This 80th anniversary has been covered extensively. Thousands of brave men stormed Normandy’s beaches and started the process of wiping out the Third Reich. It was one of the most significant days in modern times.
As my British friend might say, we Americans were not surprised that our president delivered a speech which was a dog’s dinner. It was also not surprising that cynical American political figures tried to use this day for their political gain, with some making statements that would embarrass Narcissus.
But there was one bright spot. King Charles III addressed the crowd at the British event in Ver-sur-Mer on Thursday morning, where British heroes were recognized. His presentation, demeanor, and message couldn’t have been more different than the American President’s.
The King spoke to an emotional crowd on Thursday morning at Ver-sur-Mer in France. He expressed his “profound gratitude” for those who served during the Second World War.
The King was seen wiping his eyes with tissues while paying tribute to “the remarkable wartime generation.” A memorial contained the names of 22,442 British servicemen and women who died on D-Day.
He said, “How fortunate were we, and the free world as a whole, that a new generation of men, women, and children in the United Kingdom, and other Allied countries, did not flinch at the test.”
The King spoke with equal emphasis, only mentioning the events that took place 80 years ago, and giving credit to the men who landed. The King did not show the self-absorption one often sees among elected officials. He also didn’t try to do a lateral arabesque to divert attention from the current topic to discuss something else to gain political advantage, as Joe Biden did when he suddenly and inexplicably switched topics to talk about Russia.
The King continues:
Our armed forces performed their duties with an humbling resolve and determination that was so characteristic of this remarkable wartime group.
Many of them died on D-Day or in the battles that followed.
Americans are not interested in hereditary nobility. Our ancestors waged a bloody war to rid our country of this kind of thinking. We have no interest in kings, dukes, earls or any other nobles. Our British cousins are happy to keep their Royals and it’s their decision.
There’s still no reason to ignore the dignity and presence that King Charles displayed on this day. He then spoke to the last few old veterans of the British Army, who were present on this day 80 years earlier.
Americans do not want to have their own kings and neither should we. We don’t give people special consideration because they are born into certain families. On June 6, 2024, King Charles III demonstrated one thing very clearly: He showed more class, dignity and respect for the men in Operation Overlord during this short speech than Joe Biden did in his lifetime.
