D-Day 80

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings - more commonly known as D-Day. The operation on 6 June 1944 saw tens of thousands of soldiers cross the channel (a great many of them departing from Portsmouth) for a daring and dangerous operation to liberate occupied France. Now, some 80 years on, the United Kingdom and its WW2 allies are coming together to remember the operation and all those who took part.

D-Day 80 Events

National Commemoration

There will be a host of commemorative events taking place on both sides of the channel to mark D-Day 80. In Portsmouth there will be a large-scale event taking place on Southsea Common and broadcast live to the world on the BBC. It will be followed by commemorative events over in Normandy, where the French president has invited world leaders to honour those involved in D-Day.

D-Day veterans will be at the heart of the event, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests. The Red Arrows have also confirmed their involvement, and there will be a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

6 June Memorial Service

Portsmouth will mark the anniversary of D-Day itself in the traditional manner, with a memorial service at the D-Day Stone (located near South Parade Pier). More details on the service will be announced shortly, check back for details.

Beacon Lighting

Beacons on both sides of the English Channel will be lit on 6 June to observe the bravery and sacrifice of those who secured the peace and freedom we enjoy today. The International 80th Anniversary D-Day Beacon will be sited at the British Normandy Memorial, with five more being lit on the beaches used for landing: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

Here, two beacons will be lit in Portsmouth at 9.15pm - one at HM Naval Base and another from Southsea Castle. These will represent the UK's principal beacon - though other locations across the country are being asked to join with their own from 9.30pm. The Naval Base beacon has been designed by a 25-year old engineer from BAE Systems, who has included samples of sand from the five Normandy Beaches.

Find out more on the D-Day Beacons website.

Armed Forces Day

Portsmouth will mark Armed Forces Day on the slightly earlier date of 8 June, to mark the D-Day 80 commemorations with a large-scale event open to all on Southsea Common.

There will be exciting displays throughout the day - see the event listing for all the details.

Proms at the Kings

The Kings Theatre will bring the curtain down on the week of D-Day 80 commemoration events with a special Proms at the Kings performance on Sunday 9 June. The event will feature live music from the 40-piece Kings Theatre Orchestra, and the chance to sing along with favourite songs from the era.

Read more and book your tickets.

The D-Day Story events

To find out what the UK's only museum dedicated solely to the Normandy Landings has planned for this momentous year, head to The D-Day Story website. Activities include pop-ups in local libraries, conferences and more.

D-Day in 80 Objects

You can also discover more about the Normandy Campaign through the ongoing D-Day in 80 Objects project. In the run-up to the anniversary The D-Day Story will showcase an object each day relating to D-Day and those who took part. As well as objects from The D-Day Story collection, there will be others from national and international museums - each with their own story to tell.

You can follow along each day on the D-Day Story social channels, or head to the website to see all 80 and read more about each one.

Other national and international events

The UK government has set up a website to detail its events, as well as those taking place in France. There is also further reading about why D-Day is so important and the partners involved in bringing together these commemorative events. Read all about it on the gov.uk website.