VE Day: Street parties in full flow across the nation after Royals celebrate with veterans in Buckingham Palace

We are now wrapping up our live updates here after a day full of pomp and pageantry to brighten up a gloomy bank holiday Monday.

Although this page is now closing, there remains plenty of content on MailOnline with all the news from the first day of VE Day 80th anniversarhy commemorations.

Here's just some stories we have published today if you want to keep reading:

• Britain's favourite double act strikes again! Prince Louis and Kate delight royal fans
• King, Queen, William and Kate watch Red Arrows flypast from Buckingham Palace
• Kate Middleton marks VE Day in signature style
• Hilarious moment Prince Louis copies George at VE Day 80th anniversary celebration
• Princess Charlotte shares a sweet moment with her mother Kate

As we near the end of our live coverage this afternoon, here's a recap of some of our favourite pictures from the day which saw a military procession, RAF flypast, royals galore and many Brits celebrating at street parties:

We can now bring you some reaction from those who witnessed the military procession and flypast earlier in the capital.

Cristina Li Vigni, from Essex, watched the procession with son Elijah-Finn Li Vigni-Patching, aged five, and said it was 'really special'.

The 38-year-old, who had a flag in her hand and was also wearing a Union flag, said:

We saw some of the procession, it was really exciting, really special. Elijah-Finn thought the horses were amazing and said he loved the colourful planes.

Anna and nine-year-old Lucy, from north London, who were also at the procession. Anna said her grandparents were in the Second World War.

Nan would tell me all the stories. That generation was just brilliant. I think it’s really important for the children to kind of connect with the remaining World War Two veterans, they are absolutely heroic

Jennie Walsh, 54, and Emma Davis, 53, from Banbury, watched the flypast while wearing Union flags as capes.

Ms Davis, from Banbury, said the flypast was “amazing”, adding:

There’s a really good atmosphere, it’s such a mix of people. And it didn’t rain until the end once it had finished.

Here's the moment actor Timonthy Spall recited the victory speech made by Winston Churchill on May 8, 1945.

The words were spoken next to the wartime prime minister's statue before a military procession took place in the capital.

Watch our video below:

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was greeted with applause from guests as he joined the VE Day street party in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister, joined by his wife Lady Starmer, walked out of Number 10 holding a plate of cakes, which he then handed out to some of the guests.

Sir Keir then picked up a commemorative teapot and walked around the tables to serve tea before taking his seat.

by Ryan Hooper

Few places will have better encapsulated the spirit of the great British bank holiday than the Hampshire village of Medstead.

Patriotic bunting twitched violently in the wind as determined organisers behind the VE Day street party on the village green braved the heavy early morning downpours to erect marquees and light barbecues.

Their optimism paid off - at least for a bit.

By the time the Red Arrows tore overhead, shortly before 2pm, around 200 people were bathing in glorious early May sunshine.

Those who didn’t have their hands full with hot dogs, burgers or sandwiches were clutching cans of beer, glasses of Pimm’s, dog leads, Union flags, or, in a sadly dwindling number of cases as the years go by, cherished mementoes from Britain at war.

Sat on a picnic chair surrounded by family members, former RAF serviceman Brian Eaton, 87, (pictured) passed around shrapnel and German bullets recovered from the River Thames as a young boy growing up in east London.

He spent parts of today with tears in his eyes as he watched events in his home city play out on the BBC, where Ukrainian soldiers joined a procession of 1,300 troops, filing along the Mall and to Buckingham Palace, as the King and Queen watched on.

‘A bloody good show, if you ask me,’ he said of Britain’s dedication to marking the 80th anniversary of Germany’s surrender.

I am proud of what our armed forces did, and they are the reason I joined up myself as a 17-year-old boy.

A veteran who was cold during the VE Day military procession said the King 'tucked' her blanket in.

Joy Trew, who signed up to join the war effort aged 17 and served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, said Charles had leaned down and tucked her blanket into her wheelchair during the parade to prevent her from getting chilly.

'He bent down and tucked me in,' she said.

Of the procession, Ms Trew, who grew up in Bristol but now lives in Wells in Somerset, said: 'I said to him (the King) a lot of the women look formidable and he said "yes".'

The 98-year-old said she discussed parenting with Charles and told him she had tried to be a strict mother to her children.

Guests have begun to arrive for a VE Day street party hosted by the Prime Minister at Downing Street.

Two long tables lined with red and gold chairs on the street were decorated with flowers, miniature Union flags and table mats.

Each seat was given a commemorative plate and mug with the words VE Day 80 written on them, while food served on the tables included Victoria sponge cake, scotch eggs and pork pies.

Among the guests were Second World War veterans Ruth Brook Klauber and Colin Deverell, both aged 101.

Bunting was hanging over the tables and draped over the ground floor windows of No 10.

Musicians from the Grenadier Guards military band played songs to the guests as they received drinks on arrival.

Workers have begun to take down the stage in front of Buckingham Palace after Queen Camilla was pictured leaving to get dropped off at Clarence House, with the car returning empty.

The temperature has dropped slightly and the grey sky is ominous - though there has been no rain as of yet.

The uniform worn by the King as he marked the end of the Second World War in Europe reflected what his grandfather George VI wore when he stepped on to the Buckingham Palace balcony on VE Day 80 years ago.

Charles wore the naval No.1 dress uniform to see today's military procession and flypast in central London to kick off four days of celebration.

The Queen paid tribute to her family's military legacy with a 12th Royal Lancers brooch - her late father's regiment - pinned to her sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat.

Her father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk, and again in 1942 for his efforts in North Africa, and was later wounded and taken prisoner while fighting in the same region.

He died in June 2006 aged 89.

War survivors, refugees and local families have joined together for a VE Day street party in one of Britain's most bombed neighbourhoods.

The event in the historic Docklands area of east London - one of the locations most heavily hit during the Blitz - was organised by the Bengali Association, local refugee support and other community groups.

The celebration featured 1940s music and dancing, Morse code demonstrations and food ranging from BBQ favourites to VE Day biryani.

Inside nearby St Peter's Church, visitors explored an exhibition of family connections to the war, including a poster created by local refugee Abdul Shakoor about the British Indian Army.

The menu has been revealed for lunch on HMS Belfast - and it includes chalk stream trout rillettes with smoked cucumber and blue cheese spiced pear and walnut tart.

A mainstay of the River Thames in central London since the 1970s, HMS Belfast was a crucial weapon in the Royal Navy's arsenal during the Second World War.

To mark 80 years of VE DAy, there is afternoon tea on board today - also on the menu are 'National Loaf' and Ration Cake.

Those invited include veterans who served in Belfast during conlifts after 1945, as well as some who lived through horrors of the conflict itself.

The Prince of Wales told 101-year-old Alfred Littlefield that his son Prince George is 'interested' in learning about veterans, his granddaughter said.

Samantha Davidson said: 'The Prince said George is very interested in finding out about the veterans.

'George even asked my grandfather how old he was during his service.'

She said that Mr Littlefield was very happy that George has taken an interest in the past.

Mr Littlefield said: 'I'm very proud.'

Thousands of people lined the Mall to catch a glimpse of the Red Arrows during the RAF flypast for the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations in London.

Leading the flypast was the Lancaster, the most successful RAF heavy bomber of the Second World War, watched from the Buckingham Palace balcony by the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Hundreds of spectators lined Waterloo Bridge to see the aircraft over the Thames and despite intermittent rain the flypast went ahead as planned.

These are the planes that were involved:

• Lancaster

One of only two airworthy Lancasters left in the world, it was built at the Vickers Armstrong Broughton factory at Hawarden Airfield, Chester, on May 31 1945.

The war against Japan ended before it was deployed and it did not take part in any hostilities, but it remains a symbol of those who died in service of the country.

• Voyager

The Voyager, based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, is a modified civilian passenger aircraft. Capable of carrying up to 291 passengers and cargo all over the world, this Voyager was flown by Flight Lieutenant Jason Alty, Flight Lieutenant Will Ricketts, Flight Lieutenant Andy Theobald and Sergeant Handibode.

• A400M Atlas

The Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, a contemporary plane, can carry up to 37 tonnes and 116 passengers. It was used heavily when the UK evacuated civilians from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

• C-17 Globemaster

The C-17 Globemaster is a long-range aircraft which can carry heavy loads and is used in combat as well as humanitarian missions. It has been used to support operations in the UK and overseas including providing support to Ukraine and delivering aid to the Middle East during the crisis in Gaza.

• P8 Poseidon MRA1

Based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, the Poseidon is a maritime patrol aircraft. It has sensors and weapons for anti-submarine warfare, and can also be used in search and rescue efforts. It can detect, identify and monitor targets above and below the waves.

• Typhoon FGR4

There were six Typhoons involved in the flypast, flanking other aircraft as they flew over London. Typhoons are based permanently at RAF Coninsby in Lincolnshire and Lossiemouth, where they are ready to respond to potential threats in UK and Nato air space, the Ministry of Defence said.

• Rivet Joint

An electronic surveillance aircraft, Rivet Joint has sensors which can detect emissions from communications, radar and other systems. It has been used as part of Operation Shader, the UK's contribution in ongoing military intervention in Iraq.

• F-35B Lightning

Flying on each wing of the Rivet Joint were F-35B Lightning jets from RAF Marham in Norfolk. The F-35B Lightning is a short take-off and vertical landing aircraft that can operate from aircraft carriers including the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class ships.

• The Red Arrows

The Red Arrows, formally known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, provided the colourful finale to the flypast. Since the Red Arrows' first season in 1965, they have performed almost 5,000 displays in 57 countries. The Red Arrows are led by Red 1, Squadron Leader Jon Bond. The former frontline Typhoon pilot, from Essex, joined the RAF in 2006. The 2025 season is his second year as team leader, responsible for choreographing the new display routine, which is seen by millions of people at big events and air shows.

Celebrations are still in full swing across the country such as in the form of this delightful street party pictured in Sidcup.

And closer to some of the main action, guests have begun to arive for a street party hosted by the Prime Miniser himself at Downing Street.

Two long tables lined with red and gold chairs are among the features of the occasion, with food like Victoria sponge cake and scoth eggs.

Second World War veterans Ruth Brook Klauber and Colin Deverell, both aged 101, are among the guests.

The Grenadier Guards miltiary band played songs to guests as they received drinks on arrival.

Bunting was hanging over the tables and draped over the ground floor windows of No 10.

by Ryan Hooper

In the tiny Hampshire village of Medstead, around 200 locals have turned out to honour VE Day.

The community - to the east of Winchester - has a population of just under 1,000, according to the latest census.

And many of them stood in a giant VE formation, waving Union flags, as the Red Arrows flypast soared overhead this afternoon en route to Bournemouth from London and beyond.

Stuart Dawes (pictured), 74, a former railway engineer well-known locally as 'Mash' due to his favourite potato dish, was among those dressed in full patriotic regalia.

Wearing a Union flag around his shoulders, and with a matching hat, Mr Dawes said:

I am ridiculously patriotic, I’ve been to all the royal events in London. It is amazingly important for us to do this. This is one of the friendliest villages anyone could happen on, so today is about chatting to friends and neighbours, celebrating, remembering and having a beer.

When we have an opportunity to celebrate, we celebrate. There are a lot of patriotic people here, and I’m proud to be British, proud that we come together to remember VE Day.

A pair in Kildwick raise a glass to celebrate VE Day commemorations

Villagers in Kildwick, North Yorkshire, marked VE Day celebrations with 1940s dancing, songs and a ration supper.

Locals gathered on the lawn in the churchyard of St Andrew’s to pay their respects to those who bravely fought in World War II.

Near to the cenotaph which bears the names of 18 parishioners who fell in the World War II and scores of other who perished in World War I, people enjoyed picnic teas on the grass, ice cream, games, face painting and pony petting.

And the bell ringers allowed visitors to climb the bell tower.

Gavin and Gill Dring sat enjoying a picnic took part in some Lindy Hop dancing to swing music.

Dressed in a 1940’s police sergeant uniform, Gavin, 68, said:

VE Day has to be celebrated. If it hadn’t happened then we’d all be speaking German now. Without the sacrifice of that generation it would be a completely different world.

Gavin’s father served in the Merchant Navy and Gill’s father fought in the Royal Navy.

Dressed in 1940s attire Gill, 65, said: 'We must all be thankful for what our grandparents did. It is right to mark 80 years since the end of the war'

Today marked the first of four day of celebrations for VE Day ahead of the 80th anniversary on Thursday.

Let's take a look at what's happening over the next few days.

• Tomorrow

A new display of almost 30,000 ceramic poppies will be unveiled at the Tower of London in another touching tribute.

The poppies have been set to resemble a wound to reflect the long-lasting sacrifices made during the war.

The Palace of Westminster, the Shard, Lowther Castle in Penrith, Manchester Printworks, Cardiff Castle and Belfast City Hall are among hundreds of buildings which will be lit up from 9pm on Tuesday.

A display of 30,000 ceramic poppies, taken from the artwork 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' (2014), is seen before its opening on May 6 at Tower of London, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day in London, Britain, May 5, 2025.

• Thursday

A service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence of reflection and remembrance, where veterans will be part of the congregation.

There will then be a Victory in Europe Day Anniversary Concert at the Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster.

The Parliament Choir will perform, featuring famous faces from UK politics.

The day marks the anniversary of Winston Churchill's announcement to the British public.

To mark the event, a special service will be held at Westminster Abbey to remember those who gave their lives during the conflict.

Horse Guards Parade will then hold a live celebratory concert to round off the commemorations.

The Prince of Wales spoke of the importance of preserving veterans’ stories as he was joined by his son and former service personnel at a tea party in Buckingham Palace.

William smiled as he shook hands with veterans and said it was 'very important' for Prince George and the 'next generation' to hear the stories from those who fought in the war.

George listened intently as his father chatted to Alfred Littlefield, 101, who served during D-Day.

The moment was captured below by our Royal Editor Rebecca English

William later told veteran Douglas Hyde, who joined the merchant navy aged 18 in 1944, that his son was 'very keen' to ask the former serviceman some questions.

The pair joined the party as veterans and senior politicians enjoyed a selection of finger sandwiches, soup and homemade scotch eggs in the Marble Hall.

Here is the hilarious moment Prince Louis imitated his brother, who was fixing his hair in the windy conditions today

VE Day celebrations got off to a swing today with a jazz band made up of military veterans entertaining crowds in Felixstowe, Suffolk.

The Veterans Do Dixie band provided a musical backdrop to displays of former 1940s vehicles including jeeps and a low loader truck in the seaside town.

Dozens of veterans including several on mobility scooters braved rain showers at the open air event organised by the town's Royal British Legion.

Fred Davies, the chairman of the town's RBL, said:

It is so important to celebrate an important milestone like the end of World War Two in Europe. We have to remember everyone who served in World War Two. People thought it would be the last commemoration after 75 years - but here we are five years on.

A young boy was all smiles as he sat behind the wheel of a military vehicle

The Veterans Do Dixie band made up of military veterans

Volunteers manning a display of military vehicles

Princess Kate and her children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte ducked and leaned to try and catch a good view of the Red Arrows as they flew over Buckingham Palace.

Veterans smiled and looked up as the flypast went over the palace, and army veteran Joe Mines, 100, could be seen waving while others applauded.

The display narrowly avoided heavy rainfall as the weather changed just as crowds began to disperse.

The spectacle followed a military procession, in which Nato allies marched alongside 1,300 members of the UK armed forces.

Sir Winston Churchill's 1945 victory speech, spoken by actor Timothy Spall, kicked off events on Bank Holiday Monday.

There was applause from the crowds as the royals took their seats in the royal box to watch the parade, while William shook the hand of one veteran as he took his seat.

His children followed his example, with Kate the last to greet the serviceman as she sat beside him.

He later appeared to show her some photographs and she took one to give it a closer look.

The King saluted as the procession reached the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Shortly after the royals took their seats, light drizzle prompted many to put up umbrellas, as the King helped to wrap veteran Joy Trew up in blankets.

The royal family are scheduled to take part in engagements over the next four days, less than a week after the Duke of Sussex told the BBC his father will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer the King has left.

The King and Queen are "looking forward" to the week's events, and it is understood that, out of respect for the surviving veterans, Buckingham Palace hopes "nothing will detract or distract from celebrating with full cheer and proud hearts that precious victory and those brave souls, on this most special and poignant of anniversaries".

In Whitehall, the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered.

It is 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.

Crowds started to gather on The Mall on Monday morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a viewing spot.

Members of the public enjoy a street party outside the Wilbraham Club on May 05, 2025 in Preston, England

Street parties are being organized by local communities around the country in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, which saw people taking to the streets in jubilation on May 8, 1945, marking the end of World War II.

A group of friends wear homemade Land Girls outfits as part of the celebrations.

Princess Charlotte was seen shaking hands with Second World War veterans, including Bernard Morgan at the Armed Forces procession.

On the balcony, she was also pictured waving at the crowds who gathered outside Buckingham Palace for the RAF flypast

Here's the moment the Royal Family gazed up at the sky as the RAF flew over Buckingham Palace in a special flypast ceremony on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

The Red Arrows pictured passing over Buckingham Palace and crowds watching below

Veterans watched the RAF flypast featuring the Red Arrows on the West Terrace in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The group was joined by politicians including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, London mayor Sadiq Khan, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.

Some of the group applauded, waved and pointed as the first planes flew over the palace.

Members of the royal family watched with tilted heads from Buckingham Palace's balcony as the VE Day flypast soared over.

The King and Queen as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children were on the balcony.

The first aircraft, a Lancaster Bomber, reached the palace at 1.45pm with more planes following behind.

The Red Arrows have passed over central London and Buckingham Palace, to the delight of crowds and the Royal Family.

Many people in the crowd are waving flags, while children are being carried on shoulders to ensure they can catch a glimpse of Buckingham Palace.

Amid windy conditions and grey skies, there is a jovial atmosphere with members of the public taking photos and videos as they move towards the palace.

Senior royals have appeared on the Buckingham Palace for the start of an RAF flypast.

The King and Queen stepped out onto the balcony along with the Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children George, Charlotte and Louis.

The royals emerged as the Red Arrows flew over Buckingham Palace at 1:45am in front of huge crowds gathered on The Mall.

A rendition of God Save The King was played before the royals returned inside.

Huge crowds have taken a short walk down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace, where the Royal Family will watch an RAF flypast from the balcony

Senior royals joined thousands of people in the London rain to observe a military procession to begin commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Nato allies marched alongside 1,300 members of the UK armed forces for the parade, with the words of Sir Winston Churchill's 1945 victory speech spoken by actor Timothy Spall kicking off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Let's remind ourselves which royals were present:

• King Charles

• Queen Camilla

• Prince of Wales

• Princess of Wales

• The Wales children

• Princess Anne

• Duke of Edinburgh

The RAF is preparing to fly over Buckingham Palace in around 15 minutes as part of a flypast to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Flightradar 24, a website tracking flights, has shown several jets in the sky off the east coast of England.

RAF aircraft including Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets will be involved in the flypast which takes place following a military procession in central London.

Outcast Prince Andrew took a solemn horse ride around Windsor Castle today while the rest of his family led VE Day celebrations in London.

The Duke of York, 65, was seen reflecting aboard the mount as he trotted along the grounds of the Berkshire home.

Dressed in a grey rain jacket and dark navy trousers, the royal was accompanied by a female horse groom.

It comes as the Royal Family otherwise turned out in force for the London occasion, to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day this afternoon.

READ MORE: Outcast Prince Andrew spends VE Day celebrations away from the royal fold as he takes horse ride around Windsor Castle

Veterans of the Second World War will enjoy sandwiches, scotch eggs and scones at the tea party at Buckingham Palace.

Also on the menu are potted shrimps with brown bread and butter, egg and bacon quiche, vegetable pasties and sausage rolls.

There will also be lemon and carrot cake, chocolate cake, treacle tarts and strawberries and cream.

They will dine on large tables in the Marble Hall which has been decorated in bunting made from fabrics recycled from the Royal estate.

British and Commonwealth armed forces veterans from the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force, plus Wrens, Special Operations Executives, D-Day veterans and Desert Rats are among those who are attending the tea party with Charles and other members of the royal family.

They will be joined by veterans who were still in active conflict in other parts of the world after VE Day and people who contributed to the war effort on the home front, plus their families and carers.

Evacuees are also among some of the other 20 Second World War generation guests who are set to attend.

Two women who were watching outside Buckingham Palace made their own dresses for the occasion.

Grace Gothard, from Ghana, describing her Union flag dress, said: 'I made this dress personally. So anytime there's any Royal occasion I make my own dresses. It took two weeks to make.

'The last one was the King's coronation and that dress is in a museum now.'

Satvinder Cubb, wearing a dress which reads Lest We Forget, added: 'I also made my dress. I had a Union flag one before but this year I wanted something simple to represent all the soldiers that actually fought. It took just a few hours to make because it's actually two flags joined together. And I don't have a sewing machine so it was all by hand.'

The pair met at the Queen's jubilee and have attended Royal events together in handmade dresses ever since. They arrived at The Mall at 6AM this morning.

Ms Cubb added: 'I know people who have actually fought in the war. I have a very close friend, he's 94 and was 14 at the time. It's just about thanking them all. We're here for a reason and have freedom now.

'It's important for us to be a part of it.'

The Princess of Wales looked stunning this afternoon as she paid tribute to veterans at the VE Day memorial in London.

Kate, 43, joined her husband Prince William and children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as they put on a united front three days after Prince Harry's bombshell plea for 'reconciliation'.

King Charles and Queen Camilla also watched the commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Mother-of-three Kate was glowing in a berry ensemble, rewearing her beloved Emilia Wickstead pleated coat dress, alongside a matching Sean Barrett pillbox hat with a bow, and earrings.

Read more here:

Prince Louis was seen looking towards the sky as a light drizzle begins in central London.

The mischievous Prince was also seen holding his palms out in front of himself, looking confused.

He was also seen clutching a hot water bottle in the colder conditions by Buckingham Palace

The King helped to wrap veteran Joy Trew up in blankets as the pair sat next to each other on the Queen Victoria Memorial watching the VE Day military procession.

Charles tightened a navy blue blanket over Ms Trew's shoulders and adjusted a grey blanket over her lap.

The final troops have now arrived at Buckingham Palace to end the military procession in the capital with King Charles saluting soldiers as they passed a specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Here's what has happened so far:

• Actor Timothy Spall recited part of Winston Churchill’s VE Day victory speech broadcast on May 8 1945 after Big Ben chimed at 12pm
• King Charles and Queen Camilla sat between Britain's heroic veterans as the parade passed through London
• The Prince and Princess of Wales also appeared alongside their three children George, Charlotte and Louis, who was seen tugging on his father during the event
• Thousands of people, some dressed in Union Jack attire and waving flags, lined the streets to mark the first of four days of celebrations across the country
• A flypast is due to take place at 1.45pm and is not expected to be affected by light rain falling in the capital

Users on X reacted to the VE Day events.

One called Prince Louis the 'Meme King-in-Chief'

Another posted a picture of a local man dressed as an impressive-looking Winston Churchill

Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte share a lovely moment as they are pictured together with beaming smiles.

The Princess of Wales was seen pushing her daughter's hair out of the way as they watched on in breezy conditions in central London

Prince George fiddled with his hair as he watched the VE Day military procession in breezy conditions.

The seven-year-old pushed his hair back from his forehead, blew at his fringe and smoothed the side of his hair down.

The King and Queen positioned themselves between two of Britain's heroic veterans during the VE Day celebrations.

On his left King Charles chatted to Joy Trew, 98, who enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force aged 17 in 1944 and served as a wireless operator working at RAF Chicksands Priory in Bedfordshire, a station taking morse code messages from stations in Germany.

Beside him was Camilla who had D-Day veteran Jack Mortimer on her right. Mr Mortimer was just 20 when he landed on the Normandy coast on June 6 1944.

by James Tozer

In Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, families gathered at the VE Day party at Preston Park Museum.

A late Victorian Street with period shops and cobbles was repurposed into a 1940s theme with wartime music played across the Union Jack festooned tables.

Families brought their children to enjoy picnics under a blue sky and sign a book of reflection where people remembered family members lost during World War Two.

Sheila McIntyre, 73, arrived dressed authentically as a wartime land girl.

She said:

It's nice to see something happening that has a real community feel to it, in these days of social media the opportunities for people to get together for things like this aren't always there. It's great to see people coming along here to be part of a traditional celebration and to remember the sacrifices made by so many in the past.

It's 80 year now of course so the first hand memory of wartime is fading and it's important to make sure it is remembered. The effects of the war were passed along to those of who had fathers serving, like mine did. He was a good dad but came home from World War Two and did not like to talk about it but i feel like the experiences he went through caught up with him over time.

Joyce Wearmouth, 77, also wore 1940s garb for the party.

She said:

There's a lot the current generation can learn from the past, it's important to remember the war and the cost. They said the first and second world wars were the wars to end all wars but we're still involved in conflicts around the world and it feels like a dangerous time. It's a good time for leaders to stop and reflect on the cost to the world when conflicts escalate and how disastrous that can be.

The Royal Family turned out in force to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London this afternoon as they put on a united front three days after Prince Harry's bombshell plea for 'reconciliation'.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by Prince William, Kate and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to watch commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The royals observed a military procession from a specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace while thousands of people packed the streets as four days of commemorations began.

Read our top story on MailOnline here:

Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, pictured at Buckingham Palace, watching the procession.

They have joined the other senior royals and veterans in the VIP seating area

Actor Timothy Spall recited part of Winston Churchill’s VE Day victory speech broadcast on May 8 1945.

Standing in front of the statue of the Second World War leader in Parliament Square, Spall, 68, said:

My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It’s a victory of the Great British nation as a whole.

We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny. Every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of men and women fail?

I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island, but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we have done and they will say: ‘Do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be unconquered’.

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte wave to the parading Armed Forces as they pass the Queen Victoria Memorial

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.

The Princess of Wales was captured sharing a tender moment with D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan during the military procession for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Mr Morgan, said he was told about the end of the Second World War in Europe 48 hours before the rest of the world.

Bernard received a telex in 1945 announcing the end of armed conflict in Europe while working as a code breaker for the RAF in Schneverdingen, Germany.

The Prince and Princess of Wales's children have joined the King, Queen and veterans to watch a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were last seen together in public when they attended the Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham Estate.

William shook the hand of one veteran as he passed him to take his seat, and his children followed his example with Kate the last to greet the old serviceman and she sat beside him.

He later appeared to show her some photographs and she took one to give it a closer look.

He regularly steals the show when he's pictured alongside his parents and siblings at national events and today already looks no different.

The youngest Wales has been pictured poking his tongue out next to his father Prince William as the family sat on the Queen Victoria Memorial to watch the VE Day parade.

The young prince, sat next to his father, also tapped his shoulder repeatedly while William was in conversation.

After a few moments, William turned to his youngest son and they spoke.

Crowds on Whitehall cheered and clapped as Ukraine's marching detachment passed the Cenotaph.

Some spectators stood on walls and street furniture to get a better view of the procession.

There was a sea of colour down Whitehall as the Band of the Irish Guards, wearing red, marched down Whitehall, closely followed by the flags of the Commonwealth nations.

Let's take a look at some of the latest photographs from London as the Royal Family joins the 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations.

King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales, with their three children, have been pictured at commemorations this afternoon on the first of four days of celebrations across the countruy.

Prince Louis has been pictured dusting down hs father Prince William's jacket as they watch on.

The King is wearing Naval Uniform No.1 dress, with no medals or decorations, the same sported by his grandfather King George VI on the Buckingham Palace Balcony on VE Day, 1945.

The Queen is paying tribute to her late father with a 12th Royal Lancers Brooch, his regiment, on a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat.

The Prince of Wales is dressed in a RAF No.1 Uniform.

The Duke of Edinburgh is wearing Army No.2 Service Dress of the Scots Guards.

While the Princess Royal is wearing the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps) with no decorations.

Actor Timothy Spall has recited Winston Churchill's VE Day speech following chimes from Big Ben at noon.

It marks the beginning of events planned for this afternoon.

Alan Kennett, 100, who was in the RAF with the Mustang Squadron and was in Celle near Belsen on VE Day, gave permission to start the parade.

He made the papers in 1944 when he bumped into his father in Normandy.

Speaking in Parliament Square in front of a statue honouring Sir Winston after Big Ben struck midday, Spall said: "My dear friends, this is your hour.

"This is not victory of a party or of any class. It's a victory of the Great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny."

Wearing a dark grey suit, the bespectacled actor continued: "Every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle.

"When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of men and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island, but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we have done and they will say: 'Do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be unconquered'."

Princess Catherine of Wales pictured arriving in Westminster ahead of today's VE Day anniversary celebrations

The festivities are scheduled to start in around five minutes and crowds are now gathering at The Mall in central London

Lizzie McCrae MacIntyre, a retired Women's Royal Air Force veteran, arrived at the Admiralty Arch, Westminster at 4am to see the parade.

Ms MacIntyre, who travelled from Surrey, said: 'It's so important to remember those that didn't make it home.

'My dad was military, my brother was Air Force.'

Geoffrey York, 71, said: 'We are all ex-military.'

The Household Cavalry veteran said: "We were here for the coronation, we camped out for three nights for the Queen's funeral.

'It's a big day for us to pay our respects.

'My dad was a prisoner of war in Tobruk, Libya. He escaped in 1944.'

Watch our live stream below for all the 80th anniversary celebrations of VE Day in London as thousands line the street across the capital.

Here are the latest pictures we can bring you from the VE Day celebrations in London which are in full swing this morning.

After Big Ben strikes 12, Timothy Spall will recite extracts from Winston Churchill's victory speech 80 years ago before a military procession and flypast.

Crowds are beginning to build on The Mall in London as the public awaits the anniversary parade at noon today.

One group of women gathered outside the Palace have even brought along song sheets to pass out to the crowd.

They practised singing their songs ahead of the parade.

Mandy Ellis, 67, from the Midlands, said: 'We do all the royal events. I've been doing this 60 years now.

'We all get the gang together - there's seven of us come down. The oldest is my Auntie Linda, she's 87. My daughter Cara, she's the youngest.'

Wearing a Union flag hat, she said: 'I sing in the local choir, we've had some song sheets over the years for different events so I just adapted them at home. We've got everything from Land of Hope and Glory, We'll Meet Again, Pack Up Your Troubles, the National Anthem.

'It's the smallest thing we can do to say thank you for 80 years of peace and the sacrifice everyone made.'

Army veteran Tom Stonehouse, 99, landed at approximately 8am on Gold Beach on D-Day.

He remembers 'losing lots of Essex Regiment friends in the Battle of Caen' from June to August 1944.

His wife's birthday is on VE Day, so the couple always celebrate the birthday and their war memories together.

Peggy Nichols, 90, also has her birthday on VE Day and spoke to The Mail on Sunday about her memories of her tenth birthday.

‘It was May 7 and a late news flash confirmed Germany’s surrender. The war was ending, and the next day was to be declared a national holiday – a national holiday for my birthday,’ Peggy smiled as she recalled the occasion.

Gilbert Clarke, 98, who was in Jamaica in 1943 when he lied about his age to respond to a call to join the RAF, is also among the guests.

Within days Mr Clarke was kitted out, receiving basic training and being sent on a troop-carrying ship to Britain via the United States, the RBL said.

He eventually arrived in Britain in 1944, despite German U-boat-launched torpedo attacks which hit several ships that were travelling alongside his on the route.

Crowds are starting to gather in the capital ahead of VE Day celebrations this afternoon.

Union Jack flags and hats have decked The Mall where a military procession of 1,300 armed forces that started out in Parliament Square will pass before finishing at Buckingham Palace.

They will also be waiting to glimpse the Royal Family with King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales set to make an appearance.

The King and Queen will host a tea party at Buckingham Palace this afternoon for veterans of the Second World War.

His Majesty will be joined by the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and all other senior members of the family for the flypast on the palace balcony.

It comes after a turbulent week for the Royal Family following Prince Harry's bombshell interview with the BBC.

The Duke of Sussex has claimed King Charles 'won't speak to me', but claimed he wants 'reconciliation' with his family.

He told the BBC he did not know how long his father had left to live, adding: 'I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK.'

The emotional interview came after the Prince was left 'devastated' after sensationally losing his battle over taxpayer-funded police bodyguards - putting him on the hook for £1.5million in legal costs.

A spectacular flypast featuring some of the Royal Air Force's most iconic aircraft will take place today to mark 80 years since the Second World War ended in Europe.

The display involving the Red Arrows and a score of historic and current military aircraft will be the culmination of a military procession through London at 1.45pm.

But the public will also get the chance to see some of the aircraft elsewhere as they will go over parts of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Surrey and Hampshire.

To see when and where the planes will be visible, see our map below and read our story here

David Smith, a military royal engineer from 1960 to 1972, travelled from Lincolnshire on Sunday to honour the veterans at the parade.

The 79-year-old said: 'It's about patriotism. It's what we do.'

Mr Smith has marched at the Cenotaph for 26 years and will watch the parade on Monday from The Mall.

His wife Muriel said: 'Where we live in Lincolnshire, the "bomber county", there is always a bomber base five miles from you. There's still air raid shelters where we live.'

About the parade, the 77-year-old said: 'I just love the songs, the ceremony, everything.

'I've heard some stories about Victory Day. Some naughty stories!'

As hundreds of street parties prepare to get underway across the country, Tory MP Mark Francois, the Shadow Armed Forces Minister, said: ‘My father, Stoker 1st Class Reg Francois was a D-Day Veteran.

‘I still recall his efforts to organise a successful street party in Basildon, where I grew up, during the late Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, back in 1977.

‘Street parties are part of how the British public commemorate important events - and I suspect VE Day 80 will be no different.’

D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, 101, is looking forward to the tea party at Buckingham Palace.

He was a codebreaker during the war using equipment that was so sensitive he could not risk it being captured by the enemy.

Two days before VE Day, he received a telex to say 'German war now over, surrender effective sometime tomorrow' but kept it secret.

Actor Timothy Spall will begin the celebrations today when he reads from Winston Churchill's speech on VE Day 80 years ago.

The actor has been seen rehearsing ahead of the moment when Big Ben strikes 12pm today.

Sir Keir Starmer said the stories we will hear this week from those who fought are a reminder that 'our victory was not just for Britain'.

'It was also a victory for good against the assembled forces of hatred, tyranny and evil.

'VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid,' the Prime Minister said in an open letter to veterans.

A flypast of planes from the past and present will delight fans in the capital today.

The RAF flypast will include the iconic Red Arrows and the Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Aircraft used to support Ukraine will also be displayed as part of the commemorative ceremony.

The show will include planes involved in tensions with Russia, such as P8 Poseidons, which conduct reconnaissance missions surveying Russian vessels near UK waters, and Voyager aircraft, which fly Ukrainian recruits to the UK for training and deliver equipment to Ukrainian forces.

The planes are due to go over parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire and Oxfordshire before they pass over central London at around 1.45pm.

Olga Hopkins, 99, is also among the 10 female veterans who served as codebreakers, drivers and mechanics that are looking forward to the tea party.

She remembers hearing about VE Day as she was lying in bed in a Nissen Hut and listening to the American Forces Network radio.

Ms Hopkins, who was a wireless mechanic in the WAAF, said: 'Suddenly the programme was interrupted by a tannoy announcement saying, 'The war is over. The war is over. It's been signed'.

'We all jumped out of bed and put our battledress on over our pyjamas.

'We went to the sergeant's mess where there was a party going on, so we joined in.

'I remember me and some other girls singing the Cole Porter song Don't Fence Me In, and I had a whale of a time.'

It will be a return to Buckingham Palace for Joyce Wilding, 100, who enlisted at the age of 18 in to the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) and worked in the SOE, transporting forged documents and helping agents behind enemy lines.

Ms Wilding, recalls VE Day as being filled with joy and celebration.

She said: 'We went to Piccadilly where there was a stream of people singing and dancing. We joined a crocodile and did the Palais Glide down Piccadilly.

'There were soldiers up lampposts, it was extraordinary. We were outside Buckingham Palace and you could hardly move there were so many people cheering and singing.'

A total of 31 veterans are to attend official events on Monday, including 26 who will watch the parade, which will head from Parliament Square to Whitehall, then to Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch, The Mall, and finally to Buckingham Palace.

RAF veteran Alan Kennett, who will turn 101 on May 29, will formally start the parade as he receives the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace from air cadet warrant officer Emmy Jones.

Mr Kennett was in a cinema in Celle, north-central Germany, when the doors burst open as a soldier drove a jeep into the venue and shouted: "The war is over."

He said the cinema erupted with joy, and celebrations soon spread through the streets.

Mr Kennett, said he was 'honoured' to be the procession torch bearer on Monday.

Crowds are starting to build along The Mall at Buckingham Palace.

Caroline Tomlinson, 59, travelled from Doncaster to witness the parade. She arrived at the Palace at 2pm on Sunday afternoon and camped overnight.

Dressed in Union flags, she said: 'I've been watching lots of footage from 1945 when everybody was gathering outside the palace, so just great to be a part of it here we are again 80 years later to do the very same.

'I got here at 2pm yesterday afternoon, sat in the red chair all night, had a little bit of sleep.

'I'm used to this, I've been to the other events. I've been to the Platinum Jubilee, the Coronation, the Queen's funeral, Royal weddings. Sleeping over is now my thing.

'It was very cold but I dressed accordingly and got through it. Slept about three times in one-hour bursts.

'I came here alone, the community is always so lovely. I'm absolutely hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royals.'

Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, marks the end of the Second World War and the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces.

At 3pm on May 8, 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced on the radio that the war in Europe had come to an end.

Celebrations broke out across the UK, as neighbours met for street parties and pubs stayed open long into the night.

The late Queen Elizabeth II alongside her sister, Princess Margaret famously ventured into the crowds to soak up the atmosphere.

The day is celebrated to remember the sacrifices made by the British troops and all of the Allied Forces who lost their lives during the war.

Michael Burn, 67, arrived at The Mall outside Buckingham Palace this morning.

Dressed head to toe in a Union flag suit he said: 'Obviously I'm very patriotic so I make the most of any of these events, the coronation or anything like that I'll be here.

'I think we've been very lucky that we've had 80 years of peace and these are very troubled times at the moment and we've got to think about all those that have the ultimate sacrifice and there's very few of them left now because they're all over 100.

'This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.'

Speaking of his suit and holding a seven foot Union flag he said: "I bought this for the London 2012 Olympics and have worn it at every Royal event since.

'I can still get into it,' he joked

In Whitehall, where the military procession for the 80th anniversary of VE Day will pass later, the Cenotaph is draped in a large Union flag.

The south and north face of the landmark are covered.

It is 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.

A hundred metres away, the base of the Monument To The Women Of World War II is covered in poppy wreaths.

Today marks exactly 80 years since Winston Churchill announced the end of the Second World War and victory in Europe.

It is the first of four days of celebrations to mark the milestone.

Here are the events scheduled for today:

• 12pm: Timothy Spall recites Winston Churchill's famous VE Day Speech as Big Ben strikes at midday.
• 12.10pm: The military procession begins as bands and units make their way from Parliament Square to Big Ben
• 1.45pm: A flypast featuring 23 aircraft from the past and present, including the iconic Red Arrows

Later in the afternoon: The King and Queen will host a tea party at Buckingham Palace for veterans.

Hello and welcome to MailOnline's live coverage of the UK's 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations which start today.

Over the next four days a host of commemorative events will take place across the country to mark Victory in Europe day on May 8, 1945.

Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of central London on Bank Holiday Monday for events and take in the military procession and a flypast.

The words of Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech, spoken by actor Timothy Spall, will begin the commemorations, which will feature displays by the Red Arrows, appearances by senior royals and street parties across the UK.

Stick with us for the latest updates throughout the day plus the most eye-catching pictures and videos of celebrations across the country.

The young prince took most of the attention at Buckingham Palace today. He was seen tapping on his father's shoulder, clutching a hot water bottle and waving at members of the parade

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is in attendance alongside his wife Lady Victoria for the military procession.

Sir Keir was seen speaking to Second World War veteran Albert Keir.