paul Day, the memorial, in the Victoria Embankment Gardens near Westminster, honours twin themes of 'duty and service'.

It features two huge stones, one representing Iraq and the other Afghanistan, united by a double-sided copper medallion.

Paul Flynn said Britain must learn the lessons of the bloody conflict that cost 454 British service personnel their lives.

Mr Flynn said today: 'In 2006, after only six of our soldiers had died in Afghanistan, a decision was taken to go into Helmand province on the basis that not a shot would be fired.

'The result of that was that 450 more soldiers lost their lives.'

In a warning to ministers, he said: 'We cannot turn lies into the truth by carving them on war memorials or putting them in the mouths of dignitaries.

'When can we face up to the truth on the Helmand disaster by having an inquiry?'

Commons Leader David Lidington said lessons would be learned from the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War.

He said: 'I think it's right both that we have a public memorial to those military and civilian who served so valiantly in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and if we learn the lessons of both those conflicts.

'While the forthcoming debate on the select committee report into the Chilcot Inquiry is clearly related privately to Iraq, I would have thought that some of the lessons might possibly be learned from both that conflict and from the Afghanistan conflict could be debated in that time.'