Prince Albert II in Normandy to celebrate 80th anniversary of D-Day
The Sovereign stayed in Normandy for two days for the official celebrations to mark 80 years of D-Day © Michael Alési / Prince’s Palace
The official ceremony was to take place today, June 6, at Omaha Beach, with over twenty heads of state attending.
Prince Albert II travelled to Normandy, arriving yesterday, June 5, to take part in the official commemorations of the lD-day landings and to pay tribute to the veterans.
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The Prince began his Normandy trip on Wednesday by going back in time. At the Caen Memorial, the Sovereign visited the exhibition entitled ‘L’aube du siècle américain 1919-1944’, or ‘The dawn of the American century’, which traces the profound changes in American society between the two world wars. Then, the Prince had the privilege of flying over the beaches where the Normandy landings took place, aboard a Piper Cub, an emblematic aircraft of the 1930s,.
The afternoon also included a visit to MoHo, a “third place” located in Caen where a community of students, start-ups, business leaders, employees, researchers, scientists, and artists meet up to collectively reflect on the issues facing the modern world.
Then the Sovereign went to Sainte-Mère-Eglise, one of the first villages to be liberated. The Prince followed the parade of American veterans before talking to them at the Airborne Museum.
Afterwards the Sovereign discovered Camp Geronimo, a reconstruction of a World War II military camp, where the Prince was able to enjoy a concert by American cellist Michael Fitzpatrick in the town church..
And the trip ends today with the official British and international celebrations commemorating June 6, 1944 at Omaha Beach, with over twenty other heads of state.