Duke of Kent represents King in Germany on 80th anniversary of Dresden bombing

The Duke of Kent is representing the King at commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied bombing of Dresden.

Edward, the late Queen’s 89-year-old cousin and the oldest working member of the royal family, has travelled to Germany for the solemn ceremonies.

Around 25,000 people were killed in the firestorm and much of the historic baroque city was razed to the ground when British and American bombers launched the devastating aerial raid three months before the end of the Second World War.

The duke will join a human chain around the old town, where hundreds of people stand hand in hand each year to form a protective ring in remembrance of those who died.

He will also attend the official commemoration event in Dresden Town Hall and take part in a moment of reflection at Frauenkirche – the Church of Our Lady – which was destroyed during the assault and later reconstructed.

The church was left in ruins as a memorial to the conflict for more than half a century, representing, for some, a symbol of the aggression of the Allied forces.

It was completely renovated and finally returned to its former glory in 2005 with support from the Dresden Trust.

The rebuilt cross and orb which sits on top of the church’s dome was a gift from the British people to Dresden.

The duke, who has visited the city many times, served as royal patron of the Dresden Trust since it was set up in 1993 to help rebuild the city and build bridges between the UK and Dresden.

He has also been patron of the British German Association since 1994.

The devastating two-day attack by RAF Bomber Command began on February 13 1945 and saw 4,000 tonnes of bombs dropped in the attack.

It has become one of the most controversial Allied acts of the war.

In previous years, the anniversary has been used by far-right groups to stage rallies in the city, which in turn has prompted anti-extremist demonstrations.