King Charles and Germany’s president have lain wreaths in remembrance of the victims of the second world war, in the ruins of a bombed-out church in Hamburg.
The monarch joined President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher, to leave floral tributes at St Nikolai memorial church, whose spire was a landmark used by bomber crews during the conflict 80 years ago and has since become a monument against war.
The king’s wreath of poppies featured a handwritten card with the message: “In everlasting remembrance” with the same words in German below and the signature “Charles R”.
Lutheran bishop Kirsten Fehrs read from the Coventry litany of reconciliation, which was written in 1958.
She told those gathered that “at this special place of remembrance”, where 80 years ago the church was destroyed by bombs, “we stand in solidarity with people throughout the world who strive for reconciliation in the face of violence and war. [We are] deeply grateful for this moment of unity.”
Reading from the litany, she criticised “the hatred which divides nations from nation, race from race, class from class. The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own.”
Codenamed Operation Gomorrah, after the biblical city said to have been destroyed by God with fire and brimstone, the allied bombing campaign subjected Hamburg to raids over eight days and seven nights in July 1943, killing 40,000 people.
Earlier, Charles and Camilla remembered the thousands of children rescued from Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime when the queen consort laid a rose at the memorial statue called Kindertransport – the Final Parting.
On the last day of their state visit to Germany, the couple had taken the train from Berlin to Hamburg and travelled to the monument, which recognises the children transported to safety, including 10,000 sent to the UK.
During the visit, King Charles also met Lord of the Lost, an industrial metal band from Hamburg, formed by singer Chris Harms, who will represent Germany in the Eurovision song contest.
The queen consort attended an elementary school where she sketched the children’s character the Gruffalo under the watchful eye of its illustrator, Axel Scheffler, who was born in Hamburg.
Children asked Camilla questions and she revealed she watched one of her horses give birth in the UK via the internet.
Asked by the youngsters if she spoke German, she replied jokingly with “nein” and said her favourite animals were dogs and horses.
