President Trump stands alongside global leaders at D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations

President Trump sat shoulder-to-shoulder with the Queen and shared a giggle at an ‘unprecedented event’ as his family watched on.

US President Trump has sat shoulder-to-shoulder with the Queen and other world leaders at “unprecedented commemorations” for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Portsmouth.

The US leader and his wife, Melania Trump, sat in prime position for the event and even shared a giggle with her majesty during the solemn ceremony. The military commemorations have added significance as it may be the last time for the Queen to attend such an event in her role as monarch. Prince Charles sat next to her and has played a large role in the state visit, including hosting a private meeting with the President and First Lady.

Wearing a hot pink dress and hat, the Queen said “when I attended the commemoration of the 60th D-day landings, some thought it might be the last.”

“I am delighted to be with you today. The heroism courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten.”

Trump shares a chuckle with the Queen. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

The President and First Lady in Portsmouth. Picture: Tolga AKMEN / AFP.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth met General Eisenhower, who planned the D-Day invasion on her first trip to the US as monarch. Picture: Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP.

The President and First Lady were also flanked by Prince Charles, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the ceremony which included leaders from 13 allied nations, including Australia.

The leaders clapped as a guard of honour and the Royal Navy marched in, before taking the stage to speak one-by-one. The solemn moment capped off a three-day state visit to the UK that President Trump said has been a highlight of his life, having grown up watching his Scottish mother adore the Queen.

“She loved the Queen. And I always noticed, whenever anything was on about the Queen she would watch,” the President told Piers Morgan in an interview aired ahead of the ceremony. “She was a big fan of this…I told her [The Queen] last night. She was very honoured. But my mother would always… she just had great respect. She understood. My mother understood people very well. She knew people. And she got it right from the beginning. The Queen is a great lady”.

Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was also there in his first visit to the UK as leader. Picture: Chris Jackson-WPA Pool/Getty Images

The leaders rise together with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison seated behind the Queen. Picture: Chris Jackson / AFP.

On stage, Mr Trudeau paid tribute to his grandfather, James Sinclair, before describing the achievements of Charles Cecil Merritt, a Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Australian Lieutenant Commander Scott Roberts, who serves in the Royal Australian Navy as senior warfare officer on the HMS Dragon, also addressed the crowd.

“We look with confidence to the day when all the people of the world may live free lives untouched by tyranny,” he said. “We leave here friends, in fact, in spirit and in purpose.”

Mr Trump gave a religious reading, before a recording of an American’s soldier’s recollections and a swing dance was played.

The D-Day invasion helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany. It was codenamed Operation Overlord and involved more than 150,000 allied troops landing on beaches in France, which was occupied by Germany at the time. It was a major turning point in the defeat of the Nazis, that finally occurred in May 1945.

A massive security presence surrounded the stage at Portsmouth’s Southsea Common, with US agents wearing sunglasses lining the streets, huge steel barriers, police patrolling on horses and a drone ban enforced. Excited crowds sat outside while veterans and special guests passed through metal detectors to enter the secure area.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks on stage. Picture: AP: Photo/Matt Dunham.

Veteran George James said he has struggled to talk about the war in the past and found the event “very emotional”. Picture: Emma Reynolds/News.com.au.

British Navy veteran, 99 year-old John Jenkins spoke on stage. Picture: Chris Jackson / AFP.

British veteran George James, who was 19 when he landed on D-Day with the infantry, said the day had been “brilliant but emotional, very emotional”.

The 94-year-old was with a detachment of six men bringing reserve ammunition from the UK. “We got caught in a bombardment halfway up the beach, dived for cover under a truck that was bogged down, and when the stonking was over we were amazed and horrified to learn that the lorry I’d dived under was full of artillery shells. I was glad to get off that beach.

“We managed to find our unit that afternoon, they thought we were missing believed dead, and on the point of reporting us as such, but we turned up.”

The group helped clear mines for five weeks before they disbanded and Mr James joined another regiment on the front line. He has struggled to talk about his experiences in the past, his brain shutting down before he can recall what he saw on the beach. “I go into a trance,” he said. “I just won’t acknowledge it.”

Asked what he thought of the world leaders attending, he said: “It’s good of them to turn up”.

Mr Trump said he told the Queen about his mother being a fan. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell / POOL / AFP.

Melania Trump dressed in white as she has for many events on the state visit. Picture: Chris Jackson-WPA Pool/Getty Images

Morrison meets Trudeau and Macron on a day of music, dancing, recollection from veterans and tributes from world leaders, including Donald Trump and Theresa May #USStateVisit #DDay75 pic.twitter.com/T7GtaWU5Bh

— Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) June 5, 2019

The stage is set for the 75th D-Day anniversary events in #Portsmouth in the south of England today. Veterans out in force as we await the Queen, Donald Trump, Scott Morrison, Theresa May, Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron #TrumpUKVisit #dday75th pic.twitter.com/vsO46jYrjW

— Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) June 5, 2019

The world leaders and their plus-ones will sit in the white seats in the middle #Portsmouth #TrumpUK #DDay75thAnniversary pic.twitter.com/yI9lTq35Oa

— Emma Reynolds (@emmareyn) June 5, 2019

‘GO AND SORT HITLER OUT’

Three thousand Australian troops were involved in D-Day with only four still alive. Laurie Woods, 95, told an event in Canberra he enlisted at age 19 in 1942. After training for nine months he went to the UK because “someone had to go and sort Hitler out.”

Of the 49 men posted with him, only eight were alive when they flew their last operation in October 1944.

Representatives from the US, Canada, Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland attended the ceremony, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Second World War veteran Lawrence (Laurie) William Woods was part of the D-Day invastion that helped liberate Europe from the Nazis. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said the leaders will reflect on the significant moment in their shared history.

“The global challenges we face today are different in their origin and nature. But as we confront new and evolving threats to our security it is more important than ever that we continue to stand together in upholding our shared values and way of life,” she said.

“As we unite to pay tribute to those whose bravery and sacrifice on the beaches of Normandy marked a turning point in the Second World War, we will vow never to forget the debt we owe them.

The event marks the final day of President Trump’s state visit that has seen him dine with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, blast London mayor Sadiq Khan as a “stone cold loser” and dismiss large protests against him as “fake news.”