Prince Albert II has proudly represented the Principality of Monaco at the 80-year commemorations of the historic D-Day landings in Normandy, which united more than 2,000 guests, including world leaders and WWII military veterans, at a moving ceremony on Omaha Beach.
On Thursday 6th June, the 80th anniversary of the Allied Forces’ landings on the beaches of Normandy, Prince Albert joined dozens of other heads of state and government leaders from around the world in commemorating the valiant efforts of the soldiers who fought together for freedom in 1944.
Operation Neptune, often referred to as D-Day, has gone down in history as the largest ever seaborne invasion. The success of the landings and the subsequent Battle of Normandy, also known as Operation Overlord, marked the start of the liberation of France and the Allied victory on the Western Front.
Nearly 160,000 troops landed on five beaches in Normandy on Tuesday 6th June 1944, some of whom are still alive today and were able to attend the 80th anniversary commemorations.
See more: Prince Albert II commemorates 80th anniversary of Normandy’s D-Day landings
In the morning, Prince Albert attended the official British ceremony in Ver-sur-Mer alongside King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William of the United Kingdom, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, 20 WWII British military veterans and family members of soldiers who lost their lives in the Normandy campaign.
In the afternoon, Prince Albert again represented the Principality of Monaco, this time at the international ceremony on Omaha Beach, one of the five famous landing sites. The event was presided over by Macron and was attended by dozens of heads of state and government leaders, including President of the United States of America Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In comments shared by representatives for the Palais Princier de Monaco following the ceremony, Prince Albert expressed his wish “for this anniversary to have a special significance this year… by highlighting the decisive contribution of the American army”.
Later this year, Monaco will commemorate the 80th anniversary of its own liberation following successive Italian and German occupations during WWII.
On Tuesday 3rd September, a military ceremony will be held at the monument dedicated to those who died during the global conflicts of the 20th century in the Monaco cemetery. Prince Albert is expected to make a speech in the presence of military delegations from Monaco, France and the USA.
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Photo credits: Michael Alési / Palais Princier de Monaco