Prince William and European Royals to Commemorate D-Day Anniversary in France

Prince William will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day in France on June 6. Attending ceremonies at Omaha Beach and the Juno Beach Centre, he will be joined by several European royals, including King Frederik of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands, as well as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. The event at Omaha Beach will also see the presence of 25 heads of state and veterans from around the world.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will participate in a separate event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer earlier that day.

This visit marks Prince William’s first foreign engagement since his wife’s diagnosis with cancer earlier this year. He provided a positive update on her condition during a hospital visit to the Isles of Scilly on May 10. The D-Day commemoration will go ahead despite the cancellation of other engagements due to the forthcoming general election in July.

The visit also marks King Charles’s first foreign trip following his own cancer diagnosis in February. Recent comments from royal insider Robert Hardman at the Hay Festival highlighted ongoing tensions within the royal family, particularly concerning Prince Harry’s memoir, and suggested steps to mend family relations. The King is expected to attend Trooping the Colour on June 15.

These events underscore significant moments for the royal family amidst personal and political changes.