King Charles wipes away tears as he becomes first British monarch to visit Auschwitz
The king was in Poland yesterdayKing Charles was seen getting emotional during a historic royal visit to Auschwitz yesterday (Monday, January 27).
The monarch, 76, was in Poland to commemorate 80 years since the liberation of the concentration camp at the end of World War II.
King Charles makes historic visit to Auschwitz
Yesterday, King Charles became the first British monarch ever to visit Auschwitz in Poland.
During the war, it’s estimated that 1.3 million Jewish people were sent to Auschwitz. Of that 1.3 million, 1.1 million were murdered.
On January 27, 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet Red Army. Since 2005, January 27 has been commemorated as Holocaust Remembrance Day. The day remembers the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust.
Yesterday saw the king visit Auschwitz alongside other foreign dignitaries, including King Frederik of Denmark and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
During the ceremony, survivors of the Holocaust shared their testimonies. At one point, the king was seen wiping away a tear as he listened to their harrowing stories.
During the visit, the king also walked through the gates of the camp and viewed personal items confiscated by the Nazis.
He also laid a wreath at a reconstruction of the Death Wall – a site where thousands of people were executed.
King Charles gives speech on Holocaust Memorial Day
Earlier in the day, the king has visited the Jewish Community Centre in Krakow. There, he met the JCC’s CEO, Jonathan Ornstein.
The monarch also gave a speech at the JCC.
“To be in Poland on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, as we commemorate eighty years since the liberation of Auschwitz, is both a sombre and indeed a sacred moment,” he said.
“It is a moment when we recall the six million Jews, old and young, who were systematically murdered, together with Sinti, Roma, disabled people, members of the LGBT community, political prisoners, and so many others upon whom the Nazis inflicted their violence and hatred,” he then continued.
Royals pay tribute on Holocaust Memorial Day
The king’s speech continued.
He said: “It is a moment when we recall the depths to which humanity can sink when evil is allowed to flourish, ignored for too long by the world.
“And it is a moment when we recall the powerful testimonies of Survivors such as Lily Ebert, who so sadly passed away in October, and who collectively taught us to cherish our freedom, to challenge prejudice and never to be a bystander in the face of violence and hate.”
Meanwhile, in London, Princess Kate and Prince William attended a ceremony commemorating the historic day at the Guildhall.
There, they met survivors of the Holocaust and lit candles in remembrance.
Prince William also gave a speech at the ceremony. In his speech, he spoke about how his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, protected some Jewish people from the Nazis whilst she was living in Athens.
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