About a month ago, the Times did a lengthy report about Buckingham Palace looking through the calendar and trying to figure out which events to cancel for King Charles. They obviously canceled Charles’s appearances for Commonwealth Day and Maundy Thursday, but Charles did attend Easter Sunday and even did a short walkabout among well-wishers. Currently, BP is now saying that they’re making tentative plans for Charles to possibly return to a semi-public schedule by June. But there are concerns that Charles’s doctors will advise him not to travel, which is why courtiers have been eyeing the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemoration events with a lot of angst. A month ago, the courtiers soft-launched the idea that Charles would not be able to travel to Normandy in June. They also made it sound like Camilla would step in… and Prince William would not.
Well, now we’ve got some conflicting reports. The Telegraph reports that the Windsors plan to “reassemble for a full show of support for Britain’s veterans at the 80th anniversary of D-Day.” Charles and William “will honour the sacrifices of the Second World War generation on the June 6 anniversary, with plans for senior members of the family to travel to Normandy.” Charles’s diary is focused solely on trying to be out for D-Day and Trooping the Colour, but the Telegraph stops short of saying that Charles will move heaven and earth to go to Normandy. The Telegraph is also being pretty squirrelly with William’s schedule, noting only that William “also plans to take part in events to honour D-Day veterans, with the recognition of their service said to be ‘very important’ to him.” At no point has anyone said that William would step in for his father in Normandy though. Which is probably why the Mail ran this as an exclusive:
Queen Camilla may step in for King Charles at the D-Day 80th anniversary ceremony in France if he is too ill to attend, the Mail on Sunday can reveal. Aides have not yet ruled out the possibility that the King, who has cancer, may be well enough to travel to Normandy on June 6. But preparations are being made for the Queen to go in his place.
It would see the Queen front and centre with US President Joe Biden, Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron, who are likely to attend the official international ceremony on Omaha Beach in Normandy, which was targeted by Allied forces in the invasion of Nazi-occupied France.
The King is understood to be keen to attend the D-Day 80th anniversary, which will be one of the last with living veterans, but he may have to concede he is not well enough to make the trip.
And his doctors may advise against it.
The occasion is also of personal significance to Camilla, whose father, the late Major Bruce Shand was a decorated war hero who served in the Second World War.
Prince William, who holds several forces roles and completed seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service, will likely also participate in the commemorations, but no specific plans have been confirmed.
The Queen has stood in for several events since the King revealed his cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Sources said the monarch was ‘very proud of her’ and believes she has been doing ‘a wonderful job’.
Again, “Prince William…will likely also participate in the commemorations, but no specific plans have been confirmed” means that William refuses to say that he will step in for his father in Normandy if Charles isn’t ready to travel in June. Again, when Charles was the Prince of Wales, these were always the kinds of events he was sent to, to represent his mother and the crown. They can’t even get William to commit to something two months away because he’s so skittish about traveling or doing much of anything. So, just FYI – Camilla will be glad-handing world leaders in Normandy this year.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.