In honor of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, King Charles and Queen Camilla have organized a tea party at Buckingham Palace to honor war veterans. The royal couple will also be present on the Palace balcony to witness a flypast and attend a celebratory concert marking the end of World War Two in Europe.
The commemorative events will kick off on 5 May with a military procession consisting of 1,300 members of the armed forces. The procession will commence at Parliament Square, with a recitation of Winston Churchill’s iconic VE Day speech scheduled to coincide with Big Ben striking 12:00 BST.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has revealed that the procession will move along the Mall, with the King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in attendance. The flypast will showcase the Red Arrows and a selection of historic World War Two aircraft.
Subsequent to the procession, a tea party will be hosted in the gardens of Buckingham Palace for approximately 50 veterans, their families, and other members of the wartime generation. The bunting for the event will be crafted using recycled fabrics. Further events are planned for the week, including a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on 8 May, the actual anniversary date, followed by an evening concert at Horse Guards Parade featuring performances by Samantha Barks, Toploader, and a nostalgic revival of the BBC wartime comedy Dad’s Army.
These commemorative events for VE Day 80 hold particular significance as they are likely to represent the final major anniversary that will include a substantial number of veterans who served in World War Two. As part of the military procession, a Torch for Peace will be passed between a youth representative and 100-year-old World War Two veteran Alan Kennett. Kennett recounted his vivid memories of the war’s end in 1945 and expressed his privilege at being able to participate in the 80th anniversary celebrations. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy emphasized the importance of honoring this generation of heroes before it becomes too late
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