Kate Middleton and Prince William marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by attending the Holocaust Memorial Service on Monday in London.
The two paid tribute to those who lost their lives by attending the ceremony at Guildhall, which brought together faith and civi leaders, as well as survivors of the Holocaust and other recent genocides.
Dressed in all black with a pearl necklace, Kate was joined by William, who wore a navy suit and blue tie for the occasion. The Princess of Wales stated that attending the event was a ‘great honor’ as she was able to meet with countless survivors and hear their personal stories.
The event allowed Kate to reunite with Steven Frank, an 89-year-old she met four years ago when she told him: “I want to give you a big cuddle.”
Back in 2020, Kate took a photo of Steven and his grandchildren as part of the ‘Generations: Portrat of Holocaust Survivors’ project that marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the genocide.
Kate was also warmly embraced by Yvonne Bernstein, 87, before sitting beside her and saying: “(It is) such treat for me (to see) an old friend.”
Busy day for Charles as well
While Kate and William were busy in London, King Charles became the first British head of state to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.
There he told survivors that it was “sombre and sacred” to be in Poland. He also spoke at a Jewish community centre in Krakow.
As for the events in London, which are held annually to remember the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust and the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution, William delivered a short speech in which he spoke of how honoured he was to be there.
“I am honoured to join you today to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and to remember the millions murdered during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides,” said William.
“We also remember those survivors who have lived with scars, both mental and physical.
“Their bravery, in sharing with us the most harrowing moments of their lives, are extremely powerful and ensure that we never forget. I assure them we never will.”
After that he read from the book ‘Holocaust Heroes’, which references the efforts made by his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, to help a Jewish family in need.