The 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe marks the first major VE Day commemorations to be held in the absence of Queen Elizabeth II.
The late Queen was meant to publicly lead the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020, but the Covid pandemic scuppered plans for widescale in-person national celebrations.
She died in 2022 and her eldest son the King will now steer the nation as tributes are paid to those who served during the conflict.
"Never give up, never despair - that was the message of VE Day"
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2020
An address by Her Majesty The Queen on the 75th anniversary of VE Day #VEDay75 pic.twitter.com/prgBXCdRHF
Elizabeth II had a personal link to the historic celebrations – as a young princess she secretly joined thousands of revellers as they jubilantly gathered outside Buckingham Palace on the night of May 8 1945.
While in lockdown at Windsor Castle five years ago, she delivered a poignant televised address on the day of the 75th anniversary, in place of public commemorations.
“Never give up, never despair – that was the message of VE Day,” she told a stricken nation.
“But our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other,” she added.
“And when I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support one another, I say with pride that we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire.”
The Queen’s words were her second televised address during the coronavirus outbreak, after her speech to the country in April 2020 when she delivered a message of hope, saying if people remained resolute in the face of the outbreak “we will overcome it”.
She echoed Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime anthem by telling those in lockdown, separated from their families and friends: “We will meet again.”
Despite swathes of VE Day events being cancelled because of the pandemic, the UK found ways to come together to honour those who served in the Second World War.
After the Queen’s broadcast, the nation was invited to open doors and windows and take part in sing-a-long of We’ll Meet Again, during the BBC’s VE Day 75 show.
The then-Prince of Wales had led a poignant two-minute silence from Balmoral.
The RAF staged flypasts across the country, with the Red Arrows soaring through the sky above Buckingham Palace and the London Eye and Typhoon fighter jets flying over Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
Residents decorated their streets in patriotic bunting and held socially distanced tea parties and virtual get-togethers.
Five years on, four days of celebrations are being staged from May 5 to 8, including a procession of more than 1,300 members of the armed forces along The Mall in central London, watched by thousands of members of the public, as well as the King, the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and other royals.
