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June 6th - Veterans of World War 2 will again be gathering on the Normandy beaches to pay tribute to fallen comrades & bear witness to the sacrifice of the thousands of service personnel who liberated Europe from German oppression.
The primary reason that H.M. Queen Elizabeth should have been invited to attend the ceremonies on June 6th, is that she is not only Head of State of Great Britain but also representative for the Commonwealth countries, whose peoples also gave their lives for the cause of Freedom. The Queen is the only surviving Head of State who took part in the War effort, as did Prince Philip, who should also have been invited to be present at the last 'official' occasion for these services.
The French and the British Government should take equal blame for this appalling lack of courtesy, respect and commonsense in neglecting to invite the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, whilst seeking to cosy up to the American President.
What a bright pair Sarkozy & Brown are - typical politicians heaping blame on each other. What a cartoon couple they make! Brown-nosing around for any photo opportunity to appear caring about others besides himself, while his French counterpart Sar 'kozeys' up to anyone he thinks will raise his public image!
The Channel Islands were occupied by the Germans but I now think they are preferable to many present day ministers, Prime, First, President or otherwise; at least we knew what the Germans stood for.

- Anne, Guernsey, Guernsey, 02/06/2009 21:24
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It comes to something when the US president has to prompt the French to invite the Queen. Sarkozy has got it totally wrong. The invitation should, in the first instance, have gone to the Queen in her capacity as Head of State. She would then decide who would attend. Silly Frenchman!

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 02/06/2009 15:12
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what's it got to do with obama !!!! its our country so keep your nose out

- Ronnie, london, 02/06/2009 14:54
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Who's hand do we think the veterans will want to shake? Sarkozy a PR man in cuban heels, El Gordo our Marxist dictator, or the Queen? The ceremony is supposed to be for them not the engrandisment of politicians or advancement of wrongheaded politics.

- Mark, London, 02/06/2009 14:38
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Interesting that Obama, an American, understands the importance that the Queen be at the ceremonies, more so than Brown, the PM of GB. Of course, Brown isn't English and the Scots have never forgiven the Union Act.

- Doug, San Antonio, Texas, 02/06/2009 14:23
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What on earth is Anil Chatterjee going on about!!! Sarkozy is not stopping the Queen it is BROWN again. Wake up Anil!

- Richard K, Nottingham, 02/06/2009 14:14
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"When I warned them (the French Government) that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did, their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, "In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken." Some chicken! Some neck!".

- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
(Speech to Canadian Parliament 1941)

- Frank, Home Counties, England., 02/06/2009 14:12
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It is so obvious that Brown was going to ignore these "tiresome old people" who risked everything for a noble and worthwhile cause, until - oh shock!! - he realised Barak was going to be there, and he could try and Brown-nose up to Obama - then suddenly he found time in his calendar. Never mind that our beloved head of state was snubbed, insulted, ridiculed in the world press by this act of pitiful self-aggrandisement, as long as ZaNuLabour's spin machine thought they'd get a few "nearly-dead veteran" votes out of it. you make me vomit, Brown.

- Johnny, Beijing, China, 02/06/2009 14:12
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To Harvey of London: Obama intervened to set the record straight on behalf of the US, as this was being billed as a "franco-american only" event; and to let the French and others know exactly how the US feels about this insult to the Queen and the British people. For him to attend and say nothing would have been viewed as an agreement

- Pam, Michigan, USA, 02/06/2009 14:10
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Trevn - Have you not heard about a country called Russia. I think they stood up to the Germans as well and I think the French would probably be talking Russian now if we hadn't stepped in. Also over 100,000 french troops were evacuated from Dunkirk and returned to fight the Germans. You have a very simplistic view of WW2.

- Alex C, London, 02/06/2009 14:04
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What a shambles, what an insult, and what a shameful disgrace this "PM" of ours is - the Queen must be absolutely fuming, whatever Buckingham Palace says publicly. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the next audience that dour, incompetent, rude, worthless, unelected Scottish misery Brown has with her.....

- Johnny, Beijing, China, 02/06/2009 14:02
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Some people are misunderstanding the situation. The French Invited the UK to send representatives. It was up to Gordon Brown who they were to be. Protocol is that the Queen has to be invited to represent the country by the Prime Minister; she must never do the asking.

While most countries deemed it was right that the Head of State of their respective countries should go, Gordon Brown thought he was more important than the Head of State.

- Ian, Reading, England, 02/06/2009 13:50
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I for one am glad to see that Her Majesty is not involving herself in this belated attempt to invite her to France on 6th June. She can hold her head higher than any of the fifth rate, grubby politicians who have tainted this anniversary with their devious shenanigans. We who are of an age do not need to be reminded of what sacrifices were made during WW2, by Commonwealth forces, Americans, Free French and other European nations who fought and died on that day.
We will remember them thankfully, without the distraction of machiavellian politicians on either side of the English Channel.

- James Edwards, Dineault, France, 02/06/2009 13:45
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Utter disgrace. Out of all of those attending she is the only person entitled to be there by virtue of the fact that she lived through the war. The rest of them weren't even born. Completely incompetent arrogance on the part of governments across Europe.

- Geraldine, London, 02/06/2009 13:21
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Can some one please, please, persuade our Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown PC MP to have politically inspired "swine flu" and not appear at the celebration.

- Donald Smith, London, 02/06/2009 13:15
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Winston Churchill got it right (again) when he said, "The French owe us too much to ever forgive us".

- Anil Chatterjee, Manchester, 02/06/2009 13:13
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the utter cheek of the self centred president of the french republic he should remember that americam and british lives were lost ridding their coumtry on the nazi's this is the ultamate insult maybe the queen should invite sarcze to the 600th annivarsay of azincourt in 2015 as revenge (hehehe)

- David Holdsworth, london, 02/06/2009 12:49
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Obama should mind his own business.
Our Queen is quite independent and can make her own decisions,one of which should be to dissolve this Parliament,being the will of the majority of her subjects.

- Harvey Lawrence, London, 02/06/2009 12:47
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Playing down the D-Day celebrations fits right in with the E.U.'s agenda for a new country, where the historic squabbling between the provinces can be forgotten. WWII isn't taught in the schools any more, and the generation with any first-hand memory of it will shortly be gone. The pending ratification of the E.U. Constitution (aka Lisbon Treaty), with its formal recognition of 27 merged countries, is the antithesis to remembrance of D-Day. The British people have lost their country without any say in the matter! A totally unbelievable scenario to those who bravely went forth two generations ago, willing to give their all to preserve U.K. sovereignty. The scandal of the U.K. being turned from country to province in only 40 years towers above all of the current petty financial shenanigans at Westminster. A territory once so proudly self-governing now being run from offshore! A once proud British people now on the eve of a change to European nationality.

- Phil Jones, London UK, 02/06/2009 12:38
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Oh dear, Mr Brown is eventually going to fall into the big hole he has dug for himself. It's direspectful that the Queen was not invited, afterall she's Browns boss and he is her servant, to run the country on her behalf.

Response to Peter H: The Yanks helped during the war,as well.So Obama is right to speak up.

- Triffidqueen, Desk in London, 02/06/2009 12:38
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Gordon Brown and his champagne socialists will never be forgiven for this. The Queen stands in stark contrast to this moneygrabbing bunch of thieves. I will remember this come election day.

- Kaz, London UK, 02/06/2009 12:34
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Brown will now be falling all over himself to say the right thing. He had to get in there feigning concern over the breakdown of the Boyle woman. Yet when it comes to something important that really matters to the nation.... all we hear from No 10 is a deafening silence.

I'm no royalist and am often struck by the futility of war. But even I appreciate that we must never forget those who fought for our country and our freedom. This omission of Gordon Brown is a slap in the faces of all our war veterans, those currently in the armed forces, our queen and indeed the country.

What will this excuse of a PM get right?

- Goggs, London, 02/06/2009 12:31
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It would make the lack of manners even worse if she were invited at the last minute. Government by knaves and fools hardly does it justice.

- Mikes, London, 02/06/2009 12:30
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Gordon is like an old drunk trying to find his way home at night. The man is a walking disaster area.

- Ge, The free people of Kernow, 02/06/2009 12:22
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Obama is speaking for many of us here in the US who feel it was a horrendous insult to the Queen not to have been invited to the ceremonies. Shame on Brown that it has taken intervention from other heads of state to try to rectify this mistake; he should have been doing that himself early on, on behalf of the British people, instead of planning another photo op

- Pam, Michigan, USA, 02/06/2009 12:09
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The Queen is the only one of the current heads of state who actually lived and worked during the war - unbelievable that the French didn't think that an invitation should be extended to the Queen.

- Andy, london, 02/06/2009 12:01
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Best not to associate with these back slapping, self promoting lot of politicians, Your Majesty !

- Brian Hughes, Llandudno. North Wales. U.K., 02/06/2009 11:59
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The British Government had no intention of celebrating the 65th Anniversary in spite of the fact it was likely to be the last time many of the veterans could have attend.

The change occured after Obama decided to go. Then Gordon couldn't get to the photo opportunity fast enough. If the Queen had gone she would have ruined Brown's opportunity.

- David Burns, Beckenham, 02/06/2009 11:37
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Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown couldn't organise a chimps tea party. i think the veterans realise the respect both queen and majority of the public have for them. the point of the anniversary should not be overlooked.

- Jonny, London, 02/06/2009 11:31
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So really this is Gordon the Scot who failed to invite The Queen? What a disgustingly rude and unbelievable attempt at one-upmanship.

Come on your Majesty, dissolve parliament and get rid of the bafoon, the country will thank you.

- Stephen, London, 02/06/2009 11:23
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The French midget should be told he would be speaking German if it was not for Britain. Our war was 1939-45, while the Yanks it was 1942-45. Whilst the rest of Europe either surrendered or collaborated (the French did both)with the Germans Britain and BRITAIN ALONE stood up to them

- Trevn, Abu Dhabi, 02/06/2009 10:56
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i think it was a disgrace of both Sarkozy and Brown not to invite the Queen, both the Queen and the duke lived through the war.
Shame on Sarkozy and Brown

- Mario Kempe, london, 02/06/2009 10:55
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Looks like young Obama has more sense and respect for the Queen than our own self-important PM and that arrogant French Sarkozy.

- K Lee, Cheshunt, UK, 02/06/2009 10:28
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I am more than happy that the President has weighed in. Gordon Brown clearly has no sense, even if he has been ill-advised. Gordon Brown should stand down at D-Day 65 in favour of a royal representative. Good bye Gordon Brown - you won't be at D-Day 66 or anything else after 3 June 2010. Three cheers!

- Lester May, London, 02/06/2009 10:25
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Indeed, it also reflects the extreme chaos inside The White House. It has as much to do with Obama as it does with Mr Brown and Mr Sarkozy. What a crew we have that the Queen does not need to be in company with.

- A. James, San Antonio, USA, 02/06/2009 10:11
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How typical of the French.

The 65th D-Day remembrance ceremony: A day to commemorate when British, American and all other combined allied forces launched a bloody and brutal campaign (from Britain) to free the French, and in return the French refuse to invite the British Head of State - in what can only be a calculated insult.

And how typical of the Americans, still looking out for Britain's well-being, (only this time trying to defend us from insults, not war).

Oh well, even after all these decades it's still patently obvious who our true friends are.

Anyone remember why we joined with the French in the EU again? They only seem to remember us when it's time to receive our cheques for their CAP payments...

- John T, London, 02/06/2009 10:11
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".. an invitation had been extended to the Government .."

Brown had to request this invitation. Originally their was going to be no official representation by Britain.

Our glorious socialist betters decided sometime ago that we would not celebrate this D-Day.

This corrupt incompetent out of touch Labour government are singularly responsible for this fiasco.

Funny really, when you pander to the minorities and turn your back on the majority, you become a minority yourself. I hope the other main stream parties are taking note.

Democracy means rule by the majority.

- Frank, Home Counties, England., 02/06/2009 10:10
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What has this got to do with Mr Obama ? Gordon Brown's response to an invitation should have been: "I can't represent the UK. I'm not the Head of State." But perhaps he thinks he should be. Apart from the gross disrespect to Her Majesty, a veteran. This must reflect the chaos going on inside No.10. A dreadful blunder.

- Peter Haldane, London, 02/06/2009 09:46
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