June 6th 2024.
As the 80th anniversary of the D-Day battle approached, Queen Camilla was overcome with emotion as she watched D-Day veterans return to the Normandy beaches. Sitting beside King Charles, she was seen wiping away a tear as memories of 99-year-old veteran Joe Mines were read out. Mr. Mines, who hails from London, moved Camilla so deeply that she could not help but dab her eyes.
Despite the poignant moment, the Queen was not alone in her tears. Around 50 British veterans had made the journey to northern France, a significant decrease from the 255 who attended the fifth anniversary of the battle. As they arrived in Ver-sur-Mer, they were met with standing ovations and a round of applause. The site, which opened in 2021, is a tribute to the 22,442 service personnel under British command who lost their lives on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944.
The first veteran to be wheeled in was 98-year-old Albert Keir from Derbyshire, who smiled and waved as he made his way through the crowd. The day was filled with events to honor and remember those who fought in the battle that is widely considered the turning point of World War Two.
The King and Queen were scheduled to meet with the surviving veterans, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, before an international commemoration with world leaders, including US President Joe Biden. At the event, the King and Queen were visibly emotional as they listened to the veterans recount their memories of the Normandy landings.
In addition to the commemoration, a veterans parade and an air and firework display were also held to mark the occasion. Camilla, once again, could not hold back her emotion as a veteran shared the horror of losing his best friend. Royal Navy serviceman Eric Bateman, 98, said, "I'm lucky to be here 80 years later with two of my great-grandchildren. So many men and women, including my dear friend Fred, joined up with me but unfortunately never made it. I'm proud to be here today to honor them and to make sure they will always be remembered."
The day was also attended by Rishi Sunak, who gave a speech at the service at the British Normandy Memorial. He spoke of the veterans' bravery and how their actions freed a continent and built a better world. Prime Minister Sunak was joined by Labour leader Keir Starmer, who also paid his respects at the event.
The day's commemorations began with a piper playing a lament at Gold Beach in Arromanches at the exact time of the invasion. The emotional ceremony was followed by a veterans' parade, as well as an air and firework display in the French town. Meanwhile, in the UK, an 80-strong flotilla of boats left from Falmouth, Cornwall, where thousands of troops departed to take part in the invasion. A beacon-lighting ceremony was also held in Aylesford, Kent.
As the day came to a close, it was clear that the memories and sacrifices of the D-Day veterans would never be forgotten. The King summed it up perfectly in his address to the crowd, saying, "The stories of courage, resilience, and solidarity we have heard today and throughout our lives cannot fail to move us, to inspire us, and to remind us of what we owe to that great wartime generation. It is our privilege to hear their testimony, but our duty is to ensure that we and future generations never forget their service and sacrifice."
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