King Charles Pays Heartfelt Tribute to D-Day Veterans
Honoring the Heroes of D-Day
King Charles delivered an emotional tribute to the veterans of the D-Day landings, emphasizing their role in replacing tyranny with freedom. Speaking on the eve of the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth, a key departure point for the Normandy landings, the King expressed the nation's eternal gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice.
"We are eternally in their debt," he said, acknowledging the dwindling number of surviving veterans and praising their "courage, resilience, and solidarity."
Commemorative Events in Britain and France
The first of two days of commemorative events saw crowds in Portsmouth enjoy a spectacular drone light show. Across the Channel, the Bayeux War Cemetery illuminated thousands of headstones in honor of the fallen Allied troops.
Earlier in the day, spectators in Normandy witnessed a large-scale parachute re-enactment of the Allied liberation. King Charles, along with Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales, attended a national D-Day commemoration on Southsea Common under clear blue skies.
Emotional Speeches and Tributes
Veterans received standing ovations as they made speeches. Queen Camilla was moved to tears during the ceremony. In his most significant public speech since his cancer diagnosis, King Charles highlighted the enormity of the D-Day operation and the soldiers' bravery.
He urged the present generation to honor the fallen by balancing rights with civic responsibilities and to remember the fight against "brutal totalitarianism."
Prince William's Poignant Reading
Prince William read a moving excerpt from Captain Alastair Bannerman's diary, which captured the soldier's thoughts as he headed towards the French coast on D-Day. Bannerman survived, but Prince William reminded the audience of the many who did not return.
Later, speaking with veterans, Prince William mentioned his wife Catherine's absence due to her recovery and shared that her grandmother worked at Bletchley Park, the top-secret codebreaking center during World War Two.
Recognition and Remembrance
Dame Helen Mirren praised the veterans' bravery in her introduction, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addressed the crowd, underscoring the significance of the Normandy landings.
Portsmouth, as one of the major embarkation points, holds historical importance for the D-Day operations. The successful landings by Allied forces laid the groundwork for the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi occupation.
Remembering the Fallen
Veteran Roy Hayward, who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944, at the age of 19, spoke at the event. Now 98, Hayward emphasized the importance of remembering those who fought for democracy and ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
