The white poppy is an international symbol of remembrance for all the casualties of war - civilians and armed forces personnel - and of peace.
What do white poppies represent? White poppies represent three things: remembrance for all victims of war, both military and civilian. a challenge to any attempts to glamorise or celebrate war. a commitment to peace.
The white poppy has been worn in the run-up to Remembrance Day for almost ninety years, as a symbol of remembrance and peace. White poppies are worn every year by thousands of people across the UK and beyond.
On the Peace Pledge Union website they write: "There are three elements to the meaning of white poppies: they represent remembrance for all victims of war, a commitment to peace and a challenge to attempts to glamorise or celebrate war.
She noted though that the white poppy is not meant to replace the red poppy — nor is it meant to be disrespectful. “It's not meant to be disrespectful at all. Many people wear both the red and white poppies together.
In soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground. The white poppy is an international symbol of remembrance for all the casualties of war - civilians and armed forces personnel - and of peace.
White poppies stand for remembrance of all victims of all wars. This includes wars still being fought. It includes people of all nationalities. It includes both civilians and members of armed forces.
While the red poppy is worn specifically in honour of the armed forces and is distributed by the Royal British Legion, the white poppy, given out by the PPU. According to the PPU, it is intended to remember all victims of all wars, rather than just those in which British service people were involved.
White poppies symbolise remembrance for all victims of war, commitment to peace and challenge the glamorisation of conflict, according to the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), which distributes them. They were first introduced by the Co-operative Women's Guild in 1933 to symbolise a message of “no more war" after WWI.
In ancient China, the blue poppy was considered a symbol of longevity and was often used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. In Tibetan culture, blue poppies are considered a symbol of the human soul's journey towards enlightenment, and are often depicted in art and religious iconography.
Republic of Ireland international and Wigan Athletic footballer James MacLean has also refused to wear a poppy, angering many fans.
How is the Poppy worn? The Poppy should be worn with respect on the left breast, close to the heart.
According to the Royal British Legion: “There is no right or wrong way to wear a Poppy – except to wear it with pride.” The charity adds: “You can wear a Poppy all year round but traditionally people stop wearing a Poppy after Armistice Day on 11th November or Remembrance Sunday, whichever is later.”
It is thought that the red of the petals represents the blood of those who gave their lives, the black button in the middle is for the mourning of those who never welcomed their loved ones home and the green leaf shows the hope that the grass and crops growing after the war brings.
White poppy seeds are the milder version of the two and is sometimes referred to as Indian poppy seeds because of the use of poppy seeds in Indian cooking as a thickening agent in making curries and other Indian dishes. Black or blue poppy seeds are the European counterpart.
The Royal British Legion has no official opinion on the wearing of white poppies, stating that it "is a matter of choice, the Legion doesn't have a problem whether you wear a red one or a white one, both or none at all".
Other colours of poppy have their own meanings: - Pink poppies symbolise compassion and platonic love. - Orange poppies stand for health and regeneration. - Yellow poppies represent optimism and the ability to look on the bright side as well as positive memories of people who have died.
The reason why the Royal Family wears three poppies has not been confirmed. However, one theory is that they wear multiple brooches in honour of family members who have fought and died in wars. For example, Kate Middleton's great-grandmother had three brothers who were killed in action during the First World War.
Instead they might choose to wear a white poppy. The white poppy is handed out by a charity called Peace Pledge Union, which promotes peace. They say that the white poppy commemorates people who died in conflict, but focuses on achieving peace and challenging the way we look at war. What poppy do you wear?
Rough poppy (Papaver hybridum)
The rarest of the poppies, with small red petals that carry a black spot at the base. Its seed capsule is globe-shaped and covered in stiff yellow bristles.
The Poppy should be worn with respect on the left side, over the heart. The Legion's lapel Poppy is a sacred symbol of Remembrance and should not be affixed with any pin that obstructs the Poppy. Also available through some Branches is the Legion's reusable black centre Poppy pin to affix your lapel Poppy.
Purple poppies are worn to honour animals who were victims of war. Many war horses, dogs and pigeons were killed during service in WW1. The Animal Purple Poppy Appeal is organised by War Horse Memorial, which donates the money raised to various animal charities.
Created in 1933 - just 12 years after the red version - many people wore white poppies to stress the "never again" message, which emerged after World War One, and which pacifists feared was slipping away. Like the red poppy, the white badge also symbolises remembrance for victims of war.
Selena Carty set it up and it is worn to remember black, African, Caribbean and Pacific Islanders who lost their lives at war.