First Lady Melania Trump met with ‘Chelsea Pensioners’ and school children at the renowned Royal Hospital retirement home for war veterans on Friday morning.
The First Lady was accompanied to the famous Royal Chelsea Hospital retirement home in London by Prime Minister Theresa May’s husband, Philip, while President Donald J Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Mrs May at Chequers, Buckinghamshire.
‘Chelsea Pensioners’ are residents at the Royal Hospital, which is a retirement home for former members of Britain’s army where “any former soldier of the British Army over the age of 65, who is facing spending their advanced years alone, can apply for residence as an In-Pensioner,” according to the Royal Hospital.
The Royal Hospital was founded by King Charles in 1682 as a retreat for veterans and was inspired by Les Invalides in Paris. It is home to around 300 male and female veterans including those who served in Korea, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, and World War II.
Chelsea Pensioners are known for their red coats — known as ‘Scarlets’ — and black, tricorne hats.
The scarlet coat and the tricorne hat are worn together with white gloves for ceremonial occasions.
The ‘Blues’ uniform — a blue coast with shako cap — is worn on a daily basis and can only be worn within a two-mile radius of the Hospital.
With the special visit of the First Lady, Chelsea Pensioners sported their Scarlets on Friday.
Mrs Trump helped children make poppies — red paper badges sold annually in the United Kingdom to mark Armistice Day (November 11th) with the proceeds going to the veterans’ charity, the Royal British Legion.
The First Lady then joined the children and pensioners in the garden and enjoyed a game of bowls — a British form of lawn bowling.
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