Foreign Office civil servants have sparked outrage after their 2026 calendar lists 110 awareness days, weeks and months, including Trans Day, but omits Remembrance Sunday.
The revelation comes as the nation prepares to pay tribute to Britain’s war heroes, with King Charles leading commemorations at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
The diplomatic calendar covers a wide range of gender identity, sexuality and wellbeing observances but overlooks several of the nation’s most significant dates of remembrance and celebration.
Whilst November 11 is noted, the Sunday ceremony honouring members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives for Britain does not appear.
D-Day, VE Day, and St George’s Day also appear to be missing from the document, despite its extensive catalogue of identity-related and mental health awareness events.
Among the observances diplomats are prompted to mark are four dedicated to transgender awareness, two for intersex causes, and 20 relating to mental health and neurodiverse conditions, including autism and ADHD.
Flexible Working Day, International Pronouns Day and the anniversary of George Floyd’s death all feature on the schedule.
November alone lists Transgender Awareness Month, Islamophobia Awareness Month, Movember and Intersex Day of Remembrance, but not the Cenotaph ceremony.
Staff are also reminded about Bi-visibility Day, International Lesbian Week and International Allyship Day, according to the calendar seen by the Daily Mail.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Charlie Dewhirst condemned the document’s priorities, telling the Mail: “It’s a calendar of niche awareness days with pronoun days and identity politics.”
“No one knows what half this stuff means, but the lanyard class has made sure it fills officials’ calendars,” he added.
The Foreign Office’s tally of 110 observances dwarfs those recognised by other Whitehall departments.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Labour MPs slammed as ‘hypocrites’ for hiding salary promises in job ads while ordering businesses to share themLGBT migrant charity handed nearly £1m despite claiming British state kills asylum seekersAndy Burnham’s EU reset bid sparks fear within Labour over ‘reigniting support for Reform’
In 2025, the Cabinet Office marked just 21 awareness days, weeks and months, whilst the Department for Education recorded 25 and the Home Office only 12.
The Wales Office recognised none.
More than 10,000 veterans are expected to march through central London for tomorrow’s service at the Cenotaph, held annually on the second Sunday of November.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the King will lead the two-minute silence, with the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales also in attendance.
Wreaths will be laid by the King, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh in tribute to the nation’s war dead.
A Foreign Office spokesman defended the department’s record.
They said: “The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has supported national remembrance commemorations for several decades, including hosting international diplomats to attend the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.”
Staff observe the two-minute silence on Remembrance Day, and poppies are sold on-site to raise funds for the Royal British Legion, the spokesman added.
Our Standards:
The GB News Editorial Charter
