In a deeply moving ceremony at Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla paid heartfelt tribute to Holocaust survivors, emphasising that those who have passed remain "with us in spirit." The royal couple hosted a special reception to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, an annual event held on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland.
A Gathering of Resilience and Remembrance
The event brought together Holocaust survivors, their families, and representatives from organisations dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust. Guests first joined King Charles in the East Wing of the palace, where they viewed a collection of portraits of survivors. These portraits were commissioned by Charles in 2022 when he was still the Prince of Wales, showcasing his longstanding commitment to Holocaust education and remembrance.
Personal Encounters with History
Among the survivors greeted by the King was Helen Aronson, 98, who survived the Lodz ghetto in Poland. In a tender moment, Charles bent down to kiss Helen in her wheelchair, positioned in front of her portrait painted by Paul Benney, the artist behind the Queen's Coronation portrait. Helen, grasping the King's hand, inquired about his wellbeing, to which he warmly replied, "All the better for seeing you." She expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for the invitation, keep well."
Charles also met Rachel Levy, 95, a survivor of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, another survivor of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Anita, a celebrated cellist who survived by playing in the camp's orchestra, recalled the King's visit to her north London home last July for her 100th birthday. "You were so wonderful to come and see me," she told him, seated in a wheelchair before her portrait by Peter Kuhfeld, who painted Charles's coronation portrait. The King laughed, mentioning, "It was a bit of a business," and noted the artist's work. Anita reminisced about Charles's passion for the cello in his youth, prompting him to confirm, "I did – and I've added a lot of orchestras since."
Bridging Generations
The reception highlighted this year's Holocaust Memorial Day theme, "Bridging Generations," which encourages younger people to listen, learn, and carry forward the lessons from the Holocaust. In a sweet interlude, Charles was introduced to two-year-old Zigi Harrod, the great-grandson of the late Zigi Shipper, a survivor of the Stutthof camp and close friend of Manfred Goldberg, who passed away last year. As Charles approached, Zigi called out, "Where's the King?" and presented him with his toy monkey, Fergus. Standing in front of Zigi's portrait, Lorraine Lawrence, Zigi Shipper's daughter, reflected on the absent survivors, saying, "We feel like they should all be with us today." Charles responded solemnly, "They are in spirit."
A Candlelit Act of Remembrance
King Charles and Queen Camilla then moved to the palace's Centre Room to light two candles in a symbolic act of remembrance. As Rachel Levy handed them lit tapers, Camilla accidentally dropped hers on the carpet, leading to a brief moment of light-hearted giggles, while Charles maintained a composed demeanour. The couple was joined by other guests, including representatives from patronages such as the Holocaust Memorial Trust, young ambassadors from the Anne Frank Trust UK, and the Holocaust Educational Trust, all working to educate future generations.
Continuing the Legacy
Chatting with Arek Hersh, a 97-year-old Auschwitz survivor who campaigns for the Holocaust Educational Trust, Queen Camilla, who had met him before, joked, "You never get any older!" Charles also spoke with Max Snijders, a Holocaust survivor who travelled from his care home in Amsterdam for the reception, assuring him, "I hope we looked after you."
This event underscores King Charles's dedication to Holocaust remembrance, following his historic visit last year to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he became the first British monarch to tour the camp, marking 80 years since its liberation. Holocaust Memorial Day serves as a solemn reminder of the six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazis, along with the millions of others who perished under Nazi persecution, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
