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D-Day Remembrances

Today’s 70th Anniversary of D-Day was filled with a variety of events commemorating the Allied invasion at Normandy.

British Embassy in Paris

British Embassy in Paris

The Royal British Legion Service of Remembrance was at the Bayeux Cathedral. In attendance, the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, and Duchess of Cornwall, along with other dignitaries, and veterans.

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The Royal Navy

Her Majesty lays a wreath at the British Military Cemetery in Bayeux.

Her Majesty's Armed Forces

Corporal Jamie Peters RLC, Crown copyright

The message: “In memory of the glorious dead.”

The Royal British Legion Twitter Feed

The Royal British Legion Twitter Feed

Prince Charles meeting with veterans.

British Embassy in Paris Facebook

British Embassy in Paris Facebook

Secretary of State Kerry.

John Kerry Twitter Feed

John Kerry Twitter Feed

President Obama with French President Francois Hollande.

USA in France Twitter Feed

USA in France Twitter Feed

Today’s sunshine and breezes were a far cry from what troops faced 70 years ago.

Polaris Images

Polaris Images

Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower wrote a message to the troops taking part in the invasion:

You are about to embark upon the Greatest Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you”

Conseil RÈgional de Basse-Normandie / National Archives USA/Polaris

Conseil Regional de Basse-Normandie / National Archives USA/Polaris

For many today, enormous pride.

Royal British Legion

The most distinctive part of the day’s many ceremonies: the faces that have seen so much.

Cpl Richard Cave; Crown copyright

Cpl Richard Cave/Crown copyright

Memories etched deeply.

Jonathan Alpeyrie/Polaris Images

Jonathan Alpetrie/Polaris Images

70 years ago Marcella Le Beau was a nurse in Normandy.

Joseph Bamat Twitter Feed

Joseph Bamat Twitter Feed

William Lang was the only survivor from his plane.

British Army

British Army

From a British Army story:

He was the eleventh and last man to jump out of a Stirling aircraft that had been hit by anti-aircraft fire. The other nine paratroopers and six crew on-board were killed, with the aircraft’s wreckage and their bodies never recovered. Mr Lang, 91 from Southport, said: “If I didn’t attend these commemorations I would feel I was letting down my friends who died in Normandy.”

This is Sgt. Steve Garrard, a glider pilot on D-Day. The Sergeant was taken prisoner by Germans.

Sgt Steve Garrard glider pilot taken prisoner by germany

UK Armed Forces

More from HM Armed Forces:

Tomorrow he will turn 92 and this is the first time he has been back to Normandy for the DDay70 anniversary. Steve spent the end of the war in a prisoner of war camp in Poland and was one of those who were marched by the Germans back into Germany when the Russians were advancing. When asked how he made it and he tapped his head and said ‘up here, I suppose’.

Ted Cordery was a Torpedoman serving aboard the HMS Belfast.

Royal British Navy

Royal British Navy

From the Royal Navy:

“I was swinging stretchers – more like pallets – on board from smaller boats with the first casualties from the beaches, as we had a large sick bay,” said Ted, aged 91. “I have never seen such injuries. Limbs missing, faces blown off – most of them had no chance of surviving.”

Peter Thompson spent his 19th birthday on Sword Beach.

Royal Navy

Royal Navy

A time of reflection.

Her Majesty's Armed Forces

Her Majesty’s Armed Forces

 

Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion

 

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/Polaris

President Obama: “Whenever the world makes you cynical…  stop and think of these men.”

The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion

Thousands of miniature flags from the Royal British Legion offered a place on the back for messages.

The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion

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There were ceremonies scheduled throughout the day at all of the five landing beaches. Prince William and the Duchess took part in events at Gold Beach.

Emily Andrews/The Sun (@byEmilyAndrews)

Emily Andrews/The Sun (@byEmilyAndrews)

CNN’s coverage:

Further along the French coast in Arromanches, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, attended a tea party for veterans, and each royal spoke separately with the silver-haired and beret-attired honorees.

From The Mirror‘s live blog:

At the veterans’ tea party, the Duchess of Cambridge was given a cheeky kiss by an 88-year-old former desert rat.

When Catherine sat down to talk to Arthur Jones in Arromanches, he asked her: “Is it OK to kiss a Princess?”

Laughing, she replied: “Of course it is.”

Jamie Wiseman/NPA Rota/Nunn Syndication/Polaris

Jamie Wiseman/NPA Rota/Nunn Syndication/Polaris

From Prince William’s speech, via The Mirror:

They gave up everything for our freedom. They lie now together in the beautifully kept cemeteries that lie on the coast.

It is essential too that we never forget the friends and companions of those veterans who gave everything on June 6 and during the days and months that followed.

Following his remarks the Prince placed a wreath on a memorial.

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/Polaris

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/Polaris

This service featured some enthusiastic singing, as veterans locked arms and sang along.

Stephen Lock / i-Images / Polaris

Stephen Lock / i-Images / Polaris

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We move now to that which feels trivial in light of the day’s events, a look at sartorial selections.

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/Polaris

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/Polaris

The Queen was resplendent in a Stewart Parvin coat and Rachel Trevor Morgan hat.  If reports are to be believed, that hat posed a minor dilemma for the Queen’s hosts; more from The Daily Mail:

The Queen will tour France in an old Renault during her state visit next week because none of Francois Hollande’s Citroens have the space to fit her large hats, it has been reported. But heads have been spinning at the Elysee Palace ever since the announcement after staff realised she would not be able to sit upright in either the pokey presidential Citroen DS5 or the larger C6 model if she wears any one of her large hats.

Below we see HM in today’s style.
British Embassy in Paris

British Embassy in Paris

Ella Kay reports she wore “a diamond fringe brooch made for Queen Victoria using gems given by the sultan of Turkey.”

James Whatling/Splash News

The Duchess was in the custom Alexander McQueen piece worn to the Blenheim War Memorial in New Zealand last month.

Stephen Lock / i-Images/www.i-Images.co

Stephen Lock / i-Images/www.i-Images.co

The garment is a custom version of two Alexander McQueen styles. Below, a graphic we made to try and show the different elements of the two pieces.

New Fashion Match

Net-a-Porter

Both styles are still available at Net-a-Porter: the black version was originally selling at $3995, it is now $2796, about 30% off, and the sky blue coat is discounted by 50%, from $3875 to $1938.  At Alexander McQueen the black coat is 40% off, now priced at $2399.

Kate accessorized with her Sylvia Fletcher for Lock and Company hat.

Stephen Lock/i-Images/Polaris Images

Stephen Lock/i-Images/Polaris Images

We first saw it at the Princess cruise ship naming ceremony in June of last year.

Royal Princess® & Princess Cruises/John Lock & Co./Royal Princess® & Princess Cruises

Royal Princess® & Princess Cruises/John Lock & Co./Royal Princess® & Princess Cruises

Kate was in a new pair of shoes.

Stephen Lock/i-Images/Polaris Images

Stephen Lock/i-Images/Polaris Images

There is some thought the shoes could be from Russell & Bromley, Ashley Marie suggests on the WKW Facebook page that Kate could be wearing the company’s  ‘Power‘ style (left), or perhaps the ‘Plunge‘. Both are Stuart Weitzman designs.

Russell & Bromley

Russell & Bromley

The Duchess also carried the Mulberry Bayswater clutch we’ve seen previously, we show it during the recent tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Andrew parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

Andrew parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

With apologies to those expecting a post more focused on apparel and accessories, it just didn’t feel appropriate. Especially as the Duchess wore items we have seen previously, an effort on her part to keep attention on the veterans and the day’s ceremonies. Our next post will return to ‘normal’.

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We leave you a few lines from Laurence Binyon’s classic Ode of Remembrance and sunset at Normandy this evening.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence

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monalisa2

Wednesday 18th of June 2014

Lovely post. Queen looked wonderful - what an incredible shade of green. More fashion daring than shown by her grand-daugther in law. Whats the point of going to McQueen if going to take away the elements that make it unique.

bessie

Thursday 12th of June 2014

This is a beautiful, emotional post. What Kate wore was perfect; what The Queen wore was unusual and inspired - I don't know words to describe the green tone, sharp and bright, a spring-green for hope? The more special because she alone of the heads of state and leaders present, was alive at the time of D-Day.

Margaret Agnew

Thursday 12th of June 2014

I have ever posted to a blog or written to an editor on other than political or international affairs. Thank you for your respectful coverage of this event. I have wept at most of the WWII cemeteries, and, now, unfortunately, at many of the "new" war cemeteries. You did a fine job mixing fashion, history and military respect.

Thank you.

Julia

Tuesday 10th of June 2014

Yet another first post from a long-time appreciative reader, moved to tears - I always admire your dignified and non-intrusive approach, your elegance of expression, and your warm interest in the event as well as in the clothes.

Lisa @ Sorority Life to Army Wife

Monday 9th of June 2014

Thank you for this beautiful remembrance of D-Day. On a sartorial side note, it's interesting that Elizabeth chose to wear green. I would think red or blue would be slightly more patriotic.

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