William says Kate would have loved to have been at D-Day events

King Charles reads diary entry from grandfather George VI on D-Day anniversary

The Prince of Wales said his wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales would have loved to have joined the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, as she continues to recover following her cancer diagnosis.

Footage showed William speaking to a veteran following the major event in Portsmouth, when he appeared to say “she is” when asked whether Kate was “getting any better”.

The prince added: “She’d love to be here today.”

The King and Queen both appeared to have tears in their eyes as they paid tribute to veterans at the memorial event.

Charles told the crowd “we are eternally in debt” to veterans.

“It is a near-impossible task to imagine the emotion of that day,” he said, adding: “It is our duty to ensure that we and future generations do not forget their service and their sacrifice in replacing tyranny with freedom.”

The King’s appearance was his first public speech and his most high-profile appearance since his cancer diagnosis.

Prince William also emphasised the importance of remembering “those who served and those who waved them off”.

1717657541

In pictures: A military piper comes into shore in Normandy

Maryam Zakir-Hussain6 June 2024 08:05

1717657340

In pictures: A military piper comes into shore in Normandy

Maryam Zakir-Hussain6 June 2024 08:02

1717655862

Military piper begins commemorations in Normandy on 80th anniversary of D-Day

A military piper has begun commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy by playing a lament at sea at the exact moment of the beach invasion in 1944.

Royals and world leaders are set to gather with veterans in the northern French region to mark the occasion on Thursday.

At Gold Beach in Arromanches, Major Trevor Macey-Lillie paid tribute to fallen veterans, who led the biggest seaborne invasion in military history, by playing Highland Laddie as he came ashore.

The piece was also to remember a lone piper who played in the Normandy landings and was never shot at.

Major Macey-Lillie began in a landing craft utility before being driven up the beach in a DUKW amphibious vehicle.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was spotted coming down to Gold Beach ahead of the tribute.

Also on Thursday, the King and Queen will pay tribute to fallen soldiers at the UK’s national commemoration event at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-sur-Mer, along with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain6 June 2024 07:37

1717653600

Prince Andrew refuses to budge in battle with King over royal residence

Jane Dalton6 June 2024 07:00

1717650000

Kate to miss royal engagement but Charles will be at Trooping the Colour

Jane Dalton6 June 2024 06:00

1717646460

Watch: King reads diary entry from grandfather George VI

Watch: King Charles reads diary entry from grandfather George VI on D-Day anniversary

King Charles III shared a D-Day diary entry from King George VI as he met with veterans ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. As he sat down at Buckingham Palace, the King also shared a photograph of his grandfather, who reigned from 1936 to 1952 and was on the throne during the Second World War. “The news was given out at 8am that the invasion of the continent of Europe had started last night, the airborne troops had made successful landings in the night and had captured their objectives,” George VI’s diary entry, written in 1944, read.

Jane Dalton6 June 2024 05:01

1717642740

Queen and Sunak’s wife in the pink

Queen Camilla meets Normandy veteran Lew Trewin (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Jane Dalton6 June 2024 03:59

1717639200

Parachutists land at Normandy

More than 300 British, Belgian and US parachutists landed in fields near Sannerville, which was designated drop zone K on 6 June 1944.

Among the 250 British soldiers was Lance Corporal Addy Carter, the first female to pass the Parachute Regiment’s P Company course.

Also jumping was Lieutenant Max Phillips, whose great-great-uncle Major William Tighe-Woods landed on Sword Beach on D-Day.

Jane Dalton6 June 2024 03:00

1717635660

Poet says performing was emotional

A poet said it was “very emotional” to perform his piece in front of D-Day veterans at the commemorations.

Tomos Roberts, a 30-year-old spoken word poet, recited his specially written piece The People Who Gave Us Today on stage at the event in Portsmouth, in front of hundreds of spectators including the King, Queen, Prince of Wales and Rishi Sunak.

But Mr Roberts – who has amassed more than 130,000 followers on Instagram and 50,000 YouTube subscribers – said it was the dozens of D-Day veterans who were present that he was most eager to please.

He said: “The main people that I was feeling very emotional about performing in front of are actually the veterans that were in attendance today.

“I feel, you know, this could be the last anniversary of D-Day where we have people who were there in attendance and that really hit home when I was writing the poem.”