Prince William Lays Wreath at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial

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The United Kingdom’s Prince William laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum Hall of Remembrance on Tuesday, while signing the guestbook and noting his great-grandmother’s role in sheltering a Jewish family in the Holocaust, during his first official tour of the State of Israel.

“It has been a profoundly moving experience to visit Yad Vashem today,” William wrote in immaculate penmanship. “It is almost impossible to comprehend this appalling event in history. Every name, photograph and memory recorded here is a tragic reminder of the loss suffered by the Jewish people. The story of the Holocaust is one of darkness and despair, questioning humanity itself.”

“We must never forget the Holocaust — the murder of 6 million men, women and children, simply because they were Jewish,” William continued. “We all have a responsibility to remember and to teach future generations about the horrors of the past so that they can never reoccur. May the millions of Jewish people remembered by Yad Vashem never be forgotten,” added the prince.

He also mentioned his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenger, the mother of his grandfather, Prince Philip, who has been officially recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations for helping save a Jewish family in Greece during the Holocaust.

“The actions of those few, who took great risks to help others, are a reminder of the human capacity for love and hope,” he wrote. “I am honoured that my own great grandmother is one of these Righteous Among the Nations.”

Princess Alice hid Rachel, Tilda, and Michelle Cohen in here palace in Athens during the Nazi occupation of Greece, according to Yad Vashem. She passed away in 1969 at the age of 84. In 1988, her remains were interred in Jerusalem’s ancient Mount of Olives cemetery, in accordance with her wishes. William is expected to visit her grave on Thursday.

Her son, Prince Philip, planted a tree at Yad Vashem in her honor during a private visit in 1994. Philip’s son and heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, visited her grave in 2016 when he arrived to attend the funeral of former Israeli president Shimon Peres.

During his visit to the memorial museum, William asked many questions, and met with two survivors of the Kindertransport, a rescue effort which brought nearly 10,000 European Jewish children to Great Britain in the lead up to World War II.

William was accompanied on his visit to the Holocaust memorial by Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev, as well U.K. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.

William, who is second in line to the throne, is scheduled to tour Israel and the West Bank during his three-day visit, which is being seen as a major test for the 36-year-old grandson of Queen Elizabeth due to the complex political and religious sensitivities surrounding his stay.

Prince William landed in Israel on Monday evening, where he was greeted by Israeli officials to mark the royal family’s first official visit to Israel.

William, who is second in line to the throne, is traveling without his wife, Kate Middleton, who delivered their third child at the end of April. He began his five-day Middle East tour in Jordan on Sunday. His visit is seen as a major test for the 36-year-old grandson of Queen Elizabeth due to the complex political and religious sensitivities surrounding his stay, especially in Yerushalayim. JNS.ORG

{Matzav.com Israel}

 


1 COMMENT

  1. The British hung Israelis. Teach the future about that!
    Oh, I forgot. His agenda is not peace, rather to promote himself through his grandmother while he calls Israel “occupied “

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