King Charles issues moving message to mark Holocaust Memorial Day
King Charles and Queen Camilla met Holocaust survivors and their families at Buckingham Palace
King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted Holocaust survivors and their families at a moving reception at Buckingham Palace to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Tuesday.
Held on the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the reception remembered the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, alongside millions more persecuted under Nazi rule.
The king, who is patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, led the tribute, announcing that those who are gone are “with us in spirit”.
King Charles and Queen Camilla host Holocaust survivors at palace
The king began the reception in the East Wing of Buckingham Palace, where he joined guests in viewing portraits of seven Holocaust survivors.
The artworks were commissioned by Charles in 2022 while he was still Prince of Wales. They celebrate individuals who have dedicated their lives to Holocaust education and awareness.
Among the survivors honoured was Helen Aronson, 98, one of just 750 people liberated from the Lodz Ghetto in Poland out of the 250,000 sent there.
Sitting in her wheelchair before her portrait by artist Paul Benney, Ms Aronson reached for the king’s hand and asked how he was.
“All the better for seeing you,” he replied warmly, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
Also present were Rachel Levy, 95, a survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen, and Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, who also survived both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen.
Ms Lasker-Wallfisch, now 100, sat beside her portrait by Peter Kuhfeld, who also painted the king’s coronation portrait.
“You were so wonderful to come and see me,” she told Charles, referencing his personal visit to her home in north London last summer.
“It was a bit of a business,” he joked.
Charles and Camilla mark Holocaust Memorial Day
Outside the Centre Room, the king and queen participated in a candle lighting ceremony.
Camilla’s lit taper slipped from her hand onto the palace carpet. Briefly flustered, she laughed, while Charles remained composed.
They were joined by representatives from organisations committed to educating future generations. These organisations included the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Anne Frank Trust UK, and the Holocaust Educational Trust.
The theme for this year is “Bridging Generations”. It aims to empower younger people to “listen, learn, and carry forward” the lessons of the Holocaust.
The king also met the relatives of survivors who have passed away. He chatted with Shary and Rafi Goldberg, the widow and son of Stuffhof survivor Manfred Goldberg. Manfred died last year and was a powerful voice for Holocaust remembrance.
The event also highlighted the work of organisations preserving this legacy. The Anne Frank Trust UK, which Queen Camilla supports as patron, reached more than 132,000 young people last year through workshops and ambassador programmes.
The Holocaust Educational Trust, founded in 1988, now educates over 100,000 people annually.
Last year, Charles became the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz, marking the 80th anniversary of its liberation.
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