Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, paid tribute to Belgian soldiers and citizens who lost their lives during the First World War in a speech at Liege on Monday.

Speaking at a commemoration to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, the Duke He paid special tribute to the people of Belgium, whose resistance he said "was as gallant as their suffering was great."

He was joined by over 80 representatives from countries, including the French and German presidents and the Belgian prime minister, in paying tribute to the victims of the conflict.

In the city that saw the first battle of the war on Belgian soil, the Duke said that "the magnificent war memorial where we gather today honors the city of Liege and its people for their courageous resistance in 1914. But the memorial, and this ceremony, also honors all Belgians, who fought, suffered and died in the Great War."

"Your great sacrifice and your contribution to eventual victory was pivotal. Belgium's resistance in 1914 allowed the Allies to re-group and draw up the battle lines which became the infamous trenches. These trenches have left an indelible scar on your land - they speak of the horrors of war but also of your forebears’ courage. That courage was shown not just by your Armed Forces but by your civilian populations."

He said that many nations, including the United Kingdom, "owe a great deal of gratitude" to the Belgian people for their part in the war.

He also spoke about the spirit of reconciliation that marked the occasion. "We were enemies more than once in the last century, and today we are friends and allies. We salute those who died to give us our freedom. We will remember them," he said.

The speech by the Duke was part of a series of commemorations in the city of Liege, which marked the outbreak of hostilities in the country.

The Duke is also due to attend a separate memorial ceremony at the Saint Symphorien cemetery in Mons, the burial place of both British and German soldiers, on August 4. Endit

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