Royal Family Honours Duke of Kent for His Dedication to British-German
Reconciliation
King Charles III’s office has issued a heartfelt statement, highlighting the
contributions of a key royal figure, following Prince William and Catherine’s
latest Valentine’s Day post.
Edward, the late Queen’s 89-year-old cousin and the longest-serving working
royal, was honoured for his role in fostering reconciliation between Britain
and Germany. Representing the monarch, the Duke of Kent attended a solemn
ceremony in Germany on Thursday, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the
Bombing of Dresden.
The royal family’s social media accounts shared images from the event,
accompanied by an emotional message detailing Edward’s long-standing
commitment to British-German relations. The Palace’s statement highlighted his
role as Royal Patron of the Dresden Trust since its inception in 1993 and of
the British-German Association since 1994.
Delivering a historic speech in German, the Duke acknowledged the immense loss
of life while reflecting on the ongoing efforts toward reconciliation:
“We are gathered here today to commemorate the terrible destruction and loss
of life 80 years ago. In addition to the grief we feel in our hearts, we also
look back on 30 years of reconciliation and growing friendship between Britain
and the people of Dresden.”
The statement further noted that the Duke has visited Dresden numerous times
and was awarded the Dresden International Peace Prize in 2015 for his
dedication to peace efforts.
During the commemorations, Edward joined a poignant human chain, standing hand
in hand with hundreds of people in the snow, forming a protective circle
around the old town to honour those who perished. The firestorm, which claimed
approximately 25,000 lives, left much of Dresden’s historic baroque city in
ruins following the aerial raid by British and American forces three months
before the end of World War II.
The Palace’s statement comes shortly after William and Catherine’s romantic
Valentine’s Day post, which received widespread admiration from royal fans and
supporters.
