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| Battle of Waterloo memorial unveiled by Prince Charles | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Prince Charles has unveiled a memorial to the British soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. | Prince Charles has unveiled a memorial to the British soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. |
| The prince and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the Belgian battlefield, before unveiling the memorial at Hougoumont farm, a key site in the fighting. | The prince and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the Belgian battlefield, before unveiling the memorial at Hougoumont farm, a key site in the fighting. |
| Events are marking the 200th anniversary of the battle, which cost thousands of British and allied lives in the defeat of Napoleon's forces. | Events are marking the 200th anniversary of the battle, which cost thousands of British and allied lives in the defeat of Napoleon's forces. |
| More than 5,000 enthusiasts are due to perform a re-enactment of the battle. | More than 5,000 enthusiasts are due to perform a re-enactment of the battle. |
| The BBC's Nick Higham said many had 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's French forces in 1815. | |
| 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 took a tour of the battlefield, starting at La Belle Alliance Farm - which served as Napoleon's headquarters. | Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall took a tour of the battlefield, starting at La Belle Alliance Farm - which served as Napoleon's headquarters. |
| Accompanied by the Duke of Wellington's descendant - the 9th Duke of Wellington - they then walked along a farm track, skirting the edge of the battlefield site. | Accompanied by the Duke of Wellington's descendant - the 9th Duke of Wellington - they then walked along a farm track, skirting the edge of the battlefield site. |
| The prince later unveiled a new memorial at Hougoumont farm - depicting two life-size soldiers struggling to close its north gates to save it from being overrun by the French. | The prince later unveiled a new memorial at Hougoumont farm - depicting two life-size soldiers struggling to close its north gates to save it from being overrun by the French. |
| The Coldstream Guards also performed a ceremonial opening of the gates. | The Coldstream Guards also performed a ceremonial opening of the gates. |
| 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". |
| The royals - along with Belgium's Princess Astrid - took a tour of Hougoumont, which has undergone a £3m project to restore it following years of neglect. | The royals - along with Belgium's Princess Astrid - took a tour of Hougoumont, which has undergone a £3m project to restore it following years of neglect. |
| 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 |