The military flypast passes over The Mall and Buckingham Palace (Andrew Matthews/PA) - (PA Wire)
Eighty years on, the UK remembered VE Day with a gathering in the same streets where the defeat of Nazi Germany was greeted with delight and relief in 1945.
Senior members of the royal family watched a military parade from the Victoria Memorial, one of many gathering points in 1945 as the news sunk in. Even the young Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were among the crowds chanting “we want the King” after getting permission from their parents to slip out of the Palace and join the throng.
This year Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were more visible, taking their places with other members of the royal family.
The military flypast (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Colour Party carry flags of the Commonwealth nations (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)Second World War veteran Alan Kennett receives a peace rose near Parliament Square ahead of a military procession (Jeff Moore/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Royal Corps of Army Music (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)The King takes the salute (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Band of the Royal Marines (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)The King watching the military procession (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Wire)The Union flag draped over the Cenotaph (Benjamin Cremel/PA) (PA Wire)
Some spectators had staked out positions in the early hours of the morning.
Crowds gathered ahead of the commemoration which began with Timothy Spall reading wartime prime minister Winston Churchill’s victory speech.
Mingling among the crowds and in the VIP sections were people who served in the conflict.
The Prince of Wales arrives for the military procession (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the RAF Regiment (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)Second World War veteran Alfred Littlefield is escorted into Buckingham Palace after the procession (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince Louis and the Prince of Wales (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Royal Navy (Benjamin Cremel/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the Ukrainian armed forces (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)The King takes the salute from the military procession (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal, the King, the Duke of Kent, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, the Princess of Wales, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)Members of the public draped in Union flags ahead of the military procession (Alberto Pezzali/PA) (PA Wire)
