An emotional celebration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II began on Monday in and around Buckingham Palace in London with a military parade, speeches and music.
The four-day celebrations began at midday with actor Timothy Spall reading excerpts from the speech delivered on 8 May 1945 by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill, as over 1,000 members of the British armed forces paraded, with seven bands playing period music.
About 10 Ukrainian military personnel were invited in a gesture of support, along with around 50 NATO troops.
'A moral imperative'
King Charles III, dressed in military uniform, Queen Camilla, Prince William and his wife Catherine, along with their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, were present in the stands near Buckingham Palace with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, joined by around 20 war veterans, many of them centenarians.
Thousands gathered along the flag-lined route eagerly awaiting the royal family’s balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace in the early afternoon. Some spent the night there to make sure they did not miss the spectacle of this historic day.
“It’s a moral imperative to be here, especially during times of war,” said Patrick Beacon, 76, who travelled with his wife Catherine from Coventry. “It's so emotional to be here today. Eighty years of peace and peace of mind. Where would we be without them?"
Commemorating 'the courage of an entire generation'
“It’s not often we recall the courage of an entire generation,” added Martin Rizcki, deeply moved to hear Churchill’s words again.
"Peace is never to be taken for granted," King Charles III had stated on 9 April before the European Parliament. Making a reference to the World Wars, he noted that "today, sadly, the echoes of those times – which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history – reverberate across our continent."
The 76-year-old king, undergoing treatment for cancer for 15 months, was expected to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Monday afternoon for a flypast of 23 vintage and modern aircraft following the parade.
The royal family is participating in multiple commemorative events through Thursday.
A debt that can 'never fully be repaid' - Starmer
On 8 May 1945, from the same balcony, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, flanking Winston Churchill, had waved with their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret to tens of thousands of Londoners celebrating what Churchill called “Victory in Europe Day” (VE Day).
In the evening, the princesses, aged 19 and 14, were permitted to leave the palace incognito to join the jubilant crowds, a night that Elizabeth, later the queen, described 40 years later as “one of the most memorable nights of my life.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made reference to the debt of gratitude owed to those who consented to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country eight decades ago. “VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid,” he wrote on X.
Monday's agenda included a reception at Buckingham Palace to honour around 50 veterans and individuals from that generation.
Pubs to close two hours later ...
Britons have also been invited to participate in hundreds of parties, picnics, exhibitions, and commemorations across the country.
On Tuesday, Queen Camilla will visit the Tower of London to admire an installation of some 30,000 ceramic poppies, symbolising war victims, and many buildings, including the Palace of Westminster, will be illuminated as night falls.
The celebrations will conclude on Thursday with a national minute of silence at noon (11:00 GMT), and a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey attended by the royal family, followed by a concert at Horse Guards Parade in London.
Pubs have been permitted to stay open two hours later as part of these celebrations.
Although younger generations are more indifferent, these events are particularly significant as it is probably the last occasion where there will still be survivors from the WWII era, noted University College London historian and monarchy expert Robert Hazell.
