Commemorating the 18 June Appeal by General de Gaulle

This Thursday, 18 June 2026, a large number of French citizens living in the United Kingdom gathered in London to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June, delivered by General de Gaulle in 1940.This call to resist the German occupying forces in France had been broadcast from London on the BBC.

Presided over by Hélène Duchêne, the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, accompanied by Vincent Caure, MP for French Citizens residing in Northern Europe, the ceremony — lasting approximately forty minutes — took place at 11 o'clock around the statue of General de Gaulle at Carlton Gardens, a location of great symbolic importance in French history in London, where General de Gaulle once established the headquarters of the Free French Forces.

The ceremony began with a military parade, followed by a series of speeches underscoring the importance of the Franco-British alliance. The singing of the Marseillaise, followed by a minute's silence, brought the commemorative event to a close.
Gathered around the statue of General de Gaulle, citizens, institutional representatives and military personnel came together to mark this historic date.

Marlène Dbouk, Secretary General of the Renaissance party for French citizens abroad and Councillor for French Citizens Abroad, stated that it is "always an honour to take part in this ceremony in tribute to General de Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June. What moves me most deeply is witnessing the transmission of memory between veterans and young pupils from French schools. In this passing of the torch between generations, there is something profoundly moving: the determination not to forget those who fought for our freedom, and to keep their legacy alive for the young."

A sentiment echoed by Christophe Noblet, Councillor for French Citizens Abroad, who noted that "this ceremony of 18 June builds a rare bridge between our veterans and the younger generation. The words of that era speak to us of freedom, courage and resistance, and resonate today with a particular urgency — reminding us, in troubled international times, why preserving this memory remains a duty."

Patricia Connell, former President of the London Consular Council and Councillor for French Citizens Abroad, declared: "This ceremony holds a deeply personal significance for me. My father answered the Appeal of 18 June by enlisting among the Free French. To be here today in London, in the very place where General de Gaulle made that historic appeal, is particularly moving. His commitment reminds me that freedom, democracy and peace are never to be taken for granted. It is now our turn to keep this memory alive and pass it on to future generations."

In keeping with these tributes and testimonies, the ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths, bearing witness to the attachment of the French community in the United Kingdom to the duty of remembrance and to the values embodied by the Appeal of 18 June.