In a deeply moving ceremony at Buckingham Palace, King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with Holocaust survivors and lit candles of remembrance to commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. The event, held on Holocaust Memorial Day, saw the royal couple engage intimately with those who endured one of history's darkest chapters.
Portraits of Survival and Remembrance
King Charles viewed portraits of seven Holocaust survivors, which he had commissioned while still the Prince of Wales. Among them was a portrait of Helen Aronson, 98, who was one of only about 750 people liberated from the Lodz Ghetto in Poland, out of 250,000 originally sent there. Ms Aronson, who was just 12 when German forces arrived at her home, described her portrait by artist Paul Benney as "wonderful". Her mother and brother survived with her, but her father was murdered at the Chelmno extermination camp.
Honouring Lost Survivors
Lu Lawrence, daughter of survivor Zigi Shipper, expressed her wish that her father, who passed away in 2023, could have attended to see his portrait. King Charles responded compassionately, stating, "They are in spirit," referring to survivors who have died. Mr Shipper, who died at 93, survived multiple atrocities including the Lodz ghetto, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Stutthof concentration camp, and a death march, where he was aided by fellow survivor Manfred Goldberg, also honoured in a portrait.
Ms Lawrence and her sister Michelle Richman praised the painting as "magnificent", noting the amazing likeness. Charles also met Mr Shipper's great-grandson, two-year-old Zigi Harrod, named after him, who showed the King his toy monkey called Fergus and greeted him warmly.
A Musical Bond and Personal Connections
The King described centenarian Anita Lasker-Wallfisch as "wonderful" for attending the reception. The 100-year-old, who played the cello in the Auschwitz orchestra and survived nearly a year before being moved to Bergen-Belsen, shared a bond with Charles over their mutual instrument. Reflecting on their long acquaintance, Charles noted it must be about 20 years since they first met.
Ms Lasker-Wallfisch's daughter, Maya, told the King that his visit to their London home for her mother's 100th birthday last summer was the highlight of the family's celebrations, calling it "so intimate and memorable".
Candles of Hope and Future
In a symbolic act of remembrance, the King and Queen were handed taper candles by survivor Rachel Levy to light candles from the Holocaust Memorial Trust. This gesture served as both a memorial for the past and a beacon of hope for the future. Ms Levy, also featured in one of the portraits, survived Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen, later moving to Northern Ireland before rebuilding her life in London.
The reception underscored the enduring importance of Holocaust education and remembrance, with the royal family playing a central role in honouring the resilience and stories of survivors. Through these personal interactions and artistic tributes, the event reinforced the commitment to never forget the atrocities of the past while fostering a message of unity and hope for generations to come.
