Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles Join Donald and Melania Trump for D-Day Event
Donald Trump and Melania Trump are spending the final day of their state visit to the U.K. on Wednesday alongside Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prime Minster Theresa May, to attend the National Commemorative Event for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Portsmouth.
The royals and the Trumps were joined by 300 D-Day veterans to honor their fellow servicemen and those who have fallen in addition to Heads of State and Government representatives from the countries involved in the historical military operation.
The National Commemorative Event began by honoring one of the most historic days in history through a musical performance along, testimonial readings, military displays and a fly-past of 25 modern and historical aircraft.
The Queen later took to the stand and addressed the audience.
“When I attended the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, some thought it might be the last such event,” the monarch revealed in her speech. “But the wartime generation – my generation – is resilient, and I am delighted to be with you in Portsmouth today.”
The Queen continued on to quote her father, King George VI, who had said in wartime broadcast, “‘What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve…’ That is exactly what those brave men brought to the battle, as the fate of the world depended on their success.”
She concluded, “Many of them would never return, and the heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten. It is with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the entire country – indeed the whole free world – that I say to you all, thank you.”
President Trump also spoke at the event reading the words from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s prayer he gave over the radio during the Normandy landings.
The D-Day commemoration serves as the last event of Trump’s U.K. state visit. After the event, the Queen will bid farewell to the president and his wife in Portsmouth. The first couple will then travel to France to mark the D-Day anniversary in Normandy.
The Trumps arrived amid protests in London on Monday at the start of a four-day European tour, including their first state visit to the U.K. The trip marks President Trump’s first state visit to the U.K., though he made a working visit last summer.
The trip has been repeatedly delayed since Queen Elizabeth first invited him in 2017. He is a divisive figure in the U.K. and mocked London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, as a “loser” just as he was arriving on Monday. Large protests were seen during the trip, which has mixed the pomp of of a Buckingham Palace banquet and other ceremonial events with political meetings.
During his first outing with the 93-year-old monarch, Trump was joined by Prince Harry, along with other members of the royal family at the Queen’s private palace lunch. Harry was without wife, Meghan Markle, who is currently on maternity leave after giving birth to their son Archie on May 6. (However, fans hope to see Meghan in her first post-baby appearance this Saturday at the Trooping the Colour celebrations.)
Last week, The Sun published an Oval Office interview with the president in which he reacted with surprise at learning Meghan had criticized him during the 2016 campaign, labeling him “misogynistic.”
“I didn’t know that she was nasty,” Trump said of Meghan.
Trump soon disputed that he had made the remark at all, despite the interview being recorded. He also praised Meghan and wished her well following the birth of her son.
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Following the royal lunch, The president and his wife then made their way over to Clarence House where they joined Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, for tea.
That evening, Trump and Melania attended the Queen’s state banquet dinner at Buckingham Palace. Kate Middleton and Prince William were also in attendance at the evening affair. Both the monarch and the president made speeches at the dinner centered upon strengthening the bonds between the United States and United Kingdom.
