PRINCESS Kate and Prince William have arrived for a poignant VE Day church service in remembrance of those who tragically lost their lives in World War II.
On this day 80 years ago, thousands took to the streets to celebrate the end of six years of bloodshed when Nazi Germany signed an unconditional surrender.
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And today, the King and Queen join the Prince and Princess of Wales at Westminster Abbey in London to remember the fallen.
The Royal Family – alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – will join the nation in two minutes of silence at noon before the service begins.
A number of World War Two veterans are in attendance, as are the speakers of the House of Commons and Lords, who made the traditional walk from Parliament to the church shortly before the service started.
Former prime ministers Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, David Cameron and John Major have all been spotted entering the Abbey.
After the King and Prince of Wales lay wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior – a monument to an unidentified soldier who died in World War One – the address will begin.
The King’s wreath has been adorned with the message: “We will never forget,” while Prince William’s includes a hand-written touching message from himself and Princess Kate.
It reads: “For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them.”
Following this, the King and Queen will then meet veterans in the congregation, following the address from the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.
The prime minister is also expected to perform a reading during the special service.
Queen Camilla will then lead other members of the royal family in laying flowers at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial – in place to remember civilians who tragically died or suffered torture during wars around the world.
Alongside the veterans and members of the royal family at the service are members of the Cabinet and other representatives of Parliament.
Dean of Westminster Dr David Hoyle will be in charge of conducting the service, with tributes directed to the Second World War generation.
The Choir of Westminster will sing hymns and songs to help remember the 384,000 British soldiers who lost their lives over the nearly six-year conflict.
On May 8, 1945, services were held at the Abbey each and every hour, with around 25,000 people attending across the momentous day.
The grand church has continued to regularly mark VE Day since, hosting special remembrance services for the 40th, 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries.
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Today, the Abbey is expecting just over 1,000 worshippers to attend the service.
Later, the Royal British Legion will host an anniversary tea party at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, bringing together World War Two veterans.
A flypast is also scheduled to take place at the touching event.
Then, at 6.30pm, churches and cathedrals across the country will ring out their bells, echoing the sounds which swept across the country 80 years ago today.
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At 8pm, there will be a live concert from Horse Guards Parade in London to celebrate the historic day.
VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember is expected to be attended by as many as 10,000 people.
Zoe Ball will host the two-hour star-packed TV concert from a huge stage in front of the thousands of invitees.
The live two-hour show will bring back the iconic show Dad’s Army, starring Larry Lamb, Nigel Havers and Derek Jacobi.
Three Dames – Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Sheila Hancock – who all remember VE Day in 1945 – will also be on stage.
Succession’s Brian Cox will read Winston Churchill’s Victory speech while Fleur East will open up the show with Strictly dancers Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Lauren Oakley, and Kai Widdrington.
What happened on VE Day in 1945?
On May 8, 1945, people across the UK came together to celebrate the end of nearly six years of war with Nazi Germany.
Deemed Victory in Europe (VE) Day, it marked the surrender of the Nazi regime and the end of suffering and death across the continent.
Bells rang out across the country as VE Day dawned, as Brits celebrated the national holiday with jubilant festivities.
Revellers wore military uniforms as party hats, as millions celebrated with singing and dancing.
At 3pm, as Big Ben struck the hour, Prime Minister Winston Churchill broadcast a short speech explaining the end of the war and Germany’s surrender.
He added: “Long live the cause of freedom!
“God save the King!”
Crowds gathered around Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace, with the then King George and Queen Elizabeth making eight appearances on the famous balcony, alongside their children Elizabeth and Margaret.
At one point, the family were also joined by Churchill.
Throughout the day, Westminster Abbey held services every hour as around 25,000 people attending to remember the war effort and victory as well as the friends and loved ones lost during the brutal conflict.
Across the UK, bunting was put up and furniture hauled outside for street parties, as the nation celebrated unity and victory.
Many children, who had also only known war, tucked into special tables of food prepared for the momentous day.
As evening fell, blackouts finally came to an end, and men, women, and children gazed upon the sight of lit up public buildings and celebratory bonfires.
Later tonight, a thousand beacons will be lit up across the UK, from Land’s End to Golspie, 70 miles south of John O’Groats, as the nation celebrates the anniversary of the end of the war.
Chelsea Pensioner Colin Thackery, who served with the Royal Artillery in Korea and won Britain’s Got Talent in 2019, will lead the country and community choirs singing the hymn I Vow To Thee My Country as the beacons light up the night.
Pubs have also been allowed to stay open until 1am tonight to mark the special occasion, allowing Brits to mark VE Day with a drink late into the evening.
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Commemorations have been taking place over the past four days to mark the momentous occasion.
On Monday, members of the royal family gathered to observe a grand military parade and flypast in central London.
More than 1,000 servicemen and women made the walk from Parliament Square, past the Cenotaph, along Whitehall and The Mall in a touching display.
Then, members of the family retired to Buckingham Palace in order to observe a stunning flypast of 23 military aircraft, both old and new.
The incredible display featured a World War Two-era Lancaster bomber alongside a number of modern RAF aircraft, including Typhoons and F-35 Lightning jets.
MP recalls late grandad who served in RAF
By Mike Ridley
The politician behind this week’s spectacular VE Day celebrations admits that her late grandad who served with the RAF in World War II played a major part in the plans.
Minister for Celebrations Stephanie Peacock told The Sun: “Throughout all of the discussions and planning, thinking of my Grandad Bobby was front and centre in paying tribute to that generation who gave so much during the Second World War.
“People like my grandad were the best of British. It was really important that we give a fitting commemoration and pay tribute to all their sacrifice.”
After working as a cobbler, age 18 Bobby Peacock joined up in 1939 and joined the Home Guard who trained with broomsticks in those early days.
Shortly after he joined the RAF as an electrical engineer working all over the UK on communication equipment for Lancaster and Wellington bombers.
Barnsley MP, Ms Peacock attended the launch in Manchester of a play featuring World War II letters of love.
The Imperial War Museum encouraged families to hunt out their war time letters.
Ms Peacock has found wartime love letters written between her grandad Bobby while he was in the RAF and his girlfriend Louise Weston, who later became his wife.
Playwright James Graham has used real family letters to create The Next Morning, a short play for the National Theatre.
Ms Peacock said: “It’s about waking up the day after VE Day and the hopes and dreams of that generation, people like my granddad Bobby, and their hopes for the future.”
More than 300,000 Brownies and Guides are to be given a VE Day 80 badge to honour girls who helped out during World War II.
Hundreds of Girl Guide leader were sent to Europe to help in the aftermath of D-Day, including working as medics at Belsen concentration camp.
After roaring over thousands of people in the crowd, who had gathered to spot the royals and celebrate the momentous day, the Red Arrows closed the display, releasing their iconic red, white, and blue smoke.
The King and Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children – George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7 – were all in attendance.
After observing the spectacle, members of the Firm then hosted a tea party in Buckingham Palace for veterans of the conflict.
They met with William, Kate, and young George, discussing the stories from their past and emphasising the importance of learning lessons for the future.
On Tuesday, Queen Camilla officially opened the return of ceramic poppies to the Tower of London.
More than 30,000 of the near 900,000 poppies, first shown in 2014, returned to the stunning castle, which was bombed during the war.
The installation, called The Tower Remembers, represents a “wound” across the inner walls of the fortress, symbolising the enduring sacrifices made during the conflict to mark 80 years since the end of the conflict.
Yesterday, the Parliament Choir hosted a Victory in Europe Day anniversary concert in Westminster Hall.
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