Britain’s Queen Elizabeth will mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings by a visit to France this June.
The 87-year-old monarch and Prince Philip will attend events in Normandy to commemorate June 6, 1944 when the Western Allied forces initiated an operation to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.
The royal couple will be guests of President Francois Holland – who the queen has not officially met before – at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
The queen’s communications secretary said in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace: "Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are visiting at the invitation of the President of France, President Hollande."
The queen served as a mechanic in the Auxiliary Transport Service during the war while the prince was lieutenant in the British navy.
Elizabeth’s last state visit to France was in 2004, which is the same year she attended the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
The last official state visit by a French President to the UK was by Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni in 2008.
Queen Elizabeth to visit France this summer
