Rishi Sunak and King Charles will suspend their election campaigning and recovery from cancer, respectively, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day on the south coast of England and in Normandy. The two-day event will feature ceremonies at the ports from where the allied troops departed and on the French beaches where they initiated the liberation of Europe in 1944.
The commemoration, scheduled to start at 11am on Wednesday at Southsea common in Portsmouth, will include a cultural tribute with Dame Helen Mirren narrating and the prime minister delivering a reading. Following events like a flypast by the Red Arrows, the focus will shift to Normandy where allied Armed Forces personnel will parachute into a D-day “drop zone” to honor the success of the airborne invasion.
With surviving veterans in their late 90s, the numbers attending are decreasing. Veterans will also participate in a Royal British Legion service at the National Memorial Arboretum and be part of various ceremonies in Normandy, including a joint UK-France service of thanksgiving at Bayeux Cathedral.
The commemorations will culminate on Thursday, with international events attended by dignitaries such as the US president and Ukraine’s president. Fourteen nations, including the UK and the US, will be recognized for their contributions to the Normandy landings that saw over 150,000 troops land on the beaches in 1944.