Prince William leads Battle of Amiens commemorations

Prince William has given the opening address at the Battle of Amiens commemorations in Northern France.

Following from the Bishop of Amiens' welcome, the Duke of Cambridge took to the lectern with passion as he thanked those of the Allied troops who fought in the battle of 1918, which signalled the end of World War I.

"What began here on 8 August 1918 was truly a coalition operation...a battle in which the forces of many nations came together," he said.

Paying tribute to Australian soldiers, as part of the Allied forces the Duke said the day was one "to honour the fallen of all nations, to commemorate all who took part in this great endeavour and celebrate the bonds of friendship which unite our nations".

While Prince William proudly displayed war medals across his chest, the father-of-three opted for a suit instead of wearing his military uniform.

As he arrived at the Cathedral, the 1,000 people gathered outside cheered loudly for the young Royal, who gave them a little smile and a wave as he walked inside, where another 2,000 people were seated.

The heir-to-the-throne went to the service on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, his second such assignment in recent times, having been to Israel and Palestine recently on behalf of the government also.

This time, the 36-year-old Royal was joined by British Prime Minister Theresa May, who also delivered a speech during the service.

As part of the commemorations, the Duke also met with descendants of those who fought in the battle and lay flowers in the Chapel of Allies, alongside representatives from the other Allied nations as well as Germany, in a symbol of peace.

The commemorations marked the first day of the legendary battle, on August 8, 1918, which saw Australian, British, Canadian, French and US soldiers advance almost 12kms with the three-day campaign eventually leading to the signing of the Armistice, which ended the war after over four years of fighting.