The Queen praised the the nation's current efforts against coronavirus as she paid tribute to the wartime generation on Friday night.
Her speech was aired at the same time that her father, King George VI, gave a radio address to the nation to announce the surrender of Nazi Germany and an end to the Second World War.
She told Britain: "Never give up, never despair: that was the message of VE Day.
"I vividly remember the jubilant scenes my sister and I witnessed, with our parents and Winston Churchill, from the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
"The sense of joy in the crowds outside, and who gathered across the country, was profound, though while we celebrated the victory in Europe, we knew there would be further sacrifice. It was not until August that the fighting in the Far East ceased and the war finally ended.
"Many people laid down their lives in that terrible conflict. They fought so we could live in peace, at home and abroad. They died so we could live as free people in a world of free nations.
"They risked all so our families and neighbourhoods could be safe. We should, and will, remember them."
She added: "The wartime generation knew that the best way to honour those who did not come back from the war was to ensure that it did not happen again. The greatest tribute to their sacrifice is that countries that were once sworn enemies are now friends."
Turning to the situation today as the nation marks the solemn anniversary inside, she said: "Today it may seem hard that we cannot mark this special anniversary as we would wish.
"Instead we remember from our homes and from our doorsteps.
"But our streets are not empty, they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other".
"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 efforts people are now going to to support each other through lockdown showed that "we are still a nation that those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise."
She closed with her "warmest good wishes" to the whole country.
