King pays tribute on 80th anniversary of D-Day
King Charles expressed deep gratitude towards those who participated in the D-Day landings, commending them for their role in exchanging tyranny for freedom.
During a commemoration ceremony on the eve of the 80th anniversary, the King emphasized the nation’s enduring indebtedness to these individuals. His remarks were delivered in Portsmouth, a pivotal embarkation point for the Normandy landings in June 1944.
Praising the bravery, resilience, and unity of the D-Day participants, whose numbers are now rapidly diminishing, King Charles highlighted the solemnity of the occasion. Wednesday marked the commencement of a series of commemorative events spanning both Britain and France.
In Portsmouth, spectators marveled at a dazzling drone light show, while across the Channel, the Bayeux War Cemetery was aglow with the illumination of thousands of headstones in tribute to the fallen Allied soldiers.
Elsewhere in Normandy, near Sannerville, crowds gathered to witness a poignant re-enactment of the Allied liberation, symbolized by a large-scale parachute drop.
Accompanied by Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales, King Charles delivered a stirring address at a national D-Day commemoration on Southsea Common, evoking a heartfelt response from the audience, particularly when veterans shared their poignant recollections, moving the Queen to tears.
In his most significant public address since his cancer diagnosis, King Charles hailed the monumental scale of the D-Day operation and the remarkable courage displayed by those who embarked upon it, facing uncertainty about their survival.
He underscored the imperative of preserving the memory of their efforts to vanquish oppressive regimes and called upon present generations to honor their legacy by upholding the values of freedom through a balanced approach to rights and civic duties.
Prince William contributed to the solemnity of the occasion by delivering a poignant reading from the diary of Captain Alastair Bannerman, reflecting on the soldier’s poignant thoughts of the family as he approached the shores of France on D-Day morning. Prince William lamented the loss of those who never returned from the war, emphasizing the enduring impact of their sacrifice.
Engaging with veterans, Prince William shared insights into his wife Catherine’s recovery and her familial connection to Bletchley Park, the clandestine hub of World War Two codebreakers, underscoring the profound yet often unspoken experiences of that era.
“It was all very secret,” he added.
Dame Helen Mirren praised the bravery of the veterans in attendance during her introduction to the event at 11:00 BST, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak read an address to the crowds.
Portsmouth was one of the embarkation points on the south coast eight decades ago, as Allied forces crossed the Channel to liberate France and Western Europe from Nazi occupation.
Foundations for the Allied victory were laid by the success of the Normandy landings, in which troops from the UK, US, Canada, and France conducted the largest seaborne invasion in history.
The commemorative event heard from those who took part in D-Day, including Roy Hayward, who landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944 at the age of 19.
Mr. Hayward, now aged 98, said he wanted to remember those who had “fought for democracy” and “to ensure their story is never forgotten”.
Last week the King met one of the veterans of the Normandy landings, Jim Miller, who at the age of 20 had gone ashore at Juno Beach.
The King invited Mr Miller to Buckingham Palace to personally hand him his 100th birthday card.
“I am humbled to reach such a great number, especially when I think of those who fell on the Normandy beaches all those years ago,” Mr. Miller said afterward.
Earlier on Wednesday, 21 veterans attended a memorial event at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
A further 23 surviving D-Day veterans attended commemorations in Normandy, where they were joined by Princess Anne.
There were 225 D-Day veterans able to travel to Normandy five years ago, and the Royal British Legion has said these “poignant commemorations will be our last opportunity to host a significant number of Normandy veterans”.
On Wednesday evening, a joint UK-France thanksgiving service was held at Normandy’s Bayeux Cathedral, which was illuminated in honor of those who fought on the beaches.
The King will travel to France for a commemorative event on Thursday at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, which will also be attended by the 23 veterans. The trip to France will be the King’s first overseas travel since his cancer diagnosis.
An international ceremony with more than 25 heads of state will be attended by Prince William.
