King Charles honours holocaust survivor who refused to let hatred win

King Charles has paid a deeply personal tribute following the death of Holocaust survivor and Anne Frank’s stepsister, Eva Schloss, who passed away in London on January 3 at the age of 96.

The King, alongside Queen Camilla, said they were “heartbroken” by the loss of a woman whose life story stood as a powerful rebuke to hatred and intolerance. 

Reflecting on her legacy, he praised Eva’s extraordinary strength, describing her as someone who transformed unimaginable trauma into a lifelong mission of education, compassion and courage.

Born Eva Geiringer in Vienna in 1929, her early life was shattered by the rise of Nazism.

After fleeing to the Netherlands, Eva and her family spent two years in hiding before being betrayed to the Nazis in 1944. 

On her 15th birthday, she and her mother were deported to Auschwitz, where Eva survived typhus and was forced to sort the belongings of those sent to their deaths.

Her father and brother did not survive the camp. Eva and her mother were liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945.

Rather than retreat from the past, Eva chose to confront it head-on, becoming a tireless voice for Holocaust remembrance and co-founding the Anne Frank Trust UK in 1991.

Queen Camilla worked closely with Eva through the charity, while King Charles was memorably photographed dancing alongside her and fellow survivors during a visit to a Jewish community centre in 2022.

In a moving statement, the King said he and Queen Camilla felt “privileged and proud” to have known Eva, adding that her life’s work would continue to resonate for generations.

Eva’s family also released a heartfelt message, expressing pride in her achievements while asking for privacy as they grieve. 

They confirmed plans for a memorial event at a later date, noting that her legacy will live on through the books, films and educational resources she leaves behind.