Prince William and Princess Kate share touching message following royal’s Brazil visit

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a touching message following the sad death of Manfred Goldberg, a Holocaust survivor who dedicated his life to educating people about the horrors he and many others had experienced. In a message shared on their social media pages, and personally signed off by the couple, they said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manfred Goldberg. Having joined him on a visit to Stutthof, we witnessed first-hand his extraordinary strength, grace and dedication to sharing his story. His tireless work to educate young people about the Holocaust will never be forgotten.”

Kate has met Manfred on several occasions, and back in 2021, she was left visibly moved when she heard about his experiences. The royal was with Manfred and fellow Holocaust survivor, Zigi Shipper, who passed away in 2023, to mark International Holocaust Day. Kate had previously met with the two survivors in 2017, when she toured Poland with her husband.

Their royal tour saw them visit the Stutthof concentration camp, which held both Manfred and Zigi; it was one of the last concentration camps to be liberated by the Allied forces towards the end of World War II, and it’s believed that between 63,000 and 65,000 of its prisoners died, including 28,000 Jews.

Manfred also met with King Charles back in January, when the monarch hosted three organisations on Holocaust Memorial Day. The King spoke to Manfred about his overseas trip to Poland, which marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of concentration camps. Charles told Manfred at the time: “I feel I must [go] for the 80th anniversary. It’s so important.”

In his own tribute to Manfred, Charles said: “My wife and I were most deeply saddened to hear the news of Manfred Goldberg’s recent death and, together with everyone present, mourn his great loss in our hearts and souls. Above all, it meant more to me than I can ever say to have been able to wish the fondest of farewells, a few weeks ago, to a truly special human being, in whose eyes shone the light of true redemption and humanity.

“As a survivor of the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, I am so proud that he found refuge in Britain, where he would later tell the world of the unimaginable atrocities he had witnessed as a young boy — an enduring reminder for our generation, and generations as yet unborn, of the depths of depravity and evil to which humankind can fall, when reason, compassion and truth are forsaken.”

The message continued: “Indeed, I was profoundly moved to hear Manfred’s recollections at this year’s reception to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and, more recently, during his investiture ceremony. Together with other Holocaust survivors, he became an integral part of the fabric of our nation; his extraordinary dignity, resolve and courage an example to us all, which will forever be remembered. It was the greatest privilege and joy to have known him and my prayers are with his dear family and those who grieve with them.”

When Zigi died on 18 January 2023, William and Kate said: “In 2017, we had the honour to meet Holocaust survivor, Zigi Shipper on our visit to Stutthof. We were sad to learn earlier today of his passing. He will be truly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. W&C.”

Manfred’s life

Manfred was born on 21 April 1930 in Kassel, Germany. At the outbreak of World War II, his father was able to escape the country, but Manfred and other members of his family weren’t so lucky. In December 1941, he and his mother, Rosa, and brother, Hermann, were detained at the Riga Ghetto, before being moved to Stutthof. Hermann sadly died before being liberated, but following the end of the war, Manfred and Rosa were reunited with his father.

After coming to the United Kingdom, Manfred learnt English and completed an engineering degree. However, he dedicated the rest of his life to educating people about the horrors of the Holocaust, and he was still touring schools at the start of the year. In September, he was awarded an MBE by the King in recognition of his services to Holocaust remembrance and education.

William’s Brazil trip

The sad news came just as the Prince of Wales was finishing his trip to Brazil for his Earthshot Prize and to attend COP30. During one of his final engagements in the South American country, William made an impromptu visit to meet indigenous leaders at a botanical garden in the Amazonian city of Belem.

The royal met representatives from Tenure Facility, a finalist in the 2025 Earthshot Prize category Restore and protect nature, at the Museu Emilio Goeldi, the Amazon’s oldest museum, which is surrounded by a park containing more than 3,000 botanical species. The organisation aims to help indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local communities secure ancestral land rights, enabling them to protect the land for generations to come.