King Charles III and Prince William both took the stage to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth, England.
Charles, 75, was joined by wife Queen Camilla on Wednesday, June 5, while leading the event. He paid tribute to veterans during a brief speech to the crowd gathered at the memorial event.
“It is a near impossible task to imagine the emotion of that day,” Charles said, referencing the allied soldiers who landed on Normandy coast in 1944 during World War II. “We are all eternally in their debt.”
The king’s appearance is a huge deal as he has been keeping public events to a minimum while continuing to undergo cancer treatment. It was also announced late last month that the entire royal family would “postpone engagements” as part of protocol in preparation for the U.K.’s forthcoming General Election.
Charles was joined by his wife during Wednesday’s event but William, 41, took the stage solo as Princess Kate Middleton continues to stay out of the public eye amid her ongoing cancer treatments.
“We will always remember those who served and those who waved them off,” William told the crowd, noting that he was “deeply honored” to be giving a speech at the event.
Keep scrolling to see photos of the royal family at the 80th D-Day anniversary:
