To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a Franco-American ceremony began at 1.15pm at the Colleville-sur-Mer American cemetery (Calvados) on Thursday 6 June, in the presence of Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron

The French President had the honour of awarding the Legion of Honour to 11 American veterans. For his part, Joe Biden stressed that ‘freedom is more powerful than tyranny’, paying tribute to the ‘heroes’ of D-Day. He also emphasised the unwavering unity of the Allies, saying that ‘we will not look away from Ukraine. If we do, Ukraine will fall under Russian rule, taking the whole of Europe with it.”

Charles pays tribute to the heroes of D-Day

At Ver-sur-Mer, King Charles III expressed his gratitude to the French civilians and Resistance fighters who sacrificed their lives during the D-Day landings. In French, he stressed the importance of their presence at the British Normandy Memorial during the 80th anniversary commemorations.

‘80 years ago, on D-Day, our nation and its allies faced a monumental challenge’, he added in English, saluting the unshakeable determination of the men and women who bravely faced the ‘supreme test’.

Tribute to the Resistance

In French, King Charles expressed his respect for the French civilian victims, highlighting the memorial as a poignant tribute to the major tragedy of the D-Day landings: the devastating number of French civilians who fell in the common struggle for freedom.

He went on to salute ‘the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of members of the French Resistance, as well as the vital contribution of French civilians who provided crucial intelligence, carried out sabotage and led decisive ambushes.’

In conclusion, the King shared in French: ‘The warm testimonies and gratitude towards the veterans of the D-Day Landings will remain engraved as the most moving and memorable moments of these commemorative ceremonies.’

An international ceremony will be held at Omaha Beach

The first three ceremonies, organised by each Allied nation, will introduce the main ceremony, which will take place in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer (Calvados). Starting at 3.30pm, around twenty foreign leaders will attend this major event. Around 4,500 people will be in attendance, including 200 veterans who will be paying tribute to the heroes of Operation Overlord.