King Charles III made a touching tribute to war heroes across the Commonwealth in the lead up to the 80th anniversary of VE Day in May – but the King warned of ‘uncertain times’
‘We can expand opportunities across this family of nations to build shared prosperity and truly resilient economies,’ the King said
The King has paid tribute to war heroes across the Commonwealth as the Royal Family celebrates the family of nations.
Charles will on Monday be joined by Queen Camilla, and the Prince and and Princess of Wales, for the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. In the lead up to the 80th anniversary of VE Day in May, the King used his annual message to honour the “untold sacrifice and selflessness” of more than 1.5million men and women who served alongside the allies to defeat Nazi tyranny during the Second World War.
Charles said it was a source of immense pride that the group of nations, established in 1949 and which now proudly stands at 56 member states, “has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today”. In his written address, the monarch also reflected on his historic trip to Samoa last October, where he addressed world leaders for the first time as Head of the Commonwealth and appealed to them to come together for a common purpose.
The King has paid tribute to war heroes in the Commonwealth(Image: Getty Images)
At the gathering marking the 75th anniversary, he said: “Together, we can expand opportunities across this family of nations to build shared prosperity and truly resilient economies.” Charles also spoke of the need to address human rights as well as urgently addressing the climate crisis being felt around the world, especially in countries such as the island host nation.
In his message he reiterated the need for “collaboration for peace” as well as a collective recognition for the state of the planet. Amid wars raging in the Middle East and in Europe, Charles took a moment to recognise “uncertain times” across the world.
The King, 76, last week met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Sandringham house in Norfolk after the wartime leader suffered a bruising encounter with US president Donald Trump at the White House as the pair engaged in a heated exchange. Royal sources revealed it was the Ukrainian president who asked to meet the monarch, often seen as a global peacemaker, during a whistlestop visit to London as the UK and European nations attempted to thrash out a route to peace for the eastern European nation that was invaded by Russia three years ago.
The King and President Zelensky earlier this month
In his message, Charles will say: “In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship. The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today.”
This year’s Commonwealth Day theme is Together We Thrive, which celebrates the “enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family”. Charles normally gives an annual address each year to the family of 56 nations, but last year pre-recorded a video message after postponing his public-facing duties for around three months.
Charles writes in his message: “Last October, leaders from across the Commonwealth came together in Samoa to reaffirm their “belief in the value of the Commonwealth as a trusted forum where diverse voices of our member states, the large and the small, the young and the old, come together as one family. This year, the world reflects on the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War 2. More than one-and-a-half million men and women who served during the War came from across the Commonwealth to support the United Kingdom and its allies.
“On this special anniversary, we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our Family of Nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict. The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today. Leaders recently reiterated the importance of collaboration for peace and human rights, as well as for the restoration of Nature both on land and in the oceans.”
During the service, singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading will perform an arrangement of her well-known hit Love And Affection for the 2,000-strong congregation. The King will also launch the inaugural King’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace, officially starting the countdown to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
It marks the 18th official Commonwealth Games relay, and Charles’s first as King. He will place a message inside the baton, which will be sealed and kept closed until the opening ceremony next summer, when the King’s words will be read out to signal the start of the sporting competition. Royal sources said the King wished to use the collective occasion to “give a sense of hope in an often uncertain world”.
In his message, Charles concluded: “As we mark this Commonwealth Day together, there is no more important task than to restore the disrupted harmony of our entire planet. “For the sake of our younger generations’ threatened future, I can only hope that the Commonwealth will continue its vital work to restore that harmony.”
