UK: Royals Join National Commemoration of 80th VE Day Anniversary

MAY 8 2025·Updated MAY 9 2025

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Above: Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8, 2025 in London, England. Image credit: Jordan Pettitt/WPA Pool/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

The Facts

King Charles III and senior royals attended a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, marking 80 years since Victory in Europe (VE) Day, with 78 veterans joining approximately 1,800 guests for the commemoration. The service capped a week of national celebrations that began on Monday.
Guardian
The Pinnacle Gazette
Proceedings began with a national two-minute silence at noon, followed by the King and Prince William laying wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, with Charles' message reading "We will never forget" and William's tribute honoring "those who made the ultimate sacrifice."
BBC News
The Standard
Alexander Churchill, 10-year-old great-great-grandson of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, lit a candle of peace during the service while young members of the congregation distributed white roses to World War II veterans.
The Telegraph
People
U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a Bible reading from Matthew 5 during the service. The ceremony also featured a recording of Churchill's VE Day victory speech and a procession of wartime artifacts through the Abbey.
Independent
Daily Mail
The Princess of Wales wore a white polka-dot Alessandra Rich dress with Diana's pearl earrings, while Queen Camilla donned her father's 12th Lancers regimental brooch in tribute to his WWII service.
HELLO!
BBC News
Following the service, royal family members laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial outside the Abbey's West Door, with the blooms including rosemary for remembrance and oak for endurance.
The Telegraph
Guardian

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The Spin

Narrative A

The 80th anniversary of VE Day represents a crucial moment to honor the Greatest Generation's sacrifice and ensure their stories continue inspiring future generations. With dwindling numbers of WWII veterans able to attend such commemorations, these ceremonies serve as vital bridges between past and present, helping younger people — many of whom have grown up in relative peace and comfort — understand the true cost and value of peace.

The Sun

Metro

Narrative B

The ongoing war in Ukraine shows that the values fought for during WWII — democracy, unity, and peace — are not relics of the past but urgent, living principles under threat. As Starmer and the Archbishop of York noted, the "good" built after VE Day is not guaranteed. This anniversary is not just remembrance; it's a call to remain vigilant in defending peace and the ideals born from that hard-won victory.

Independent

Guardian