British Royal Family Spark Outrage By Declining To Attend WWII Evacuations Anniversary

Britain's royal family has sparked outrage by declining to attend an anniversary of the World War II evacuations. No one from the royal family has yet agreed to go to a ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the 70th anniversary of the mass evacuations - known as Operation Pied Piper - when war broke out.

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Representatives for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles have declined invitations from the Evacuees Reunion Association.

Organizer James Roffey, of the Evacuees Reunion Association, told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper: "I wrote to the queen because there is such a special link with evacuees. Her first broadcast on the radio, when she was Princess Elizabeth, was to us in 1940."

"She told us all would be well in the end and finished by wishing us, 'Goodnight and good luck to you all'. I reminded her of that broadcast. I also wrote to Prince Charles and Clarence House. But the only letters we got back began 'We regret...'"

"We're extremely disappointed. Some of our members are coming from the other side of the world and they have expressed great surprise and dismay that no one from the royal family will be there."

An estimated three million children were forced to flee their homes to escape the heavy bombing.

Prince Charles is believed to have been "disappointed" he cannot attend, while Buckingham Palace said it is impossible for the queen to accept every invitation she receives.

More than 2,000 former evacuees are set to attend the ceremony on September 1.