European royals mark 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

© Casa de SM el Rey




Royals from across Europe gathered at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation from the Nazis.

The sombre ceremony took place in front of ‘The Gate of Death’ (the railway that led into the camp) and included remarks by survivors.

© Casa de SM el Rey

Many royals, including King Charles, were seen wiping away tears while listening to the survivors recount their time in the camp and the conditions they faced. They also heard music composed by four Auschwitz prisoners. Sadly, only one survived the camp.

During the ceremony, approximately 50 survivors joined royals and politicians in lighting candles in memory of all the victims.

King Charles attended for the United Kingdom, while Crown Prince Haakon represented Norway. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden attended alongside King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, and Princess Amalia participated from the Netherlands. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde represented Belgium, and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie represented Luxembourg.

Since a 2005 UN Resolution, 27 January has been Holocaust Memorial Day.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign up to receive awesome content in your inbox every month.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.



About the Author

Brittani Barger
Brittani is from the United States and has been researching, writing and reporting on the royals for over a decade. Successfully gaining exclusives and interviews with royals across the globe, Brittani left her role as an editor for another news site to help bring you Royal News. She's been seen on BBC World, WION News and other news programs to discuss the royal families.

Be the first to comment on "European royals mark 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*