Yahoo News The D-Day poem and veteran speech that moved Queen Camilla to tears
King Charles also appeared to wipe a tear from his eye during the event which marked the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Watch: D-Day veteran's poignant speech moves Queen Camilla to tears
Queen Camilla was visibly moved to tears at D-Day commemorations after a heartfelt poem by a spoken word artist and a poignant speech delivered by a veteran.
King Charles had earlier paid tribute to the “courage, resilience, and solidarity” of veterans at the event in Portsmouth on Wednesday, which marked the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Charles and Camilla were joined by the Prince of Wales and Rishi Sunak, who also delivered speeches.
However, one of the most poignant moments came when Queen Camilla was brought to tears by poet Tomos Roberts and D-Day veteran Eric Bateman, with Charles also appearing to wipe a tear from his eye during the event.
Dame Helen Mirren introduced Roberts’ emotional poem titled The People Who Gave Us Today before Bateman took to the stage with his son-in-law, Keith, and his great-granddaughters Annabel and Imogen.
Royal Navy serviceman Bateman, who was stationed on warship HMS Erebus, paid tribute to those who lost their lives.
He said: "So many men and women including my dear friend Fred, who joined up with me, but unfortunately never made it."
Following the speech, the camera showed Camilla in tears as she clapped along with Charles and the rest of the guests.
Bateman's great-grandchildren Annabel and Imogen then delivered a speech in which they thanked their great-grandfather and all the veterans of D-Day and the Normandy landings.
Eric Bateman speech in full
“I served on HMS Erebus. If there’s anybody here that did so please get in touch with me.
"We were with an American fleet on the way to Utah beach where there were ships as far as you could see. You could almost walk across the channel.
“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, who joined up with me, but unfortunately never made it.
“I’m proud to be here today to honour them and to make sure they will always be remembered. Thank-you."
The King’s appearance at the event in Portsmouth was his first public speech and his most high-profile appearance since his cancer diagnosis.
Charles faced breezy conditions on stage as he spoke, with his speech notes blowing around in his hand.
He praised the “truly collective effort” of those on the Home Front during the Second World War and said Britain today was “eternally” indebted to those who served.
After the event, Charles met with 21 veterans – with one sharing a joke with him and revealing that he had served on the same ship as the King’s father, the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, a D-Day veteran leading an act of remembrance saluted fallen soldiers as the Last Post was played at an emotional ceremony in Normandy.
On Wednesday night, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery will light up in honour of those who fought on the beaches.
On Thursday – the 80th anniversary of D-Day – commemorations will begin in Normandy at 7.25am, the same time the beach invasion began in 1944.
The official British commemoration for the 80th anniversary of D-Day will take place at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, where the King will join French president Emmanuel Macron and Sunak.
Prince William will attend events in Normandy, including a service hosted by Canada at Juno Beach and an international ceremony hosted by France at Omaha Beach, which will be attended by more than 25 heads of state.
