King Charles to commemorate Auschwitz liberation's 80th anniversary

King Charles III is scheduled to visit the Auschwitz death camp in Poland next month to honor the 80th anniversary of its liberation.

The event on January 27 will mark the king’s second visit to the site, following his first trip in 2020 as Prince of Wales. This commemoration is set to include representatives from 20 countries and invites to all surviving Auschwitz survivors alongside state delegations.

Despite ongoing treatment for cancer, which requires weekly care, the king is determined to attend, making him the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz. His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, made a similar historic gesture with her 2015 visit to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

King Charles has long been a vocal advocate for Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism. He maintains strong ties with Holocaust survivors in the UK and has championed initiatives such as Holocaust Memorial Day and the Holocaust Memorial Trust. His connection to World Jewish Relief, where he serves as a patron, also led to the establishment of a Jewish community center in Krakow, Poland.

The anniversary will take place without a formal Russian delegation, reflecting strained international relations due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet troops on January 27, 1945.

* The Jewish Chronicle contributed to this article.