CARENTAN-LES-MARAIS, France (AP) — The bride and groom are nearly 200 years old together. But they were married in 1945 after World War II. Veteran Harold Terence He and his girlfriend, Jeanne Swearin, proved that love is eternal on Saturday when they were married inland from the D-Day beaches of Normandy, France.
The husband was 100 years old and the wife was 96 years young, and their wedding was their first celebration in nearly two centuries.
Terence called it “the best day of his life.”
On the way to the wedding, the bubbly bride said, “Love isn’t just for the young, you know? We get our hearts racing too. And a little action, too.”
The location was Carentan’s elegant stone town hall, a key first objective on D-Day, the scene of fierce fighting after the Allied landings on June 6, 1944. Ridding Europe of the tyranny of Adolf Hitler.
Like other towns and villages along the Normandy coast, where some 160,000 Allied soldiers landed and came under fire on five code-named beaches, this is a vibrant centre of memory and peace. 80th Anniversary Celebration That day, the accomplishments and sacrifices of these young men and women were honoured, the grounds were decked out in flags and bunting, and veterans were celebrated like rock stars.
As Glenn Miller’s swing music and other period music echoed through the streets, well-wishers had already lined up behind the fence outside City Hall an hour before the wedding.
After both said “yes” to the vows read by the deputy mayor, the couple grabbed champagne glasses and waved to the enthusiastic crowd gathered outside.
The crowd chanted “La Marie!” (The Bride!) as Jeanne wore a long, flowing bright pink dress, while Harold looked dapper in a light blue suit.
And they are expected to have a special wedding night party: They have been invited to a state dinner at the Elysee Palace on Saturday night. President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe BidenThe mayor said:
The wedding was symbolic and not legally binding — Mayor Jean-Pierre Launeur’s office said he does not have the authority to marry foreigners who are not residents of Carentan, and that the couple, who are Americans, have not requested legally binding marriage vows — but they can return to Florida at any time to complete the process if they wish.
Ronneau likes to say that Normandy is effectively America’s 51st state, out of respect and gratitude for the sacrifices of veterans and the tens of thousands of Allied soldiers who never made it home from the Battle of Normandy.
Jane O’Reilly, 73, was among the spectators who woke up early to catch a glimpse of the happy couple, wearing her mother Louise’s 1940s dress and red beret.
“It’s really moving to get married at that age,” she says. “If it brings happiness to the last few years of your life, that’s great.”
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See more AP coverage of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings: https://apnews.com/live/d-day-80th-anniversary-updates