King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Holocaust survivors and their relatives to Buckingham Palace today for a special reception marking Holocaust Memorial Day.
The annual commemoration falls on January 27th, coinciding with the date Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated.
This year's observance carries the theme Bridging Generations, encouraging younger people to absorb and pass on the lessons from this dark chapter of history.
The day serves as a reminder of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, along with millions of others who perished under Nazi persecution.
King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Holocaust survivors and their relatives to Buckingham Palace today for a special reception marking Holocaust Memorial Day.
|PA
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Representatives from organisations dedicated to preserving Holocaust memory also attended the palace gathering alongside the survivors and their families.
At the reception, the King accompanied survivors and their families as they viewed portraits depicting seven Holocaust survivors who have been recognised for their contributions to Holocaust education and awareness.
Charles commissioned these artworks during his time as Prince of Wales, and they are presently exhibited in Buckingham Palace's East Wing.
The royal couple also participated in a candle lighting ceremony, a symbolic gesture representing both remembrance and hope for what lies ahead.
At the reception, the King accompanied survivors and their families as they viewed portraits depicting seven Holocaust survivors who have been recognised for their contributions to Holocaust education and awareness.
|PA
Queen Camilla separately viewed a work titled Anne Frank: Resistance, an artistic portrayal of the famous diarist created by Peter Sacks for the Anne Frank Trust UK.
Following the portrait viewing, the King and Queen met with representatives from several charities they support that focus on Holocaust education for future generations.
Among those present were the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Anne Frank Trust UK, and the Holocaust Educational Trust.
The King serves as patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a charity established by the UK Government to promote and support the annual commemoration across Britain.
The King serves as patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a charity established by the UK Government to promote and support the annual commemoration across Britain.
|PA
The royal couple also participated in a candle lighting ceremony, a symbolic gesture representing both remembrance and hope for what lies ahead
|PA
| PA
Queen Camilla holds the patronage of the Anne Frank Trust UK, which uses the young diarist's story to help young people identify and challenge antisemitism and other forms of prejudice.
The Holocaust Educational Trust, founded in 1988, works to increase awareness and understanding of the Holocaust in schools and among the general public.
Holocaust Memorial Day has been observed in the UK since 2001, featuring a national commemorative ceremony alongside thousands of local activities that reach millions of people annually.
The Anne Frank Trust UK engages with young people between the ages of 9 and 15, equipping them with the confidence and skills to confront prejudice. During 2025, the charity connected with 132,000 young people through its programmes, including in-person workshops at 300 schools involving over 20,000 pupils, training for more than 5,000 peer educators, and mentoring for 237 Anne Frank Ambassadors.
The Holocaust Educational Trust's programmes reach in excess of 100,000 individuals each year, working to demonstrate the continued relevance of Holocaust history today.
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