King Charles reflects on the ‘immense price’ of Hiroshima in VJ Day address

King Charles III delivered a six-minute address to the nation Friday morning to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, making an unprecedented acknowledgment of the "immense price" paid by the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki while honoring World War II veterans and their families.

In what is believed to be the most direct reference by a British monarch to the suffering caused by the atomic bombings, Charles said that "an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again". Speaking from the Morning Room at Clarence House, the King echoed his grandfather King George VI's 1945 declaration that "the war is over," noting that "seldom can a simple message have resonated with such a potent mix of relief, celebration, and sorrow".news.yahoo+2

Honoring the 'Forgotten Army'

The King paid particular tribute to the forces who served in the Far East, often referred to as the "Forgotten Army" since much of the 1945 celebration focused on Victory in Europe Day. He spoke of the prisoners of war "who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance", and acknowledged the mental and physical scars borne by survivors.news.yahoo+1

Charles recalled how his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten, who served as Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command, taught him about "the particular horrors and heroism witnessed in those furthest fields of combat". He noted that the forces under Mountbatten comprised "over one million men and women, drawn from many different countries, religions and communities, but united by common purpose and indomitable spirit".the-independent+1

Contemporary Relevance and National Commemorations

The King linked the wartime experiences to current global conflicts, stating that the civilian suffering "reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life – a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today". He emphasized that "the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link".news.yahoo+1

According to Arise TV, the commemorations included a National Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, attended by Charles, Queen Camilla, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and 33 veterans aged 96 to 105. The day featured a two-minute silence at noon, a Red Arrows flypast with historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft, and evening illuminations of landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and the Tower of London.the-independent+1

The King concluded by telling veterans and their families that their "courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity's darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honors our past and guides our future".news.yahoo+1