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| Waterloo memorial to be unveiled by Prince Charles | Waterloo memorial to be unveiled by Prince Charles |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Prince Charles is to unveil a memorial to the British and allied soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. | Prince Charles is to unveil a memorial to the British and allied soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. |
| Events will mark the 200th anniversary of the battle - which cost some 25,000 British and allied lives in the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte's French forces. | Events will mark the 200th anniversary of the battle - which cost some 25,000 British and allied lives in the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte's French forces. |
| The prince will unveil a memorial on the Belgian battlefield and visit Hougoumont farm - a key battle site. | The prince will unveil a memorial on the Belgian battlefield and visit Hougoumont farm - a key battle site. |
| More than 5,000 enthusiasts in period uniforms are at the Waterloo site, ahead of a two-day re-enactment. | More than 5,000 enthusiasts in period uniforms are at the Waterloo site, ahead of a two-day re-enactment. |
| • Follow live coverage of Wednesday's events | |
| The BBC's Nick Higham said many have been camped next to the farm at Hougoumont, which played a crucial role in the victory of the Duke of Wellington's allied army over Napoleon. | The BBC's Nick Higham said many have been camped next to the farm at Hougoumont, which played a crucial role in the victory of the Duke of Wellington's allied army over Napoleon. |
| The farm saw some of the fiercest fighting of the battle. | The farm saw some of the fiercest fighting of the battle. |
| Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall - along with Belgium's Princess Astrid - will tour Hougoumont, which has recently undergone a £3m project to restore it following years of neglect. | Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall - along with Belgium's Princess Astrid - will tour Hougoumont, which has recently undergone a £3m project to restore it following years of neglect. |
| A new memorial shows two life-size soldiers struggling to close the north gates of the farm to save it from being overrun by the French. | A new memorial shows two life-size soldiers struggling to close the north gates of the farm to save it from being overrun by the French. |
| The defence of the farm was so strategically important that Wellington later said the outcome of Waterloo "turned on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont". | The defence of the farm was so strategically important that Wellington later said the outcome of Waterloo "turned on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont". |
| Cathedral service | Cathedral service |
| The event is just one of a number being staged to mark the bicentenary of Waterloo. | The event is just one of a number being staged to mark the bicentenary of Waterloo. |
| The battle was fought after French emperor Napoleon conquered large swathes of Europe, before being defeated by allied forces in 1814. | The battle was fought after French emperor Napoleon conquered large swathes of Europe, before being defeated by allied forces in 1814. |
| He was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba, but escaped the following year, and on 18 June 1815 his troops again faced the combined allied forces at Waterloo - about 10 miles from the Belgian capital, Brussels. | He was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba, but escaped the following year, and on 18 June 1815 his troops again faced the combined allied forces at Waterloo - about 10 miles from the Belgian capital, Brussels. |
| On Thursday, there will be a national service at London's St Paul's Cathedral to commemorate the anniversary of the battle. | On Thursday, there will be a national service at London's St Paul's Cathedral to commemorate the anniversary of the battle. |
| The prince and duchess will attend, along with the Earl of Wessex, the current Duke of Wellington, senior members of the armed forces and descendants of those who fought at Waterloo. | The prince and duchess will attend, along with the Earl of Wessex, the current Duke of Wellington, senior members of the armed forces and descendants of those who fought at Waterloo. |
| Waterloo: The day that decided Europe's fate | Waterloo: The day that decided Europe's fate |
| Discover how closely Britain came to defeat at Waterloo with iWonder | Discover how closely Britain came to defeat at Waterloo with iWonder |