King Charles III is setting out on his first international visit since his cancer diagnosis, traveling to France on Wednesday, June 5 to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The king has scheduled a two days of public engagements, starting in Portsmouth, England on June 5 and continuing in Normandy, France on June 6. He will be accompanied by Queen Camilla and Prince William, and will meet with 23 surviving veterans of the legendary World War II battle.
According to a report by the BBC, the royal family will travel to Southsea Common in Portsmouth on Wednesday, June 5, commemorating the Allied Forces’ landing in northern France when it was occupied by the Nazis. At the same time, the king’s sister Princess Anne will unveil a new statue in Normandy, marking the Canadian contribution to the Allies’ efforts on D-Day. She will then attend a remembrance service in Bayeux Cathedral. Finally, on Thursday, June 6 – the anniversary of D-Day – the king and queen will cross the English Channel for another commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.
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The event in France will include stories from D-Day veterans, as well as music and a tribute by the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – two British Royal Air Force organizations that put on displays for public events. Meanwhile, Prince William will attend a ceremony at Omaha Beach with 25 other heads of state from around the world.
King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in January, but details on the nature of his illness and his treatment have not been revealed publicly. He has been receiving outpatient treatment which has not included chemotherapy. At first, the king canceled or postponed all public engagements during his treatments, but continued to work through his treatment. However, at the end of April he resumed his public public-facing duties at a slower rate. He has visited hospitals and charity organizations, but this will be his first time leaving the country in months.
The king’s schedule has some other huge events coming up, including a state visit from the Emperor and Empress of Japan at Buckingham Palace at the end of June. However, palace officials have said that all of his engagements come with a caveat that they may be postponed, canceled or adjusted if needed. So far, the king has kept up with all of his plans without scaling back.
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