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Battle of Waterloo memorial unveiled by Prince Charles 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 and died 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. Relatives of the three commanders at Waterloo also attended the unveiling.
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 9th Duke of Wellington, Prince Nikolaus von Blucher of Prussia and Prince Charles Bonaparte also took part in a symbolic three-way handshake of friendship at the event.
The farm saw some of the fiercest fighting of the battle. 'Cornerstone of history'
The farm at Hougoumont played a crucial role in the victory of the Duke of Wellington's allied army over Napoleon's French forces in 1815, and saw some of the fiercest fighting of the battle.
The memorial depicts two life-size soldiers struggling to close the farm's north gate to save it from being overrun by the French.
Soldiers from the Coldstream Guards managed to shut the gate and Wellington later said the outcome of Waterloo "turned on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont".
In a reversal of history, 10 Guardsmen from No 7 Company Coldstream Guards, dressed in 1815 period costume, carried out the official opening of the gates at the farm on Wednesday.
While other monuments recognise individual regiments that fought at Waterloo, the sculpture by Vivienne Mallock is the first to pay tribute to all British troops.
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 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 royals - along with Belgium's Princess Astrid - also took a tour of Hougoumont, which has undergone a £3m project to restore it following years of neglect.
The Coldstream Guards also performed a ceremonial opening of the gates. Camilla has a direct connection with the new monument as her great-great-great-grandfather, John Whitehill Parson, fought at Waterloo while serving with the 10th Regiment of Light Dragoons.
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". Barry van Danzig, a trustee of the Hougoumont Project which led efforts to restore the farm, said the closure of the gates "ended 800 years of conflict between France and Britain and brought in 100 years of peace", describing it as a "cornerstone of European history."
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. He added: "The monument to the whole British Army is important - we all hear about Wellington's victory but it was the guys on the ground that did it."
The event is just one of a number being staged to mark the bicentenary of Waterloo. More than 5,000 enthusiasts are due to perform battle re-enactment displays over the weekend as the bicentenary commemorations continue.
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.
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.
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.
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