EDINBURGH.- Twelve portraits of D-Day veterans will go on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse from Friday, 15 January. The exhibition, The Last of the Tide (until 28 March 2016), pays tribute to the extraordinary men that played a role in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, and includes a number of portraits depicting veterans from Scotland. It was commissioned by HRH The Duke of Rothesay following his attendance at the 70th anniversary commemorations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, which took place in France in 2014.

The largest amphibious invasion in history, the D-Day landings involved some 7,700 ships and 12,000 aircraft and led to the liberation of German-occupied France. On the eve of D-Day General Eisenhower sent a message to all troops in which he declared, 'The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!'.

The 12 veterans, shown wearing their medals, all served in regiments with which TRH The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay have a formal association. Unique and poignant, the D-Day portraits have been created by 12 different artists, among them Jonathan Yeo, and first prize winners of the BP Portrait Award, Catherine Goodman, James Lloyd, Ishbel Myerscough and Stuart Pearson Wright.

A keen artist himself, in 2000 HRH The Duke of Rothesay commissioned 15 portraits of surviving servicemen by alumni and faculty of The Royal Drawing School (previously known as The Prince’s Drawing School), to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

HRH The Duke of Rothesay wrote in the accompanying catalogue, 'I am delighted to introduce this exhibition of portraits of veterans of the D-Day landings and very much hope that all who see it will share my belief that this wonderful collection of paintings captures the spirit, resolve, warmth and humanity of these remarkable men. It seemed to me a tragedy that there were no portraits of D-Day veterans, hence this collection of remarkable old soldiers from the regiments of which my wife and I are Colonel or Colonel-in-Chief.'

The exhibition has been put together by The Royal Drawing School in collaboration with Royal Collection Trust. Catherine Goodman, Artistic Director at The Royal Drawing School, artist, and curator of the exhibition, said, 'This is a wonderful exhibition that brings together portraits of extraordinary people by some of the UK’s best known portrait artists.'

Aberdeen-based veteran Eric Johnstone, Trooper with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards said, 'I am proud to have served in a victorious British Army, and am very conscious of the sacrifice of many of my comrades. History should be remembered, and I am grateful to The Prince of Wales for commissioning this exhibition.'