Camilla's tears for fallen D-Day hero: King and Queen are overcome with emotion as war hero recounts horror of losing his best friend on beaches of Normandy 80 years ago

King Charles today urged Britons not to forget the 'service and sacrifice' of the heroes of D-Day in his first public speech since being diagnosed with cancer. 

The monarch,75,joined the Prince of Wales,leading UK politicians and veterans at a major event in Portsmouth to mark the 80th anniversary of the landings. 

He told the crowd: 'The stories of courage,resilience and solidarity we have heard today and throughout our lives cannot fail to move us,to inspire us and to remind us of what we owe to that great wartime generation.'

Charles,who received a standing ovation as he walked onto the stage accompanied by Queen Camilla,is understood to have been 'adamant' he would attend the commemorations as he continues his recovery from cancer. 

At the Portsmouth commemorations - hosted by Dame Helen Mirren - William read an extract from the diary of Captain Alastair Bannerman,a soldier who was part of D-Day,addressed to his wife on the morning of the landings.

He told the flag-waving crowd he was 'deeply honoured' to be part of proceedings on Southsea Common and said 'we will always remember those who served'.

Parachutists wearing replica WWII-era paratrooper attire check their equipment prior to their jump from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in Normandy today 

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