Thousands line the streets for VE Day procession

Thousands of people are lining the streets of London as commemorations to mark 80 years since the end of the World War Two in Europe begin.

King Charles is overseeing the Victory in Europe (VE Day) events, which span four days, and include a flypast over Buckingham Palace featuring 23 current and historic military aircraft.

At noon, the ceremony began with a recitation of Winston Churchill’s famous VE Day speech by actor Timothy Spall.

The King and Queen have been joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to watch a military procession through the capital on Monday. Other events are also taking place across the country.

A military procession, involving more than 1,300 people is making its way from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palace.

The King stood and saluted as the start of the procession reached the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Before the procession arrived, cadets and scouts watching on cheered and waved to the royal family from the paths nearby.

Later on, a flypast will follow, featuring 23 current and historic military aircraft.

Following Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, this year will be the first landmark VE Day commemoration without any of the royals who stood on the balcony that day, 80 years ago.

VE Day was declared on 8 May 1945, after Britain and its allies formally accepted Nazi Germany’s surrender after almost six years of war.

At 15:00, the then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced WW2 in Europe had come to an end.

Spontaneous celebrations erupted across the country, and the late queen and her sister Princess Margaret joined a group of friends to experience the excitement in London.

On Monday morning, the excitement began early for Maria and Chris Naynor and their three grandchildren, who left their home in Reading at 05:30 BST to get a prime spot along the Mall – armed with cream tea and gin and tonics.

Chris’s father served in the armed forces and was wounded in Dunkirk, and his mother was out celebrating on the streets of London on VE Day in 1945.

Maria said it was critical to remember “all the people who gave their lives for freedom” and teach children about it.

Sadly, she said, with another war on the European continent now, “not a lot has changed. People are still being killed.”

To mark the historic event, the Cenotaph in Whitehall has been draped in a large Union flag – the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.

Watching from the Mall, Grace Gothard, from Mitcham, made her Union Jack dress draped with the Ghanian flag while Satvinder Cubb, from Chingford made a frock made from two “Lest we forget” scarves.

Satvinder said they wanted to be in the capital to remember all the people “who fought for us”, as the last generation of WW2 veterans were growing older.

She described the message of VE Day as bringing together people from different countries and different age groups to say “why don’t we unite together? Why can’t there be peace?”

“Hopefully this will bring people to understand,” she said. “We are humans. We should be all one.”

The Royal Family is hoping “nothing will detract or distract” from the commemorations, following Prince Harry’s candid interview with the BBC on Friday, in which he discussed his estrangement from his father and desire for reconciliation.

The King and Queen will host a tea party at Buckingham Palace later in the afternoon for around 50 veterans, their families and other members of the wartime generation.

Elsewhere, street parties will be held across the UK, with some councils such as Portsmouth waiving fees to close roads for the celebrations.

The Palace of Westminster, the Shard and Lowther Castle in Penrith are among buildings which will be illuminated from 21:00 BST on Tuesday.

A service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence of remembrance on Thursday. Churches and cathedrals across the country will also ring their bells at 18:30 BST.

Pubs and bars in England and Wales which usually close at 23:00 BST will be able to keep serving for an extra two hours to celebrate on Thursday.

Additional reporting by Mallory Moench and Ashitha Nagesh