The Last of the Tide: Portraits of D-Day Veterans

This exhibition showcased 12 portraits of veterans of D-Day, inspired and commissioned by King Charles III, when The Prince of Wales, following his attendance at the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.

The portraits pay tribute to some of the extraordinary men that played a role in the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. The largest amphibious invasion in history, the D-Day landings involved some 7,700 ships and 12,000 aircraft and led to the liberation of German-occupied France.

The 12 veterans are shown wearing their medals and in some instances their regimental berets. All of them served in regiments with which the then Prince of Wales and The Queen, then Duchess of Cornwall, have a formal affiliation. Unique and poignant, the portraits were created by twelve different artists, among them Jonathan Yeo, James Lloyd, Ishbel Myerscough and Stuart Pearson Wright.

The exhibition was curated by artist Catherine Goodman, Artistic Director at The Royal Drawing School and toured to The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh in January 2016.

Painting: © Paul Benney, Photography: © Royal Collection Trust