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Auschwitz 75 years on: William and Kate light candles to commemorate Holocaust | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have joined genocide survivors to light candles at an International Holocaust Memorial Day event in London. | |
The royals, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and faith leaders attended the service in Westminster, to mark 75 years since Auschwitz was liberated. | |
The duke gave a reading and the couple spoke to survivors of the Holocaust and more recent genocides. | The duke gave a reading and the couple spoke to survivors of the Holocaust and more recent genocides. |
It came as dozens of world leaders met at Auschwitz in Poland. | It came as dozens of world leaders met at Auschwitz in Poland. |
They joined around 200 Holocaust survivors - including some who are now living in the UK - who returned to the former Nazi death camp for a commemoration. | They joined around 200 Holocaust survivors - including some who are now living in the UK - who returned to the former Nazi death camp for a commemoration. |
Batsheva Dagan, who was given the number 45054 on arrival at Auschwitz, told those gathered in Poland that "human dignity did not belong" at the camp. | Batsheva Dagan, who was given the number 45054 on arrival at Auschwitz, told those gathered in Poland that "human dignity did not belong" at the camp. |
"Quite the opposite," she said. "Human dignity was trampled." | "Quite the opposite," she said. "Human dignity was trampled." |
At Central Hall in Westminster, those taking part included Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis. | |
Prince William paid tribute to his great-grandmother Princess Alice, who he said risked her own life to save a Jewish family - the Cohens - in 1943. | |
Alice's bravery was recognised by Israel which in 1993 posthumously bestowed the title of Righteous Among the Nations on her. | Alice's bravery was recognised by Israel which in 1993 posthumously bestowed the title of Righteous Among the Nations on her. |
Reading from a letter written by a friend of the princess, Prince William said: "The princess put a small two-room apartment on the third floor at the disposal of Mrs Cohen and her daughter. | Reading from a letter written by a friend of the princess, Prince William said: "The princess put a small two-room apartment on the third floor at the disposal of Mrs Cohen and her daughter. |
"It was thanks to the courageous rescue of Princess Alice that the members of the Cohen family were saved. | "It was thanks to the courageous rescue of Princess Alice that the members of the Cohen family were saved. |
"The members of the Cohen family left the residence three weeks after liberation, aware that by virtue of the princess's generosity and bravery had spared them from the Nazis." | "The members of the Cohen family left the residence three weeks after liberation, aware that by virtue of the princess's generosity and bravery had spared them from the Nazis." |
The Duchess of Cambridge later praised survivors and their relatives for sharing their "heartbreaking" stories at the event and she said she and William found the ceremony "very poignant". | |
Mr Johnson told those listening he felt a "deep sense of shame" that anti-Semitism continued in the UK today. | |
The PM said Britain seemed "to be dealing with a resurgence of the virus of anti-Semitism", saying: "I know that I carry a responsibility as prime minister to do everything possible to stamp it out." | |
He vowed to ensure the horrors of the Holocaust were not forgotten and lent his support to the proposed National Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre near Parliament. | |
"As prime minister I promise that we will preserve this truth forever," he said. | "As prime minister I promise that we will preserve this truth forever," he said. |
The UK commemoration in Westminster honoured survivors of the Holocaust - also known as the Shoah, in which millions of Jewish people were killed - Nazi persecution, and the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, according to organisers. | The UK commemoration in Westminster honoured survivors of the Holocaust - also known as the Shoah, in which millions of Jewish people were killed - Nazi persecution, and the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, according to organisers. |
Around one million people - many of them Jewish - were killed at Auschwitz before it was liberated by the Russian army on 27 January 1945. | Around one million people - many of them Jewish - were killed at Auschwitz before it was liberated by the Russian army on 27 January 1945. |
Earlier, two portraits of Holocaust survivors taken by the Duchess of Cambridge for an upcoming exhibition were released to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. | |
The UK Holocaust Memorial Day commemorative event is airing on BBC Two from 1900 GMT and will be available on the BBC iPlayer. |