Thousands of people will line the streets of London as four days of commemorations to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe are set to begin.
Nato allies will join 1,300 members of the armed forces for a procession in the city, and the words of Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech will be spoken by actor Timothy Spall to kick off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
The royal family are scheduled to take part in engagements over the next four days, as they hope “nothing will detract or distract” from the commemorations following the Duke of Sussex’s bombshell interview with the BBC.
The King and Queen are “looking forward” to the week’s events, and it is understood that, out of respect for the surviving veterans, Buckingham Palace hopes “nothing will detract or distract from celebrating with full cheer and proud hearts that precious victory and those brave souls, on this most special and poignant of anniversaries”.
VE Day commemorations come just days after Harry told the broadcaster his father will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer the King has left.
In Whitehall the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered.
It is the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.
Crowds started to gather on The Mall on Monday morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a good viewing spot.
Elsewhere, the commemorations are set to feature displays from the Red Arrows and street parties will take place across the UK.
Sir Keir Starmer said the week’s events are a reminder that victory was “not just for Britain” as personnel from the US, France and Germany will be among those joining the military procession in London on Monday.
In an open letter to veterans, he said: “VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid.”
Alan Kennett, a 100-year-old Normandy veteran, will start the procession in London which is set to march down Whitehall, through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace.
Thirty further veterans are to attend official events on Monday, including 26 who will watch the procession in London.
The list includes Royal Navy veteran Albert Keir, 99; Royal Engineers veteran Alfred Littlefield, aged 101; RAF veteran Bernard Morgan, 101; Army veterans Arthur Oborne, 99, and Tom Stonehouse, 99; and Royal Marines veteran Francis James Grant, 99; who all served during D-Day.
The Nato detachment, which will also include personnel from Poland, Lithuania and Sweden, will march in the procession wearing the uniforms of their respective nations under the Nato flag.
Representatives of the Ukrainian military, selected from the UK armed forces’ training programme for Ukrainian recruits Operation Interflex, will also take part.
The procession begins after Mr Kennett receives the Commonwealth War Graves’ Torch For Peace by air cadet Warrant Officer Emmy Jones.
The King, Queen, Sir Keir and Second World War veterans will be on a platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.
Members of the royal family are later expected to make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the RAF flypast.
In 1945, large crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.
The young Princess Elizabeth sneaked out into the streets to join the celebrating crowds and later spoke of being swept up in a “tide of happiness and relief”.
Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, this year will be the first landmark VE Day commemoration without any of the royals who stood on the balcony that day.
Street parties will be held in towns and cities across the UK as part of the special events – including community tea parties, 1940s dress-up events, and gatherings aboard Second World War warships.
Local authorities throughout the country have offered support for communities and organisations wishing to hold a VE Day street party, with some councils such as Portsmouth waiving fees to close roads for the celebrations.
The Palace of Westminster, the Shard, Lowther Castle in Penrith, Manchester Printworks, Cardiff Castle and Belfast City Hall are among hundreds of buildings which will be lit up from 9pm on Tuesday.
A new display of almost 30,000 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London is also set to form another touching tribute.
The poppies have been set to resemble a wound to reflect the long-lasting sacrifices made during the war.
A service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence of reflection and remembrance on Thursday, where veterans will be part of the congregation.
Horse Guards Parade will then hold a live celebratory concert to round off the commemorations.
Pubs and bars have also been granted permission to stay open for longer to mark the anniversary.
Venues in England and Wales which usually close at 11pm will be able to keep serving for an extra two hours to celebrate on Thursday.
Churches and cathedrals across the country will ring their bells as a collective act of thanksgiving at 6.30pm, echoing the sounds that swept across the country in 1945, the Church of England said.
