Prince William spoke fondly of the Princess of Wales’s code-breaking grandmother and revealed his wife “would have loved” to attend a D-Day anniversary event with him today.
The Prince of Wales, 41, joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at the event in Portsmouth this afternoon.
After delivering a moving speech to veterans and prominent politicians, William met with members of the public, including a war hero who asked about his wife amid her ongoing cancer treatment.
The Prince told him: ‘She is better, thank you. She would have loved to be here today.
The royal went on to reveal how she had been speaking to women who worked at Bletchley Park as code breakers alongside Kate’s grandmother Valerie Middleton.
Pictured: The Prince of Wales gives a speech at a D-Day anniversary event in Portsmouth today.
The royal continued: “He was reminding everyone how his grandmother served at Bletchley, so he had quite a bit in common with some of the ladies here.”
Before this, the king said to one of the women: ‘My wife’s grandmother did the same kind of thing as you. Catherine did not find out about her until the end of her life.
Valerie and her twin sister Mary worked at Cottage 16 in Bletchley Park, now immersed in Milton Keynes, and she was part of the team of code breakers who discovered the secrets of the German Enigma machine, ultimately helping to win the war for Britain.
The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reported in 2019 that Valerie “never uttered a word” when asked by the Princess of Wales about her war efforts as a child.
“She was so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us,” Kate told visiting schoolchildren during their tour of the estate near Milton Keynes in 2019.
“When she was alive, unfortunately she was never able to talk about it.”
Valerie was recruited along with her twin sister Mary, Kate’s great-aunt, and they monitored diplomatic traffic from secret listening stations.
In this role, they witnessed one of the most extraordinary moments in Bletchley’s history: when the twins were on duty when a message that Japan had surrendered was intercepted.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales in May 2021. The royal’s grandmother Valerie Middleton worked as a code breaker in World War II.
Valerie Middleton (pictured) was part of the team of crack code breakers who discovered the secrets of the German Enigma machine.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales uses the German Enigma machine during her visit to Bletchley Park to see a D-Day exhibition in Milton Keynes in May 2019.
This meant that they were among the first group of people (along with George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill) to learn that the Second World War had ended.
In 2016, Kate paid tribute to her late grandmother, who died in 2006, and said how proud she was of what she had achieved.
Writing a foreword to The GCHQ Puzzle Book, the princess said: “They rarely spoke of their wartime service, but we now know how important the men and women of Bletchley Park were, as they tackled some of the most difficult problems that the country faced.
‘In a new century, his successors at GCHQ continue this intellectual tradition. Like their Bletchley predecessors, they have become known for valuing neurodiversity and understanding the importance of mental wellbeing.’
In 2019, Kate paid tribute to her grandmother by wearing a special ‘Codebreakers’ poppy brooch during the wreath-laying service at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.
Earlier this year, the Princess of Wales revealed in an emotional video message that she is receiving treatment for cancer and has taken a step back from her public duties.
Pictured: The Prince of Wales speaks to war veterans at the D-Day anniversary event in Portsmouth today.
The King and Queen watched the proceedings from the Royal Box after Charles gave his speech.
Queen Camilla was overcome with emotion today as a D-Day veteran told of the horror of losing his best friend on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago.
Tears welled in the Queen’s eyes as former Royal Navy serviceman Eric Bateman recalled his experience on Utah beach, while King Charles also looked visibly moved.
Bateman, who served on the warship HMS Erebus, described how you could “walk across the Channel” because there were so many ships involved in the invasion.
And paying tribute to his fallen comrades, he said: “Many men and women, including my dear friend Fred, joined me but unfortunately never made it.”
Charles and Camilla joined the Prince of Wales, leading UK politicians and veterans at a major event in Portsmouth, where the King gave his first public speech since being diagnosed with cancer.
He told the crowd: “The stories of courage, resilience and solidarity that we have heard today and throughout our lives cannot fail to move us, inspire us and remind us of what we owe to that great wartime generation.”
King Charles greets Eric Bateman after giving his emotional speech in Portsmouth today.
Helen Mirren leads today’s event and is seen here on stage at the D-Day anniversary event.
At the Portsmouth commemorations, organized by Dame Helen Mirren, William read an extract from the diary of Captain Alastair Bannerman, a D-Day soldier, addressed to his wife on the morning of the landing.
He told the flag-waving crowd he was “deeply honoured” to be part of the proceedings at Southsea Common and said “we will always remember those who served”.
Delivering his speech to the crowd, the King said: “The stories of courage, resilience and solidarity that you have heard today and throughout our lives cannot fail to move us, inspire us and remind us of what we owe to that great war.” generation, which is now tragically dwindling to so few.
‘It is our privilege to hear that testimony, but our role is not purely passive. It is our duty to ensure that we and future generations do not forget their service and sacrifice in replacing tyranny with freedom.’
In the event’s program notes, the King spoke of his “deep admiration and respect” for those who participated in D-Day, adding: “It remains our solemn duty to continue to honor the outstanding bravery, service and sacrifice of those who participated in that dangerous mission.
D-Day veterans, armed forces personnel and local schoolchildren were among the guests at the star-studded event held at Southsea Common in Portsmouth.
The Hampshire port town was an important staging point for the key battle of the Second World War, as it was the base for ships and troops heading to Sword Beach, and nearby Southwick was the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander , General Dwight Eisenhower, who led Operation Overlord. planning.
The commemoration, which took place on a purpose-built stage, began with a flyover by a Dakota aircraft before presenter Dame Helen Mirren took to the stage to tell the story of how D-Day unfolded and affected those who took part.
The event featured veterans reading dramatic accounts of the invasion, as well as wartime songs performed by EastEnders star Emma Barton, American actress Marisha Wallace and Call The Midwife’s Helen George.