Britain is marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day this week with four days of commemorations honoring the end of World War II on the continent, as well as those who served and perished during the conflict.
The official surrender of Nazi Germany to Allied forces took place on May 8, 1945, ending a brutal war that claimed tens of millions of lived and reshaped global history.
London’s commemorations began Monday when Big Ben, the clock and bell in Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament, struck at midday and extracts from wartime leader Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech echoed across the capital.
A military parade, featuring members of the United Kingdom’s armed forces, marched from parliament to Buckingham Palace. It was watched by King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. More events, including a flypast of historic aircraft, are planned for Monday afternoon, a public holiday in the United Kingdom.
Members of the British royal family attending Monday’s procession wore uniforms chosen to reflect both personal military ties and historical resonance. King Charles wore a Naval No.1 uniform with no medals or decorations – mirroring the attire of his grandfather, King George VI, who stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony on VE Day in 1945. Queen Camilla appeared beside him in a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat, adorned with a 12th Royal Lancers Brooch – honoring her late father’s regiment.
Events will continue across the UK this week. On Tuesday, 30,000 ceramic poppies will be installed at the Tower of London to remember those killed in conflict. Elsewhere, historic landmarks across the UK will be illuminated in the national colors of red, white and blue.
VE Day itself, Thursday, will include a national two-minute silence at midday, a service at Westminster Abbey attended by the King and Queen, and a large-scale concert at Horse Guards Palace. Later, 2,500 beacons will be lit across the UK.
Eighty years ago, the nation erupted in joy as news of the surrender broke. In London, the late Queen Elizabeth, then a 19-year-old princess, and her younger sister Margaret famously slipped out of Buckingham Palace to join the revelers.
But this year, the commemorative mood comes amid renewed tensions within the royal family. Just days ago, Prince Harry revealed that his father, King Charles, no longer speaks to him and that he cannot imagine bringing his family back to the UK after losing a court case over his security arrangements on Friday.