Queen Camilla Started Crying When King Charles Was Called "Brave" in an Unexpected "Off Script" Moment at VJ Day Ceremony

One veteran praised Charles for attending "in spite of the fact...he's under treatment for cancer."

Queen Camilla wears all white and cries while looking at husband King Charles, who has been called brave during the VJ Day 80th anniversary
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Queen Camilla isn't one to conceal her emotions, and she's been known to start crying during emotional moments while attending official royal engagements. On Friday, August 15, Camilla joined King Charles at an event honoring the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, and an "off script" speech about her husband brought tears to The Queen's eyes.

Camilla and Charles attended a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in England, held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 105-year-old veteran Captain Yavar Abbas took to the podium during the ceremony, where he delivered an unexpectedly personal message to King Charles.

Abbas told the crowd (via People), "Before I read the excerpt, I make due apologies for briefly going off the script to salute my brave King who is here with his beloved Queen in spite of the fact that he's under treatment for cancer."

Queen Camilla cries at the 80th anniversary of VJ Day as husband King Charles is called brave

Queen Camilla has tears in her eyes.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Abbas was a member of the 11th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army, and revealed to the crowd that he is also a survivor of cancer, People reported. Addressing attendees at the ceremony, Abbas read an excerpt from his own war diary, written on February 8, 1945. "Tomorrow, I hope I will live to do better things," he said. "I could have been dead twice before, but I'm still living. I would be surprised if I get a life for a third time. May God spare me."

Queen Camilla cries at the 80th anniversary of VJ Day as husband King Charles is called brave

Queen Camilla wipes away her tears.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Queen Camilla cries at the 80th anniversary of VJ Day as husband King Charles is called brave

King Charles and Queen Camilla look emotional on VJ Day 2025.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared footage of The King meeting Abbas after the ceremony. English captioned her post on X, "Really sweet moment as King Charles meets Yavar Abbas...after #VJ80 Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum today."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.