Every ten years, the commemorative ceremonies of the Normandy landings take on an international character in the presence of a large number of heads of state. This tradition dates back to the fortieth anniversary that brought together François Mitterrand, Elizabeth II, Ronald Reagan, Baudoin I, Beatrix I, or Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Only absent in the photo: German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, despite his repeated requests! No matter! Rebroadcast on televisions around the world, the event was meant to be grandiose.