This is John Bachelor, conversation with my good friend and colleague

Gregory Coppley, Defense and Foreign Affairs,

about the significance of having King Charles at the Normandy

anniversary.

And Gregory tells the story of King Charles shaking a hand of a 100 year old D-Day veteran.

Who is at Portsmouth? He didn't make the trip to Normandy. The King did. And the King represented tradition ceremony

connection 80 years after the event. We look forward to the King attending the 90th

and the 100th in 20 years time.

Gregory Coppley on King Charles at Normandy.

More of this later.

Once again, restated the importance of tradition and history and valuing the fact that the

contributions that have been made by earlier generations.

And of course this is not so long ago, 80 years ago, but it's the last

time probably that we will see Normandy landing veterans going back to Normandy to celebrate the the occasion. King Charles in a

very I think touching reflection of his own sense of mortality given his recent cancer scares

shook hands with a hundred-year-old pensioner in Portsmouth I think just before they went over to Normandy and he said I'll see you again in the 85th anniversary

which I thought was very very touching and perhaps improbable for the 100 year old.

We only hope it's probable.