King Charles will be joined by senior royals and veterans as he leads the nation in events to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
Thousands are expected to line the streets of central London to watch a grand military procession and a Red Arrows flypast commemorating the victory of Britain and its allies over Nazi Germany on 8 May 1945.
Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech will be read out by actor Timothy Spall to open proceedings, with street parties also being held across the UK on bank holiday Monday.
Ukrainian troops who are currently training with the UK military as part of Operation Interflex will join British forces for the military procession, a mark of solidarity amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The royals are hoping to present a united front after a turbulent weekend in which a war of words between Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry reignited, after the latter said his father refuses to speak to him.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said it will be a “moment of national unity”, describing it as a “chance to applaud the lion-hearted generation that defeated Nazi evil”.
Key Points
- Royals set to lead 80th VE Day celebrations
- Which royals will be seen on the balcony?
- Mapped: Route taken by the military procession
- How will the RAF flypast play out?
- What to expect on VE Day: full timings
How will the RAF flypast play out?
23:00
,
Alex Croft
Six waves of warplanes will roar over central London tomorrow early afternoon, watched on by the royal family in their iconic balcony spot.
The fly past will gather in the area of East Anglia and Essex before flying over London and Buckingham Palace. It will then disperse to the West and North West of London over Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
A Lancaster plane, a WW2-era heavy bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight leading the group, according to the Mirror.
The next wave will see a Voyager and A400M Atlas, the third will be a C-17 Globemaster, before the fourth wave features two P8 Poseidon MRA1 and two Typhoon FGR4.
The fifth will see a Rivet Joint and two F-35B Lightning fly over Buckingham Palace, before nine Hawk of The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team ‘The Red Arrows’ will fly along with a four Typhoon FGR4, concluding the flypast in a cloud of red, white and blue.
Mapped: Route taken by the military procession
22:41
,
Alex Croft
Which royals will be seen on the balcony?
22:14
,
Alex Croft
At the end of a bank holiday weekend which saw the tumultuous relationship between Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry take another twist, the royals are hoping to put on a united front on Monday.
The King and Queen will both be seen on the balcony to watch the procession march down the Mall before a Red Arrow flypast overhead.
They will be joined by the usual contingent of senior royals, typically including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence.
Many will hope to see Kate and William’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but there has been no confirmation of whether they will join on the balcony.
As usual, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew - who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 due to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein - will not be in attendance.
What to expect from VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations
21:24
,
Alex Croft
Here’s what to expect from Monday’s Victory in Europe commemoration events:
12pm - A short ceremony will take place in Parliament Square, where actor Timothy Spall will read out Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech to open proceedings. The military procession will be ready to make its way to Buckingham Palace.
12:10pm - The procession will depart from Parliament Square. It will travel along Whitehall and past the Cenotaph, before turning left onto The Mall and finishing at Queen Victoria Memorial.
13:45pm - A Red Arrows flypast will take place, directly over The Mall and Buckingham Palace. Crowds will be allowed onto the Mall following the procession to allow them to watch the flypast from outside the palace.
Royals set to lead 80th VE Day celebrations
21:13
,
Alex Croft
Welcome to our live coverage of Victory in Europe Day, where we’ll bring you the latest as the royal family leads commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
We’re expecting grand military parades, rousing speeches, and a Red Arrows flypast, watched on by King Charles and the senior royals.
Street parties will also be dotted across Britain on the bank holiday Monday.
Stay tuned for all the best pictures, videos and moments from tomorrow’s commemorations.