King Charles III shared a deeply emotional moment with a 105-year-old Second World War veteran during a special remembrance reception at Windsor Castle this week. The touching encounter between the monarch and Yavar Abbas, who served as a combat cameraman during the six-year conflict, became the highlight of the evening commemorations.
A Royal Reunion
The heartfelt hug between King Charles and Yavar Abbas occurred on Tuesday night at the Berkshire royal residence, where twelve other Second World War veterans from the UK and Commonwealth who served in the Pacific and Indian Ocean were also being honoured. This wasn't the first meeting between Abbas and the royal family - he had previously met Charles and Queen Camilla at a service of remembrance in Staffordshire earlier this year.
Mr Abbas made quite an impression during their previous encounter when his unscripted address to Charles and Camilla, thanking them for attending the VJ Day event despite the King's ongoing cancer treatment, reportedly moved them to tears. During this latest reunion, the veteran continued to charm the royal couple by kissing Camilla's hand when she sat beside him for the group photograph.
The Moment That Stole the Show
When the King approached, Mr Abbas stood to greet him, and the two exchanged words before sharing their moving embrace. The genuine display of affection drew emotional reactions from other guests present at the reception. The King was accompanied by several senior royals including the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duchess of Gloucester.
Speaking to the PA news agency afterwards, Mr Abbas revealed the lighthearted comment he made to the monarch: "I told him, 'We can't go on meeting like this'". The veteran expressed his deep respect for Charles, stating: "I was very much looking forward to meeting him again. I have a lot of respect for His Majesty, not just as a monarch, but as a human being."
Shared Experience and Moving Tributes
Mr Abbas also referenced their shared health battles, revealing: "It's wonderful to meet him and to know that he is improving, because I had cancer and I got rid of it. I've been rid of it for 15 years now." The King, who serves as patron of the Royal British Legion, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer early last year and continues with his regular treatment programme, believed to involve weekly sessions.
The veteran's remarkable life story includes being commissioned into the British Army in India in 1942 as a second lieutenant in the 11th Sikh Regiment. After training as a combat cameraman, he documented the war and its aftermath, capturing everything from major battles in Burma to occupied Japan, including Hiroshima. He later built a career as a filmmaker.
During the reception, Mr Abbas paid tribute to journalists working in conflict zones today, particularly mentioning those in Gaza: "Whatever I did, it's insignificant when I see what the men and women of Gaza have done for more than two years. They have been recording the genocide that has been visited upon them."
When asked what message he wanted to pass to future generations, the 105-year-old responded with poignant honesty: "I am angry with the world and I am ashamed. I thought I fought a war to have a better world and I find that I am in a worse world than I was in at the time. We are glorifying war. At the drop of a hat, we begin a war."
The event was also attended by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with veterans and their families. Other notable figures present included Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, Defence Secretary John Healey, and actor Sir Mark Rylance.
Before departing the reception, King Charles held the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch for Peace, which was commissioned this year to symbolise future peace and honour the memory of all those who died in the world wars. The reception formed part of continuing commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which on August 15 marked the anniversary of the end of Second World War.
