To open the procession in Parliament Square, a recitation of Winston Churchill’s famous VE Day speech will be played on the loudspeakers when Big Ben strikes 12:00. From there, the King and Queen will watch the March along the mall with the Prince and Princess of Wales and Sir Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister will join the senior royals to lay wreathes at the Queen Victoria Memorial in honour of fallen service members from the catastrophe. Other members of the royal family are said to be joining King Charles, Queen Camilla, Kate Middleton and Prince William for the occasion, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence and The Duke of Kent.
From the Buckingham Palace balcony, they will watch a flypast to honour the brave men and women who fought and died to protect their country. It will include Red Arrows and historic World War Two aircrafts to add to the spectacle of the occasion.
During the procession, a Torch for Peace will be passed from a young person to Alan Kennet, a 100 year old British serviceman who served during World War Two. Speaking of the hardship he endured, he recalled how his friend and fighter pilot Johnnie Johnson told him the news that the war was over. He said, ‘A big party soon followed, filled with lots of drinking and celebrating the news.’
Afterwards, the royal couple will host a special tea party at Buckingham Palace for war veterans and their families. This will be a poignant commemoration considering how few servicemen and women are left from the war. It is likely to be the last anniversary where a considerable number of veterans who served in World War Two can attend. The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence and The Duke of Kent will join Their Majesties and the Prime Minister, meeting veterans during the reception.
TUESDAY 6TH MAY
