The Prince of Wales today made his first public appearance since pulling out of the memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine II of Greece.
Prince William visited the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in central London to take part in discussions about the rise in anti-Semitism in Britain.
He met with two Holocaust survivors, Manfred Goldberg and Renee Salt, as well as young people who have taken part in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s flagship ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ project.
William told attendees: ‘Prejudice has no place in society. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I want you all to know you can talk about it and your experiences.
‘Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism that you guys have talked about this morning and I’m just so sorry if any of you have had to experience that.
‘It has no place… that’s why I’m here today to reassure you all that people do care and people do listen and we can’t let that go.’
The engagement was originally planned to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day last month and the Princess of Wales was also due to attend.
The Prince of Wales today made his first public appearance since pulling out of the memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine II of Greece
The event had to be postponed due to the Princess’s abdominal surgery, which she is still recovering from.
Prince William previously met Mr Goldberg during his visit with the Princess of Wales to the former Stutthof concentration camp in what is now Poland in 2017.
The Lessons from Auschwitz project sees young people across the UK learn about the history of the Holocaust.
They are taken on visits to the site of the former death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, where more than one million Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said: ‘Today His Royal Highness reminded us that antisemitism is not only a problem for the Jewish community but for all society.
‘He listened to young Jewish students who are facing a deluge of antisemitic hate on campus, share their personal experiences of this anti-Jewish hate and he met young Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassadors, who are campaigning against antisemitism despite not being Jewish themselves.
‘He spent time with Holocaust survivors Renee Salt BEM and Manfred Goldberg BEM.
‘When they were liberated nearly 80 years ago, they never could have imagined that once again, within their lifetime, there would be a global explosion of antisemitism.
‘His Royal Highness’ visit sends a powerful message that Britain is a country where Jews, whether Holocaust survivors who came to find sanctuary or young Jewish students – are welcome and celebrated. He reminds us that even in the darkest days, the Jewish community is not alone.
‘We thank His Royal Highness for his leadership on this issue and we are so grateful for his unwavering support for our cause and our community.’
Crown Prince Pavlos, 56, the current head of the former Greek royal family, gave a reading at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in William’s stead this week after the prince pulled out with 45 minutes’ notice.
The Prince of Wales was due to read from Revelation 21:1-7, a popular verse of the Bible for funerals – but a moved Pavlos stood up instead to say: ‘God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’.
Prince William visited the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in central London to take part in discussions about the rise in anti-Semitism in Britain
He met with two Holocaust survivors, Manfred Goldberg and Renee Salt, as well as young people who have taken part in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s flagship ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ project
The official YouTube film from inside St George’s Chapel, where Elizabeth II was laid to rest in September 2022, also showed the poignant moment Queen Camilla stood for the national anthem with her husband absent because he is battling cancer.
Earlier in the service, at one point, she appeared to wipe away a tear.
Charles III would have been there to lead the Royal Family but is receiving hospital treatment so has taken a complete break from royal duties.
Buckingham Palace has said that his cancer has been caught early and His Majesty is ‘wholly positive’.
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