King Charles today led the nation in paying tribute to the heroes of D-Day at a major event to mark the 80th anniversary of the largest seaborne invasion in history.
The monarch, 75, who is joined by Queen Camilla, Prince William and veterans of the landings, is understood to have been ‘adamant’ he would attend the commemorations as he continues his recovery from cancer.
During his speech, Charles praised the ‘courage, resilience and solidary’ of veterans, which he said ‘cannot fail to move us’.
Earlier, William praised the ‘bravery’ of those who took part in the D-Day landings and read an extract from a letter by Captain Alastair Bannerman of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, addressed to his wife and written in his diary.
He said: ‘Captain Bannerman survived the landings and the war, being taken prisoner and returning home to his wife and sons in April the next year. Too many never returned. They remain in ‘some corner of a foreign field that is forever England.’
‘We will always remember those who served and those who waved them off. The mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who watched their loved ones go into battle, unsure if they would ever return.
‘Today we remember the bravery of those who crossed this sea to liberate Europe. Those who ensured that Operation Overlord was a success. And those who waited for their safe return.’
King Charles addresses the national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth today
Prince William gives a speech at a national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth today
Earlier, William praised the ‘bravery’ of those who took part in the D-Day landings and read an extract from a letter by Captain Alastair Bannerman of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Helen Mirren is leading proceedings today – and is seen here up on stage
Attendees sit during a commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day
Veterans holding Union flags sit in the front row of today’s national D-Day commemoration
King Charles was understood to have been ‘adamant’ he would attend the national commemorative event as he continues his recovery from cancer. The Princess of Wales – who is recovery from her own cancer treatment at home – will not attend.
Dame Helen Mirren formerly introduced the event just after 11am by addressing the assembled veterans, saying: ‘The presence today of some of those who contributed to that remarkable venture is an extraordinary privilege.
‘Your bravery remains as inspiring now as it was eight decades ago. Thank you.’
The commemorations in Portsmouth opened with a musical performance and a flypast of two historic Dakota military transport aircraft, widely used by the Allies during the Second World War.
Charles and Queen Camilla will join the Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer tomorrow.
Charles is said to have been determined to mark the landmark anniversary given it will be the last event of its kind that D-Day veterans will be able to witness.
This has been aided by a good recovery that has allowed his public duties to be brought forward by ‘about a month’, a source told The Times.
Meanwhile, William will attend the Canadian ceremony at Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer hosted by the Canadian government, alongside veterans and Canadian armed forces personnel.
The Prince of Wales will then attend the international commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach, Saint Laurent sur Mer, later on June 6 alongside 25 heads of state and veterans from around the world.
William took his place in the royal box today alongside military veterans shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Some veterans will attend two days of remembrance events in Portsmouth to mark the historic milestone.
The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with the 1944 battle laying the foundation for an Allied victory.
Troops from the UK, the USA, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the beaches at Normandy in northern France on June 6, 1944.
Allied troops departed from Portsmouth on June 5, so the UK and French governments will host memorial events at both ports to commemorate the D-Day landings.
Over the course of two days, the King, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a slew of other dignitaries, and-most importantly-those who fought on the beaches in 1944 will come together to remember the battle that became the turning point towards an Allied victory.
However, the proceedings have already begun for dozens of other Second World War veterans.
Yesterday, a slew of former D-Day soldiers boarded a ferry to make the journey from Portsmouth to Normandy once again, retracing their steps 80 years ago.
Dame Helen, 78, beckons to the crowd assembled on Southsea Common in Portsmouth
The actress praised the assembled veterans for their bravery, saying: ‘The presence today of some of those who contributed to that remarkable venture is an extraordinary privilege’
Members of the royal box stand and applaud at the start of this morning’s ceremony
Prince William talks with Rishi Sunak at today’s national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day
William, wearing his military medals, alongside Mr Sunak and Ms Murty in Portsmouth today
William smiles as he greets David Cameron – who was among the dignitaries in Portsmouth
The Prince of Wales shakes hands with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps
The morning will culminate in a flypast by the Royal Air Force Red Arrows.
The Prime Minister will then deliver a reading to the crowds and meet with veterans to hear their D-Day stories to mark the occasion.
In the afternoon, tributes will move to the beaches of Normandy, where hundreds of allied defence personnel will parachute into a historic D-Day drop zone to commemorate the airborne invasion of 80 years ago.
The Royal British Legion will host a commemoration service at Bayeux War Cemetery before the Ministry of Defence and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission host a joint UK-France thanksgiving service at Bayeux Cathedral.
Tonight, as the sun sets, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery will light up in honour of those who fought on the beaches. The light show will be streamed live on the BBC so all can witness the occasion.
Akshata Murty, wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, next to Sir Keir Starmer and Johnny Mercer at today’s D-Day commemorations
Sir Keir Starmer poses for a photo at the D-Day commemoration in Portsmouth today
David Cameron sips from a can behind Sir Keir as the nation prepared to commemorate the D-Day landings
Johnny Mercer – the minister for Veterans’ Affairs and a local MP – chats with Mr Cameron in Portsmouth
A veteran looks on as people gather to attend today’s national commemorative event
A Normandy veteran watches on as he prepares for the commemoration to begin
Members of the military on stage during the UK’s national commemorative event
On Thursday – the 80th anniversary of D-Day – commemorations will begin in Normandy at 7.25am, the same time the beach invasion began in 1944.
A military piper will land on the beaches of Arromanches-les-Bains in a Royal Marines landing craft and begin playing a lament in tribute to those who led the beach landings.
The official British commemoration for the 80th anniversary of D-Day will take place at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, where the King will join French President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Sunak.
Charles and Camilla hosted four D-Day veterans at Buckingham Palace yesterday, hearing moving personal stories and seeing their poignant keepsakes.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey chats to a fellow attendee at today’s event in Portsmouth
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps speaks with service personnel at the event this morning
Lone bagpiper Richard Cowie, from the Cumbria Freemasons, warms up his pipes ahead of playing at a D-Day commemoration event on Windermere, Lake District
Mr Cowie will be playing on board one of Windermere Lake Cruises traditional steamers at Bowness-on-Windermere
Planes fly overhead the Standing with Giants installation at the Normandy British Memorial, in Ver-Ser-Mer, France
The memorial features 1,475 silhouettes across the wild meadow fields of the British Normandy Memorial
Football boots carried on the straps of a military backpack, dog tags still bearing blood, and photos of a much cherished wife were among the mementoes shared with Charles and Camilla.
Charles, in turn, read aloud from his grandfather’s handwritten diary, recounting George VI’s D-Day entry about the breaking news of the ‘successful landings’ in June 1944.
The special meeting was filmed and will be broadcast as part of BBC One’s D-Day 80: Tribute to The Fallen on June 5.
FRANCE: Parachutists wearing replica WWII-era paratrooper attire check their equipment prior to their jump from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in Normandy today
D-Day veterans Ken Hay, 98 (left) and Alec Penstone, 98 (second left) at the statue of Field Marshal Montgomery during the Spirit of Normandy Trust service in Coleville-Montgomery, France
Mr Penstone takes his place alongside his comrades at the ceremony in Normandy
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