Allied troops had departed from the city and other southern English coast sites on this day in 1944, crossing the Channel to land in northern France.

Charles, who recently resumed public engagements after battling cancer, addressed the flag-waving audience, expressing gratitude for the sacrifices made by soldiers and urging them to remember, cherish, and honor those who served on that day.

King Charles III, as the head of state of the United Kingdom, is the commander-in-chief of the British armed forces and has personal experience serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

He and Queen Camilla will travel to France on Thursday for D-Day commemorations, joining other world leaders, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and WWII veterans.

This will be Charles's first overseas visit since announcing his cancer diagnosis in February.

The previous day in the UK, commemorations included speeches from veterans, music, and reenactments, with Roy Hayward, a 99-year-old veteran, sharing his emotional experiences from the event eight decades later.

A World War II veteran, who lost both his legs during the war, expressed gratitude for surviving and represented the sacrifices of those who fought for democracy.

Prince William, an RAF search and rescue pilot before his royal duties, paid tribute to the brave soldiers who crossed the sea to liberate Europe and waited for their safe return.

Both spoke at a memorial event to honor and remember their legacy.

Political leaders in Britain, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Conservative Party) and Keir Starmer (Labour Party), paused their general election campaigning on July 4 to pay tribute to D-Day troops.

They attended an event and delivered messages in the program.

Despite their political differences, they were seen together in the audience, having clashed in the first live TV debate hours prior.