Royal Family to Commemorate 80th Anniversary of VE Day

The Royal Family is preparing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) with a series of events. This significant day, May 8, 1945, marked the end of fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe during World War Two. On that day, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced the war's end on the radio following Germany's surrender.

The King and Queen, alongside other members of the Royal Family and the Prime Minister, will participate in several engagements. These include attending a military procession and flypast with Second World War veterans. They will also host a Tea Party at Buckingham Palace for veterans and members of the Second World War generation, including British and Commonwealth Armed Forces veterans, WRENs, Special Operations Executives, and those who contributed to the war effort on the home front, along with their families and carers.

The Queen will view a new display of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London. The Tower will feature a display of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies from a previous commemorative art installation, presented in a new design to reflect the sacrifices made during the Second World War.

On May 8th, the King and Queen, along with other members of the Royal Family, will attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. They will also attend a live celebratory concert from Horse Guards Parade to conclude the national VE Day commemorations, featuring music from the era and stories of Second World War veterans.

In addition to the national commemorations, members of the Royal Family will attend events to mark Liberation anniversaries on behalf of the King. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will attend the official commemoration of the Liberation of Denmark. The Princess Royal, accompanied by Sir Tim Laurence, will visit the Channel Islands to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Guernsey and Sark.