People crowd the streets of London to catch a glimpsepublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, Reuters
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Street and tea parties are being held across the country, including at Buckingham Palace and Downing Street, to mark 80 years since World War Two ended in Europe
It comes after the Royal Family watched the Red Arrows fly over the Palace, with the King and Queen waving to thousands of people gathered on the Mall
The Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children, joined the monarch - see the younger royals’ reaction
Earlier, the King saluted a military procession watched by thousands of spectators - one family tell the BBC they left home at 05:30 BST to bag a front-row spot
The World War Two veterans at today's events are in their late nineties and are representatives of a shrinking number of that generation, our royal correspondent Sean Coughlan writes
Watch: The royal moments you may have missed
People crowd the streets of London to catch a glimpsepublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, ReutersImage source, EPAImage source, EPAThe Prince and Princess of Wales watch with their childrenpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 5 May
Mallory Moench
Reporting from the MallOn stage, Prince William and Princess Catherine are leaning over at times to talk to their three children sitting between them, pointing at different things in the procession like the Commonwealth flags.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Princess of Wales shares a laugh with her daughter, Princess Charlotte
King salutes soldierspublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 5 May
We've just seen this striking picture of the King on his feet saluting soldiers on horseback, as they salute back.
Image source, ReutersUh oh - I feel raindropspublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 5 May
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from the MallMy colleague Simon King reported earlier that there was a risk of showers in parts of south east England today.
Well, that risk is becoming a reality here on the Mall, where I’ve just felt the first few rain drops of the day.
After the unseasonably warm weather of the past few weeks, few people seem to have expected this. I can’t see a single umbrella in sight.
Rain or shine, it won't impact the flypast that is happening here at 13:45 BST, Simon King reports.
Late Queen among the women who served in WW2published at 12:47 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, Getty ImagesOne of the monuments the procession passed by was the Women of World War II on Whitehall.
The late Queen Elizabeth was one of the women who served in World War Two - she trained as a mechanic and military driver after signing up to the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).
Armed police stand guard alongside the Mallpublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 5 May
Mallory Moench
Reporting from the Mall
Armed police aren’t watching today's procession - they’re standing with their backs to it, watching the crowd lining the fence along the Mall as groups of different armed forces march past to a beating drum.
Royal platform also applauds Ukrainian contingentpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 5 May
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Mall
Image source, EPAThere was also applause from the royal viewing platform as a Ukrainian contingent walked by in the military procession, carrying the blue and yellow flag of their country.
It's a reminder of conflicts of the present, as well as those in the past.
Applause from the crowds as Ukrainian soldiers march bypublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, ReutersPositioned all along the Mall are families, royal enthusiasts and tourists who arrived early, well-equipped and in some cases extremely well-dressed.
The crowds at the foot of the Mall - near Admiralty Arch - broke into a flutter of applause not long ago as the contingent of Ukrainian soldiers walked by as part of the procession.
Royal Family watches as procession passes bypublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 5 May
Mallory Moench
Reporting from the MallMedia caption, Starmer is also seen among royals as the King salutes parade
The next part of that procession has just passed, with another salute for the King.
They were carrying instruments - some small and some large, like a tuba or a drum.
I could see small sheets of music in plastic sheathing attached to their harnesses - just in case it rained.
In pictures: The view from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palacepublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, PA Media
Image source, ReutersNoises signal the procession's imminent arrival at Buckingham Palacepublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 5 May
Mallory Moench
Reporting from the MallThe clip clip of horses' hooves and the rattle of wheels can be heard on the Mall as teams of horses pulling wagons behind them in the first part of procession reach Buckingham Palace.
The King stood and saluted as they passed.
Media caption, VE Day 80th anniversary parade begins in central London
Louis tugs at his father's uniformpublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 5 May
As the Royal Family watch the procession go by, Prince Louis can be spotted pulling at his father - Prince William's - uniform.
Image source, ReutersCheers as parade reaches end of the Mallpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 5 May
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from the Mall
Phones up - the procession is here.
There are cheers, claps and whoops from the crowd as the procession reaches us.
And of course, plenty of phones in the air trying to capture the moment on camera.
Three generations of Royals watch over the ceremonypublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 5 May
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the MallKing Charles, wearing naval uniform, is sitting next to one of the veterans, 98-year-old Joy Trew, who served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force as a wireless operator.
Prince William and Catherine and their three children are also on the viewing platform waiting to see the parade come up the Mall.
With the King and Queen that's three generations of royals.
Will they be thinking of previous generations? The late Queen Elizabeth was a young woman in her twenties on VE Day in 1945.
King Charles was part of that post-war generation, born in Buckingham Palace in 1948, at a time when there was still wartime rationing.
Media caption, Members of the royal family greet veterans
Military procession reaches Queen Victoria Memorialpublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 5 May
The first members of the procession have now reached the Queen Victoria Memorial, where World War Two veterans and Prime Minister Keir Starmer are watching the event.
The memorial is in front of Buckingham Palace - where the King and Queen are expected to make an appearance from the balcony later in the day.
The King delivers a royal salutepublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, ReutersThe procession has started to make its way up the Mall and closer towards Buckingham Palace where the King, Queen and other members of the Royal Family are watching on.
The King stands up and salutes those passing by him on horseback.
You can follow this live by pressing watch live above.
In pictures: Royal Family takes in processionpublished at 12:24 British Summer Time 5 May
Image source, PA Media
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Image source, PA MediaPooches are getting patrioticpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 5 May
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from the Mall
It’s not just humans who are donning flags today.
I’ve just met Lenny, who’s wearing a very fetching union jack collar.
He seems totally unfazed by the huge crowds that have now gathered here.
Needless to say, Lenny is a very good boy.
Grandchildren of RAF engineer invited to join the Kingpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 5 May
Helena Wilkinson & James Bryant
Reporting from the Mall
We’ve been on the Mall speaking to the family of one of the veterans invited onto the platform with the King to watch the military procession.
Norman Brown, 101, was an engineer in the RAF during World War Two.
Neil Brown tells us his dad was "very excited" about today, adding "he was very humble about it" and asked at one point: "Why me?"
We've also spoken to grandson Xander, 10, who tells us he was "very happy" for his grandpa being here today and hopes he has a good day.
After the military procession and flypast Norman Brown will join other veterans at a tea party at Buckingham Palace.
His granddaughter describes it as a "cool experience" and says she can’t wait to hear his stories.
Image source, Neil BrownImage caption, Norman Brown will join other veterans at Buckingham Palace
Excited crowds wait with anticipation for processionpublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 5 May
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from the Mall
The area directly in front of Buckingham Palace is closed to the public at the moment, as has happened in recent years for such big events.
Although later there might be a chance for people to get closer. Nearby Green Park is closed to the public too.
It's different from those pictures of VE night in 1945 with thronging crowds pressing up against the Palace railings.
There are police dotted around that empty space. And facing them is a tented media village, with cohorts of pundits and commentators and TV trucks, lined up behind the Palace flower beds.
