King Charles says trip to mark anniversary of Auschwitz liberation is 'so important' as he returns to royal duties

Phoebe Tatham
·3 min read
king charles walking in camel coat
(Getty Images)

King Charles resumed his royal duties on Monday afternoon after spending Christmas in Sandringham with his family.

His Majesty hosted three organisations at Buckingham Palace to mark Holocaust Memorial Day which takes place each year on 27 January.

During the event, a trio of organisations showcased their creative initiatives that are being developed in the UK to ensure that the experiences of Holocaust survivors are passed on to future generations.

three people talking inside palace
Charles speaking to Holocaust survivor, Manfred Goldberg, and his wife Shary (PA Images/Alamy)

Upon arrival, the monarch, 76, met Manfred Goldberg, 94, and his wife Shary. Manfred survived concentration camps, including Stutthof, and a death march.

The King spoke to Manfred about his forthcomingoverseas trip to Poland later this month, saying: "I feel I must [go] for the 80th anniversary. It's so important." 

Charles will travel to Poland to join other dignitaries and Holocaust survivors invited to a service, held at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial, commemorating the 80th anniversary.

Charles spoke to a group of students who created some of the candles for the 80 Candles for 80 Years project
Charles spoke to a group of students who created some of the candles for the 80 Candles for 80 Years project (PA Images/Alamy)

King Charles and Manfred then proceeded to take a closer look at the three initiatives. One display featured candleholders that had been created as part of the '80 Candles for 80 Years' nationwide project by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

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After chatting to a group of students, Charles lit a candle in memory of those killed in the Holocaust and more recent genocides, and said: "I hope that this will last a long time, keep the memory."

king charles lighting candle
The monarch paused to light a candle (PA Images/Alamy)

A second display took the form of a new digital education programme designed by the Holocaust Education Trust which uses AI-powered and virtual reality technology to allow students to ask Holocaust survivors about their experiences and see sites of the Holocaust as they exist today.

group of people watching demonstration
King Charles III watched a demonstration of Testimony360 during a reception marking Holocaust Memorial Day at Buckingham Palace (PA Images/Alamy)

The event finished with a short performance from commemorative arts and community engagement project, Echo Eternal. Led by CORE Education Trust, and created in partnership with The National Youth Music Theatre, the project invites schools and youth organisations to create artistic responses to the testimonies of British Holocaust survivors.

Charles' Christmas break

King Charles spent the Christmas period at his Norfolk estate, Sandringham. The estate has been the go-to bolthole for festive celebrations since 1988.

Royals step out for Christmas
Charles and Camilla led the royals on Christmas Day (Shutterstock)

He was joined on Christmas Day by several key members of the royal family including the likes of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children, as well as Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

After Christmas, Charles travelled to Scotland with his wife Queen Camilla. As per the Court Circular - which is an official record of the royal family's engagements - Wednesday's entry was listed as Balmoral Castle, indicating that the monarch visited Scotland after reuniting with family in Sandringham.

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