The late Queen Elizabeth II used to spend a good month and a half in Sandringham around this time of the year. She would go to Sandringham a few days before Christmas, and then stay there through early to mid February. It was a quiet time for her, a reflective time. King Charles doesn’t do the same thing. This year, he stayed in Sandringham through New Year’s, then he and Camilla traveled to Scotland, where they’re staying at Balmoral – or rather, Birkhall, their mansion within the Balmoral estate. It has been a quiet time for them, and in their absence, a small cottage industry has sprung up, wherein Prince William is seemingly telling everyone that he’s in charge now. Yeah, not so much. Well, interesting news? Charles will travel to Poland in a few weeks. This will be his first trip outside the UK since his trip to Australia and Samoa last fall.

King Charles is set to lead the British commemorations of the victims of the Holocaust. He is to head to the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in Poland on Jan. 27 as the 80th anniversary of its liberation is marked.

The date when Allied troops entered the largest camp run by Nazi Germany is also the day used around the world to pay tribute to those who died in the Holocaust. As Prince of Wales, King Charles became Patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust in 2017.

Charles, 76, who is still undergoing treatment for an undisclosed cancer, will travel to Poland along with leaders from around the world. He’s expected to meet with the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr Andrzej Duda. It will be Charles’ fifth visit to Poland — most recently he traveled there in 2008 with Camilla when she was Duchess of Cornwall.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust promotes and supports Holocaust Memorial Day, which has taken place in the U.K. since 2001. The royal family has a tradition of solemnly commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day. In 2020, on the 75th anniversary, Kate Middleton and Prince William made a poignant tribute by lighting candles at the U.K. Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations. Joining them that day were survivors, including Yvonne Bernstein, 82, who was one of those featured in striking portraits Princess Kate took to mark the occasion.

[From People]

I would say that I’m surprised that Prince William’s lazy ass wasn’t called on to represent the crown, but I actually suspect that this is a commemoration which Charles wanted to do himself. He probably didn’t even give William a chance to turn down the trip, you know? And Charles will probably be able to make this a day trip, or only spend one night abroad. The 80th anniversary of the liberation too… there are so few survivors of the camps left in the world. There are so few WWII veterans left as well, that’s why last year’s D-Day commemoration was such a huge event.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.