ROYAL THOUGHTS

Prince Charles: Rise of Anti-Immigrant Populism Echoes Nazi Era

“We owe it to those who suffered... not to repeat the horrors of the past.”

Britain’s Prince Charles said on Thursday that the rise of populism, nationalism, and anti-immigrant sentiments across Europe and the U.S. reminds him of the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s which led to the attempted extermination of Jews in Europe. “That nearly 70 years later we should still be seeing such evil persecution is to me beyond all belief,” the prince said during a scripted monologue on BBC Radio 4. “We owe it to those who suffered and died so horribly not to repeat the horrors of the past.” Charles did not directly mention the rising populist leaders throughout Europe or President-elect Donald Trump, but he cautioned against shutting out immigrants and refugees. “We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive to those who adhere to a minority faith,” he continued. “All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s.”