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In Pictures: Royals and world leaders mark D-Day 80th anniversary

By PA News
Published: 07:16, 06 June 2024
 | Updated: 11:01, 06 June 2024

Commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings began on Thursday with a military piper playing a lament at sea at the exact moment of the beach invasion in France in 1944.

At dawn eight decades after Allied troops came ashore under gunfire on five code-named beaches in Normandy — Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword — the day of remembrance started.

Later, the King paid tribute to veterans at a national commemorative event in Normandy.

King Charles salutes after laying a wreath during the commemorative event (Jane Barlow/PA)
King Charles salutes after laying a wreath during the commemorative event (Jane Barlow/PA)
Veterans holding roses which they received from school children during the national commemorative event (Jane Barlow/PA)
Veterans holding roses which they received from school children during the national commemorative event (Jane Barlow/PA)
Charles speaking during the UK national commemorative event in Ver-sur-Mer (Jane Barlow/PA)
Charles speaking during the UK national commemorative event in Ver-sur-Mer (Jane Barlow/PA)
The red Arrows flypast at the end of the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day (Gareth Fuller/PA)
The red Arrows flypast at the end of the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day (Gareth Fuller/PA)
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy (Jane Barlow/PA)
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy (Jane Barlow/PA)
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking during the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, held at the British Normandy Memorial (Jane Barlow/PA)
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking during the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, held at the British Normandy Memorial (Jane Barlow/PA)
Sir Tom Jones performs during the UK national commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer (Jane Barlow/PA)
Sir Tom Jones performs during the UK national commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer (Jane Barlow/PA)
People gather on Gold Beach in Arromanches in Normandy, France (Aaron Chown/PA)
People gather on Gold Beach in Arromanches in Normandy, France (Aaron Chown/PA)
Hundreds took to the beaches of Normandy to mark the anniversary on Thursday morning (Aaron Chown/PA)
Hundreds took to the beaches of Normandy to mark the anniversary on Thursday morning (Aaron Chown/PA)
Preparations in France began early on Thursday with re-enactors riding vintage cycles to the shore (Aaron Chown/PA)
Preparations in France began early on Thursday with re-enactors riding vintage cycles to the shore (Aaron Chown/PA)

At Gold Beach in Arromanches, Major Trevor Macey-Lillie paid tribute to fallen veterans by playing Highland Laddie as he came ashore.

A military piper comes to shore on a DUKW amphibious vehicle ahead of playing a dawn lament on Gold Beach (Aaron Chown/PA)
A military piper comes to shore on a DUKW amphibious vehicle ahead of playing a dawn lament on Gold Beach (Aaron Chown/PA)
Among those driving vintage vehicles on the beach was Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Aaron Chown/PA)
Among those driving vintage vehicles on the beach was Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Aaron Chown/PA)
A giant poppy is displayed on Gold Beach to commemorate the anniversary (Aaron Chown/PA)
A giant poppy is displayed on Gold Beach to commemorate the anniversary (Aaron Chown/PA)
Christophe Receveur, from France, unfurls an American flag he bought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to mark D-Day (John Leicester/AP)
Christophe Receveur, from France, unfurls an American flag he bought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to mark D-Day (John Leicester/AP)
A pipe band plays during a ceremony at Utah Beach marking the US war effort (Jeremias Gonzalez/AP)
A pipe band plays during a ceremony at Utah Beach marking the US war effort (Jeremias Gonzalez/AP)
Planes fly over the beaches at Arromanches in Normandy (Aaron Chown/PA)
Planes fly over the beaches at Arromanches in Normandy (Aaron Chown/PA)
A house decked with national flags from the UK, US, Canada and France, near Gold Beach (Aaron Chown/PA)
A house decked with national flags from the UK, US, Canada and France, near Gold Beach (Aaron Chown/PA)
The beach landing by the Royal Marines of 47 Commando and civilians at Asnelles before their annual ‘yomp’ to Port-en-Bessin (Aaron Chown/PA)
The beach landing by the Royal Marines of 47 Commando and civilians at Asnelles before their annual ‘yomp’ to Port-en-Bessin (Aaron Chown/PA)
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