Prince William Shares He and Kate Middleton Talk to Prince George About the Holocaust: ‘He’s Starting to Understand Things’

Mar. 15, 2025

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales light candles during a ceremony commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day on Jan. 27, 2025 in London, England.Photo:Dan Kitwood/Getty

Dan Kitwood/Getty

In addition to delivering a speech to mark Holocaust Memorial Day that was heard globally,Prince Williamis having conversations about the atrocity closer to home, as well.The Prince of Wales, 42, andKate Middleton, 43, marked Holocaust Memorial Day in London on Jan. 27, their first joint appearance of 2025 and Kate’s first appearance since announcing on Jan. 14 that she was in remission from cancer.Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales attend a ceremony to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, at Guildhall on Jan. 27, 2025 in London, England.Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/GettyDuring the emotional visit, William shared, perHello!, that he and Kate have started having important conversations about the Holocaust with their eldest childPrince George, 11, who will one day be king. (His younger siblings arePrincess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6.)While speaking with Holocaust survivor Alfred Garwood — who survived Bergen-Belsen as a child — and genocide survivor Sabina Kadic-Mackenzie, William said, “George is getting to the age where he’s starting to understand things. So it’s getting interesting to talk to him about what happened.”Prince William, Prince of Wales (R) speaks with his son Prince George of Wales ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 final football match between Spain and England on July 14, 2024.INA FASSBENDER/AFP via GettyThe Jan. 27 commemoration recognized the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp — the largest Nazi death camp — and Holocaust Memorial Day honors the lives of the 6 million Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust, the millions killed under Nazi persecution and during subsequent genocides.During her visit with around 50 Holocaust survivors at the Guildhall on Monday, Kate had an emotional reunion with Yvonne Bernstein and Steven Frank, who the royal photographed in 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation.Catherine, Princess of Wales (L) meets Holocaust survivor Yvonne Bernstein (R) during a ceremony to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau at the Guildhall in London on Jan. 27, 2025.ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via GettyThe future queen and Bernstein sweetly hugged and held hands, with Princess Kate saying, “It was such a treat for me to come and see an old friend,” according toHello!.Prince William delivered remarks during the hour-long ceremony, saying, “I am honored to join you today to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and remember the millions murdered during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.”“We also remember those survivors who have lived with scars, both mental and physical,” he continued. “Their bravery in sharing with us the most harrowing moments of their lives are extremely powerful and ensure that we never forget. I assure them we never will.”Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks during a ceremony commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day on Jan. 27, 2025 in London, England.Dan Kitwood/GettyThe Prince of Wales then read an excerpt from the bookHolocaust Heroes, which told of how his great-grandmother,Princess Aliceof Battenburg, protected a Jewish family from the Nazis in Athens, Greece. Princess Alice, the mother of William’s grandfatherPrince Philip, was one of “those who risked their own lives to help and save others,” William said. “They risked death, torture and persecution to defy the aggressors.”Reading fromHolocaust Heroes(and perThe Daily Express), William read, “Conditions were particularly severe in Athens and its port, Piraeus. Alice worked tirelessly for the Red Cross, helping to organize soup kitchens, opening shelters for orphaned children and setting up a nursing system for poor areas of the city. It was at this time that Princess Alice gave refuge to a Jewish widow, Rachel Cohen, and two of her five children to save them from deportation to the death camps.“Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!The Duke of Edinburgh escorting his mother, the Princess Alice of Battenberg, upon arriving at Westminster Abbey on July 3, 1960.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via GettyElsewhere in the day, Prince William apologized that he couldn’t spend longer talking to everyone, saying, “There is a lot of history at this table,” perThe Mirror. “We need to hear it all.”In addition to William and Kate’s appearance in London,King Charlesvisited Poland for the 80th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation — and, through his visit on Jan. 27, became the first British monarch to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

In addition to delivering a speech to mark Holocaust Memorial Day that was heard globally,Prince Williamis having conversations about the atrocity closer to home, as well.

The Prince of Wales, 42, andKate Middleton, 43, marked Holocaust Memorial Day in London on Jan. 27, their first joint appearance of 2025 and Kate’s first appearance since announcing on Jan. 14 that she was in remission from cancer.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales attend a ceremony to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, at Guildhall on Jan. 27, 2025 in London, England.Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty

Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty

During the emotional visit, William shared, perHello!, that he and Kate have started having important conversations about the Holocaust with their eldest childPrince George, 11, who will one day be king. (His younger siblings arePrincess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6.)

While speaking with Holocaust survivor Alfred Garwood — who survived Bergen-Belsen as a child — and genocide survivor Sabina Kadic-Mackenzie, William said, “George is getting to the age where he’s starting to understand things. So it’s getting interesting to talk to him about what happened.”

Prince William, Prince of Wales (R) speaks with his son Prince George of Wales ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 final football match between Spain and England on July 14, 2024.INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty

INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty

The Jan. 27 commemoration recognized the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp — the largest Nazi death camp — and Holocaust Memorial Day honors the lives of the 6 million Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust, the millions killed under Nazi persecution and during subsequent genocides.

During her visit with around 50 Holocaust survivors at the Guildhall on Monday, Kate had an emotional reunion with Yvonne Bernstein and Steven Frank, who the royal photographed in 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation.

Catherine, Princess of Wales (L) meets Holocaust survivor Yvonne Bernstein (R) during a ceremony to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau at the Guildhall in London on Jan. 27, 2025.ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty

ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty

The future queen and Bernstein sweetly hugged and held hands, with Princess Kate saying, “It was such a treat for me to come and see an old friend,” according toHello!.

Prince William delivered remarks during the hour-long ceremony, saying, “I am honored to join you today to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and remember the millions murdered during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.”

“We also remember those survivors who have lived with scars, both mental and physical,” he continued. “Their bravery in sharing with us the most harrowing moments of their lives are extremely powerful and ensure that we never forget. I assure them we never will.”

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks during a ceremony commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day on Jan. 27, 2025 in London, England.Dan Kitwood/Getty

The Prince of Wales then read an excerpt from the bookHolocaust Heroes, which told of how his great-grandmother,Princess Aliceof Battenburg, protected a Jewish family from the Nazis in Athens, Greece. Princess Alice, the mother of William’s grandfatherPrince Philip, was one of “those who risked their own lives to help and save others,” William said. “They risked death, torture and persecution to defy the aggressors.”

Reading fromHolocaust Heroes(and perThe Daily Express), William read, “Conditions were particularly severe in Athens and its port, Piraeus. Alice worked tirelessly for the Red Cross, helping to organize soup kitchens, opening shelters for orphaned children and setting up a nursing system for poor areas of the city. It was at this time that Princess Alice gave refuge to a Jewish widow, Rachel Cohen, and two of her five children to save them from deportation to the death camps.”

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The Duke of Edinburgh escorting his mother, the Princess Alice of Battenberg, upon arriving at Westminster Abbey on July 3, 1960.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty

Elsewhere in the day, Prince William apologized that he couldn’t spend longer talking to everyone, saying, “There is a lot of history at this table,” perThe Mirror. “We need to hear it all.”

In addition to William and Kate’s appearance in London,King Charlesvisited Poland for the 80th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation — and, through his visit on Jan. 27, became the first British monarch to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

source: people.com