After a busy June and July filled with Trooping the Colour, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and royal garden parties, August marks a quiet month for the Royal Family. The King and Queen Camilla retreat to Scotland each August, with other members of the family such as Prince William and Princess Kate joining them on the Balmoral estate. But on Thursday, August 7, Buckingham Palace announced a series of new engagements to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
August 15 is VJ Day—or Victory Over Japan Day—which marked the end of World War II around the world. Like the Royal Family did in May for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, King Charles, Queen Camilla and other senior royals will carry out a series of appearances to commemorate the historic day.
According to the palace, The King will deliver an audio message to the nation on the morning of VJ Day, just like his grandfather, King George VI, when the war ended in 1945. King Charles and Queen Camilla will also attend a service of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum, after which they'll meet with Second World War veterans.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will also commemorate the anniversary, with Duchess Sophie scheduled to meet a 105-year-old World War II veteran, Jim Wren, at his care home on August 12. The duke and duchess will then attended a service at the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle on VJ Day itself.
And while the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have two commemorative services on their VJ Day calendar, the Prince and Princess of Wales were not mentioned in Buckingham Palace's announcement. Princess Anne was also not confirmed to attend any events, although notably, VJ Day falls on the Princess Royal's 75th birthday.
Prince William and Princess Kate—who are reported to have taken a vacation aboard a superyacht in Greece last month—are currently spending time with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during the summer school holiday.
In 2020, Prince William addressed the U.K. on the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, sharing stories his grandfather, Prince Philip, told him about World War II. "He remembers vividly his role in collecting released prisoners of war, a sign, as sure as any to him, that the war was finally over," William said, via the Independent.
To conclude the VJ Day commemorations, a reception for veterans will be held at Windsor Castle this fall, per the palace.
