King Charles has offered condolences to the step-sister of Anne Frank and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"We both are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute shared via social media.
He added, "The horrors that she endured as a teenager are difficult to fathom and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Patron.
In the Second World War era, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They lived as refugees in the Netherlands before being captured and sent to the notorious Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Red Army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both perished in the camps.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—known as Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived internment by the Nazis.
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to prevent history from repeating itself.
"I have worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Every individual you convince not to be racist is a positive."
In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated to London to study photography. There she met her husband, Zvi Schloss, a German Jew who had fled to Palestine during the war.
The couple settled in London and became UK citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
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