UPDATE - UK, France commemorate 80th anniversary of D-Day landings

UPDATE WITH REMARKS FROM PRENS WILLIAM AND PREMIER RISHI SUNAK

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - A series of events are taking place on Wednesday in the UK and France to mark the 80th anniversary of the historic Normandy landings, a watershed moment in World War II.

Dignitaries, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, gathered in England’s south coastal city of Portsmouth on Wednesday to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who participated in the largest military operation ever attempted.

US President Joe Biden also attended commemorations in France, ahead of a ceremony honoring the Allied troops who landed on the beaches of German-occupied France on June 6, 1944.

During his address, King Charles emphasized the significance of the D-Day operations.

"Today's event is to honor the nearly 160,000 troops who embarked in Portsmouth to strike a blow for freedom," he said.

He highlighted the indelible impact of that day on those present, noting: "Those who gathered here in Portsmouth would never forget the sight; all knew both victory and failure were possible, and none could know their fate."

Reflecting on the emotions of the soldiers, King Charles remarked: "Eight decades later, it's near impossible to imagine the emotion of that day. The pride of being part of such a great enterprise, the anxiety of, in some way, not coming up to scratch, and the fear of that day being the last."

King Charles also underscored the diverse makeup of the forces involved in the campaign, saying: "Let us never forget that the soldiers who fought in the campaign launched from this place came from 30 nations, from across the UK, the Commonwealth, and Allied countries."

He highlighted the significant contributions of Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu soldiers, noting: "Their involvement is a reminder that events that year shaped our world then and the society we share today."

Prince William also paid tribute to the soldiers who got involved in D-Day’s "fight against tyranny."

Speaking on Southsea Common, he remembered those who did not come back, quoting a line from Rupert Brooke’s poem The Solider: "There is some corner of a foreign field…"

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took the stage in Portsmouth to read out a personal message from Gen. Bernard Montgomery, commander of the Allied forces on D-Day, which was read to all troops on the eve of the landings.

"The time has come to deal the enemy a terrific blow in western Europe," it began.

"I want every soldier to know that I have complete confidence in the successful outcome of the operations that we are now about to begin. With stout hearts, and with enthusiasm for the contest, let us go forward to victory. Good luck to each one of you, and good hunting on the mainland of Europe," Montgomery's message concluded.

The Normandy landings, also known as D-Day, saw troops from the UK, US, Canada, and France unite in a coordinated assault on German forces. This operation marked a turning point in World War II and paved the way for the liberation of occupied Europe.