It also commemorates the millions of other people killed through the Nazi persecution of other groups and in recent genocides.
During his speech on Monday, the King said that it was โa moment when we recall the six million Jewsโ upon whom โthe Nazis inflicted their violence and hatredโ.
โIt is a moment when we recall the depths to which humanity can sink when evil is allowed to flourish, ignored for too long by the world,โ the King added.
โ โฆ In a world that remains full of turmoil and strife, and has witnessed the dangerous re-emergence of anti-Semitism, there can be no more important message.โ
The King was later seen wiping away a tear as he sat alongside Denmarkโs King Frederik X and Queen Mary at the commemoration service at Auschwitz, which featured speeches from survivors of the concentration camp.
Back in the UK, it emerged early on Monday that the Princess of Wales would be a last-minute addition at a Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony in London just hours later, joining Prince William and other high-profile figures, including the British Prime Minister.
During an intimate reception before the service, Kate had an emotional reunion with two survivors of the Holocaust.
The princess was pictured warmly hugging Yvonne Bernstein, 87, and Steven Frank, 89 – both of whom she had photographed at Kensington Palace in 2020 – and telling them what a โtreatโ it was to see them again.
โSheโs just such a darling, you know? Sheโs just such a lovely person,โ Frank told the Telegraph afterwards.
โSheโs warm and kind and just a lovely person. [It was] lovely to see her.
โAnd she looked well, I thought. I asked her how she was, and she said she was fine, and thatโs a good thing too.โ
The Wales also spoke to those gathered there about their commitment to educating their three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 – about the horrors that unfolded during the Holocaust.
โGeorge is getting to the age where heโs starting to understand things. So itโs getting interesting to talk to him about what happened,โ William explained.
The prince later made a speech at the formal service, acknowledging the bravery of the survivors.
โI am honoured to join you today to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and to remember the millions murdered during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides,โ he said.
โWe also remember those survivors, who have lived with the scars both mental and physical.
โTheir bravery in sharing with us the most harrowing moments of their lives, are extremely powerful and ensure we never forget. I assure them, we never will.โ