Queen pays tribute to mark 100 years of Royal Air Force
Britain's Queen Elizabeth arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson
LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth and senior royals watched almost 100 aircraft, from World War Two Spitfires to the newest stealth fighter jet fly over Buckingham Palace on Tuesday in a celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of Britain's Royal Air Force.
Thousands of people lined the palace approach in central London, to watch a ceremony hosted by the Queen and culminating in the historic flypast of bombers, old and new, along with spy planes, helicopters and transporters.
The Queen watched Typhoons form the shape of the number 100 in the sky, before the Red Arrows, the RAF's aerobatic team, concluded the show, vapour-trailing the red, white and blue of the Union Jack flag.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves Westminster Abbey after a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson
Heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, his son Prince William and wife Kate, and Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, all joined the queen on the palace balcony for the display.
Charles and William both served as RAF pilots.
The tribute to the RAF, which became the world's first independent air force when it was founded as a separate entity from the British Army and Royal Navy in 1918, began with a service at Westminster Abbey.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves Westminster Abbey after a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson
The queen, dressed in a royal blue outfit with turquoise edging, later hosted a ceremony to present the RAF with a new Queen's Colour, at which she recognised the service's work.
"Tenacity, skill and gallantry have been your hallmarks," she said.
"I remember the Battle of Britain being fought in the skies above us and we shall never forget the courage and sacrifice of that time," she added, referring to the decisive encounter between the air forces of Britain and Nazi Germany over southern England in 1940.
The Red Arrows perform a fly past over Trafalgar Square to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Some of the veterans were due to attend the celebrations on Tuesday, including Wing Commander Paul Farnes, who flew in the Battle of Britain, and Air Commodore Charles Clarke who was shot down over Germany during the war.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Stephen Addison)
Members of the Red Arrows Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team fly over London, heading for Buckingham Palace, to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/SAC Rose Buchanan RAF/MoD/Crown Copyright/Handout via REUTERS An F35 lightening flies over the Queen victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace, to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/SAC Rose Buchanan RAF/MoD/Crown Copyright/Handout via REUTERS The Red Arrows Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team fly over London, heading for Buckingham Palace, to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Cpl Tim Laurence RAF/MoD/Crown Copyright/Handout via REUTERS Military helicopters fly over London, heading for Buckingham Palace, to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/SAC Pippa Fowles (RAF)/MoD/Crown Copyright/Handout via REUTERSBritain's Queen Elizabeth arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall wait in Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prince Wiliam and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge sit in Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prince Wiliam and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonThe Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, speaks at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arrive at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonA military band marches along the Mall ahead of a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Henry NichollsBritain Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prime Minister, Theresa May, speaks at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall wait in Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Queen Elizabeth arrives at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon DawsonBritain's Prince Harry, his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
