Royal Pearls of Remembrance for Queen Camilla and Princess Anne in Portsmouth and Normandy

Today and tomorrow, members of the British royal family will be participating in several ceremonies to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. For moments of remembrance in Portsmouth and Normandy today, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne both wore elegant royal pearls, including a necklace linked to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The King and the Queen were joined by the Prince of Wales in Portsmouth on Wednesday for the United Kingdom’s national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Both Charles and William delivered remarks during the ceremony. Charles concluded his speech, “So, as we give thanks for all those who gave so much to win the victory, whose fruits we still enjoy to this day, let us, once again, commit ourselves always to remember, cherish and honour those who served that day and to live up to the freedom they died for by balancing rights with civic responsibilities to our country. For we are all, eternally, in their debt.” William read a touching letter written by Captain Alastair Bannerman of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment to his wife on the morning of D-Day, and he was able to meet with Bannerman’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter after the ceremony.

The Princess of Wales continues her medical treatment and was unable to join her husband for the ceremony. According to People, when one veteran asked whether Catherine’s health was improving, William replied, “Yes,” adding, “She’d have loved to be here today.” Kate’s grandmother, Valerie Glassborow Middleton, was one of the codebreakers who worked at Bletchley Park during the war, and William noted, “I was reminding everyone her grandmother served at Bletchley Park, so she had quite a few in common with some of the ladies here who were at Bletchley.”

The royals were able to speak with veterans of the Normandy landings after the commemorative event in Portsmouth. The meetings would have been especially meaningful for the King and Queen, both of whom had parents who served in the war. Queen Camilla’s late father, Major Bruce Shand, was taken prisoner in Egypt by the Germans in 1942 while serving with the 12th Lancers. He survived and was liberated in 1945. Major Shand was awarded the Military Cross twice for his valiant service during the war.

For the commemorations in Portsmouth, Queen Camilla wore a light pink ensemble accessorized with diamonds and pearls. She wore her favorite pair of earrings, which feature diamond floral clips and pearl drops. She also added another favorite piece from her jewelry box, a four-stranded pearl necklace with a round diamond clasp, and pinned a small enamel poppy brooch to her jacket.

Meanwhile, the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, headed to Normandy for a trio of commemorative events on Wednesday. Here, Anne speaks with Bernard Morgan, a 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran, during a Royal British Legion Service of Commemoration.

As Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regina Rifles, Anne was also on hand for the unveiling of a new statue marking the contributions of the regiment during the war. She and Sir Tim also attended a reception with members of the regiment.

Princess Anne is also President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. She’s pictured here at Bayeux War Cemetery during the Royal British Legion Service of Commemoration. She and Sir Tim were also in attendance on Wednesday at an annual service of remembrance at Bayeux Cathedral, followed by a vigil where she delivered remarks in remembrance of those who lost their lives during the D-Day operation.

For the commemorative events in France on Wednesday, Princess Anne wore jewels made of gold and set with diamonds and pearls. Her gold ribbon knot brooch, with its diamond accents, was pinned in various places on her jacket during the day. She also wore her gold, diamond, and pearl Andrew Grima earrings, as well as the triple strand of pearls that many of us believe she inherited from her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Anne also wore a few special pins on Wednesday as well. During the time spent with members of the Royal Regina Rifles, she wore the regiment’s gold badge pinned to her jacket. And while attending the Royal British Legion’s commemoration service, she pinned a small enamel poppy to her collar.

I’ll be back here later tomorrow with continuing coverage of the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.