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Prince Charles to attend D-Day ceremony
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The Associated Press
Date: Tuesday Jun. 2, 2009 11:31 AM ET
LONDON — Prince Charles' office said Tuesday that he will attend a D-Day commemoration in France this week after a diplomatic spat over the omission from the guest list of his mother, the Queen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy are attending the ceremony Saturday to mark the 65th anniversary of the Allied landings June 6, 1944.
The most senior British representative was to have been Prime Minister Gordon Brown rather than the Queen, who is head of state and who served in uniform during the Second World War.
The perceived snub created an uproar in Britain, which lost thousands of troops helping to free France from the Nazis.
France denied any offence was meant, and said it was up to Britain to decide whom to send.
Charles' office said the prince would be attending at Sarkozy's invitation.
In addition to Harper, Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson will lead a delegation of Second World War, Korean War and peacekeeping veterans on a five-day tour of Normandy, visiting the various battlefields and cemeteries.
The D-Day landings saw more than 150,000 Allied troops pour on to the beaches of occupied France and marked a strategic turning point in the war.
-- With files from The Canadian Press.
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But they probably get straight As for computer games and TV.
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Nancy: Canada USA France still free still friends
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Darren
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O Cook
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The Queen is a vet of the second world war as she served in uniform
@ Anne M
Read the story, no where does it refer to a slight towards Canadians because of Cretien. Now where does it say our Canadian dignitaries were not invited. No where is Chretien even mentioned. So please before you comment get your facts straight
And for those of you who do not understand the slight or the roll of the UK and Canada in the fight for Freedom of France under the Nazi's might want to go back to the history books and learn why. Then you will understand instead of making ignorant comments
Cindy
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RRO
said
I think the point is here that the Queen is a veteran. She served in the mechanical core during the WWII and further she would the only Head of State in attendance who actually was there during WWII and D-day.
PM
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They won't make that mistake again.
Oscar in Ottawa
said
Did I miss a world war?
Don't worry, there are quite a few here that hate proof reading before hitting post.
Dave in Cornwall
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I think an appropriate response would be for all veterans of the landings to boycott this event totally,but this would prolly be met with the typical gallic shrug,as well as the comment passed by a Parisian vacationing in Toronto last week regarding his countryman being "stuck" with the expense of looking after all those foriegners graves
How soon we forget!
Anne M
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MAL
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