King Charles III and Queen Camilla(Image: Getty Images)Queen Camilla was moved to tears as tributes were paid to her husband King Charles at a recent event.
She seemed visibly emotional when a war veteran went ‘off-script’ to pay tribute to the monarch as he continues to battle cancer.
Charles and Camilla joined Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a national service of remembrance in Staffordshire on Friday, August 15.
Veterans aged from 96 to 105, who served in the Far East and Pacific, were also at the VJ Day memorial ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Yavar Abbas, who was a captain in the 11th Sikh Regiment, read extracts from his diaries during his time in Burma in 1945.
But the 105-year-old – originally from Lucknow, in India – also took a moment to pay tribute to the ‘brave king’ first.
READ MORE: Sarah Ferguson says ‘small acts of kindness’ amid ‘reunion’ with Royal Family
Camilla looked at Charles, who was sitting next to her, before appearing to wipe away a tear as Mr Abbas said: “I make no apologies for briefly going off the script to salute my brave king, who is here with his beloved queen in spite of the fact that he is under treatment for cancer.”
Applause rang out among the crowd of about 1,500 guests as Mr Abbas said he had also battled cancer.
He went on to say he hoped it would bring ‘comfort’ that he had been rid of the disease for 25 years.
Mr Abbas added: “I salute him for gracing this occasion, because by his presence here, he has gone a long way to make sure that his grandad’s 14th Army is never given the sobriquet again of The Forgotten Army.”
VJ Day in 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the six-year war – but much of the celebration in 1945 focused on VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May.
Those who served in the Far East have been labelled The Forgotten Army.
The ceremony in Staffordshire was hosted by actress Celia Imrie and featured readings by actor Robert Lindsay and veterans.
There were musical performances from the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain, Jennifer Pike and the Royal Corps of Signals Pipes and Drums.
Ahead of the service, the King vowed in a pre-recorded audio address to the nation that the sacrifice of heroes who fought and died in the campaigns ‘shall never be forgotten’.
He also acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to Japan’s surrender, describing the ‘immense price’ paid by its citizens as one ‘we pray no nation need ever pay again’.
Charles said: “Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity’s darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.”
The service of remembrance started with a two-minute silence and a Red Arrows flypast.
Charles later made his way to the Far East corner of the arboretum, where he met Silas Sarbah and Khadak Chettri – grandsons of Second World War soldiers.
He also met with William Slim, the great-grandson of General Bill Slim, who led the so-called Forgotten Army.
The monarch viewed tributes at the Burma Railway memorial, which is 30 metres of original track from the so-called ‘Railway of Death’.
He took a moment of reflection at the Burma Star Memorial and the Chindit Memorial, before heading to a reception for VJ veterans and their families.
Intelligence Corps veteran George Durrant, aged 100 and from West Sussex, addressed the service alongside his great-granddaughter Elsbeth.
He enlisted as a private in 1942 and trained to be a tank driver.
He then volunteered for a special mission which turned out to be serving in Burma.
In his reading to the commemoration, Mr Durrant said people always talked about how brave the veterans were but added that few of them saw it that way.
He told the service: “We must look to the future and ensure that the next generation remember our sacrifices so that they can strive for a more peaceful tomorrow.”
Don’t miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here.