In commemoration on Thursday, both King Charles, who served in the Royal Navy, and the Prince of Wales, who served with the RAF, wore military medals during the service and laid wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. Artifacts from the war, including a gas mask and an air raid warden’s helmet to represent the Armed Forces, were processed through the abbey.

Queen Camilla, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers, wore her Lancers brooch while Princess Kate was dressed in a black and white polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich, which she wore to an Order of the Garter event in 2023.

The royals have been front and center of the VE day commemorations, which started on Monday with a military procession involving 1300 servicemen and women and a fly past at Buckingham Palace.

Britain’s King Charles III, Britain’s Queen Camilla, Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales attend a service of thanksgiving to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe, at Westminster Abbey in London on May 8, 2025.

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Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were all in attendance, with Prince Louis enthusiastically pointing at the aircraft, which included typhoons flying over the capital.

The Wales family joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace afterwards to meet veterans for a tea party.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 05, 2025 in London, England. The King and Queen, joined by Members of the Royal Family, will take part in events from May 5th to May 8th to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which signalled the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Neil Mockford

On Tuesday, Queen Camilla visited the Tower of London to inaugurate a new installation of ceramic poppies being planted in the Tower’s moat in honor of those killed in World War II, while buildings across the capital were lit up. On Thursday evening, a “VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember” Concert will take place at Horse Guards Parade.

The royal family has always had close links to the Armed Forces and played a central role in the nation’s rejoicing of VE day. These are the first VE commemorations to take place without the late Queen Elizabeth II who served with the ATS during the Second World War and memorably joined the victory celebrations in the streets when the end of the war was announced by Churchill.

In 2020, the Queen delivered her famous “We’ll Meet Again” speech during the COVID-19 lockdown to mark the 75th VE Day Commemorations. Dame Vera Lynn’s war time song was played at the close of Thursday’s service.