King Charles will stand shoulder to shoulder with his family including the Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to honour Britain’s war heroes and mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
The King will be joined by his closest family for an historic moment on the Buckingham Palace balcony with a spectacular flypast to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Four days of commemorations will mark the end of the Second World War in Europe, starting on bank holiday Monday, May 5.
To kick off events around the country, the Cenotaph will be dressed in Union flags while the royals will view a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace, followed by a flypast by current and historic aircraft, and the Red Arrows display team in central London. The parade will pass the famous balcony where Winston Churchill appeared before the crowds on VE Day after his famous speech to mark Victory in Europe. As the parade enters Horse Guards Parade the flypast will take place.
After a tumultuous year, where Charles has battled cancer and been faced with a range of controversial family issues at the heart of the monarchy, the King wants to appear shoulder to shoulder with his loved ones to honour Britain’s war heroes. The King will be joined by the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, who will celebrate her tenth birthday on May 2 and Prince Louis, who will then be seven.
The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also be in attendance, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children Lady Louise, 21 and James, Earl of Wessex, 17. Other working members of the royal family including the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent if he is well enough to attend are also likely to be included.
A source said: “His Majesty is dedicated to bring his family and the country together in honour of Britain’s war dead and recreate the sense of community that came with the celebrations to mark VE Day. The four days of commemorations will be a fantastic opportunity for the country to unite for such a special occasion, 80 years after victory was declared in Europe.”
The commemorations will pay tribute to the millions of people across the UK and Commonwealth who served in the Second World War, telling the stories of those who fought, the children who were evacuated, and those who stepped into the essential roles on the Home Front.
Victory in Europe (VE Day), which takes place on Thursday May 8, marks the Allied victory in Europe. The news resulted in millions celebrating the end of the war, with street parties, dancing and singing across the country. Further commemorations are planned in the summer to mark the end of the war in the Far East which did not end until August 15, 1945 with VJ Day (Victory Over Japan). Street parties, barbecues and community get togethers will also be held across the country as well as a ceremony on HMS Belfast.
As the country gears up for the four day extravaganza with one month to go, it can be revealed today that stars of the screen and stage will join the commemorations. The National Theatre’s new film ‘The Next Morning’, written by stage and screen writer James Graham for the occasion, will feature award-winning actors Julian Glover, Siân Phillips, and Joseph Mydell.
Released online on May 8, the short film will take viewers through a series of intimate, interconnected stories, exploring intergenerational perspectives on the end of the Second World War.
Elsewhere, stars of stage and screen will take part in a major VE Day 80 concert on Thursday 8 May. The concert will be broadcast live on BBC One at 8pm and will include performances, readings and poignant moments that will tell the story of VE Day and the nation’s reaction to the end of the Second World War 80 years ago. More than 12,500 people are expected to be in attendance, including a number of Second World War veterans.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “It is absolutely right that we ensure that the stories of those who lived through and fought in the Second World War are remembered by generations to come. Through the National Theatre, the VE Day 80 concert and our UK wide exhibition, we will bring to life the stories of those no longer with us so that the next generation are able to honour their sacrifice and recognise the legacy of peace that they fought to secure.”
Tickets for the VE Day 80 concert are being allocated to people across the country from the networks of organisations connected to VE Day including the Royal British Legion, British Evacuees Association and Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said more than 2,500 young people including all 12 Uniformed Youth groups, Duke of Edinburgh ambassadors and Commonwealth Scholars will also watch the concert live on Horse Guards Parade “to ensure that the legacy of the stories of our veterans are saved for the next generation”.
To bring the commemorations to communities across the country, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) will kick off the ‘For Evermore Tour’ that will see a UK interactive mobile exhibition bring to life Second World War histories and stories. The tour will begin in Coventry, the city that suffered the single most concentrated air attack on a British city during the Second World War and then travel to iconic locations and landmarks across the UK. Events will be held internationally at several commemorative sites in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, highlighting the global stories of all those who fought for the UK and Commonwealth in the Second World War.
Director General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Claire Horton CBE said: “As the world wars fade from living memory, we urge everyone to take time to take part in these important commemorations.”
