Published 18:14 IST, January 28th 2020
Prince William, Kate Middleton join Auschwitz survivors on Holocaust Memorial Day
Duke and Duchess join Holocaust survivors in central London to mark the 75 years and pay their tribute to millions who lost their lives during Holocaust.
Kate Middleton and Prince William reportedly joined Holocaust survivors in central London to mark the 75 years and pay their tribute to millions who lost their lives during the Holocaust. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony on January 27. The royal couple walked through the rain to Westminster's Central Hall and honoured the victims and survivors of the Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
According to international media reports, as the couple arrived, they were greeted by Olivia Marks, the Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, and Sir Ben Helfgot, honorary president and a prominent Holocaust survivor. The Duke and Duchess also lit candles in honour of those who were killed in the Holocaust during the ceremony. At the ceremony, Prince William also read an extract from a letter written by a friend of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice, which talked about her efforts to save Jews in Athens.
At the ceremony, the royal couple also helped survivors to light six candles on stage, which was later used to light 75 candles to mark the anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also addressed the service and reportedly said they felt a 'deep sense of shame' that anti-Semitism continues today. He further vowed to do everything in his power to stamp out the racism.
Holocaust Memorial Day
The couple further took to Instagram to share moments from the day. They posted several pictures in which Kate Middleton can also be seen lighting up a candle. The caption from the post also revealed that the couple after the ceremony also spoke to Holocaust survivors and survivors of genocides which have happened since.
The caption read, “Throughout the Holocaust, many people risked their lives to help others. During the ceremony, The Duke read an extract from a letter written about his great-grandmother, Princess Alice, which described how she helped hide her Jewish friends, the Cohens, in her home”.
Updated 18:14 IST, January 28th 2020