VE Day 80 live: King lays wreath at Westminster Abbey service

Summary

The King and Prince William have laid wreaths after a two-minute silence ahead of a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey
Events are being held across the nation to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day
From London to Staffordshire to Howden - as well as across Wales and Scotland - our reporters are bringing you the latest from the commemorations
We've been hearing from a 101-year-old who lied to join the war effort as well as children learning about World War Two, we're bringing you stories from across the UK
"I remember everything that happened 80 years ago as if it happened yesterday," 103-year-old veteran Harry Winter tells the BBC

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Watch: Royals, veterans and politicians attend VE Day thanksgiving service

Live Reporting

Edited by Rorey Bosotti

‘Children my age need to learn about WW2 to avoid another horrific war’published at 15:51 British Summer Time
Image source, Handout
Image caption,
Ana holds a photo of her grandfather Albert, who served in the American navy during WW2.
When 10-year-old Ana from London found out her grandfather joined the US navy during WW2, she wanted to learn more about what happened to him.
“I never met my grandfather Albert,” Ana says. “He was American and in 1942 he enlisted in the US navy while at university.”
Researching her grandfather for a school project, Ana discovered that in 1943 he operated an American naval patrol boat, protecting England from German submarines.
He also operated a boat during the 1944 Normandy invasions, says Ana. “He must have been terrified,” she says.
Ana says she feels sad knowing that Albert lost most of his friends. Almost all the classmates who enlisted at the same time as him died in the fighting. “Only two of them survived,” she says.
She hopes others will take time to learn more about the war. “Children my age need to learn about World War 2 to avoid another horrific war”, Ana says.
Children in Rochdale learn about the history of VE Daypublished at 15:42 British Summer Time
Kevin Fitzpatrick
BBC North West political editor
Image caption,
Polly, Isla-Rose and Noah at Caldershaw primary school.
Pupils at a primary school in Greater Manchester say it's been interesting learning about how people marked VE Day in 1945.
Ten-year-old Polly says: "It's amazing to see how people celebrated but also how other people didn't because they had lost their loved ones."
She's been learning about the end of the Second World War at Caldershaw Primary school in Norden, Rochdale.
They're marking VE Day with a special picnic lunch to replicate the celebrations eighty years ago after weeks of learning about the history of the day.
Headteacher Ruth Trainer said: "We need children to understand what the impact of conflict is and why peace is so important while conflict is still going on around the world."
The school is decked with union flag bunting while the children are wearing a mix of red, white and blue.
'You can't understand what VE Day was like unless you experienced it' - ex-nursepublished at 15:31 British Summer Time
Image source, Margaret Jones/BBC
Margaret Johns, 99, was working as a nurse in London when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies.
She caught the Tube to central London and partied outside the palace, staying up late into the night.
"They should have given us the day off the next day," says Johns, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire.
Johns' education had ended abruptly at the age of 16, despite being a good student.
For two years, at the peak of World War Two, she worked at the RAE in Aberporth, Ceredigion, testing ammunition.
She then went to London in 1944 for her nurse's training and worked through blackouts and bombings in London hospitals for five years before returning to Wales, continuing to work into her 80s.
"You can never understand what VE Day was like unless you experienced it," she said.
LGBT veteran feels 'proud' to be official part of commemorations for first timepublished at 15:22 British Summer Time
Josh Parry
LGBT and identity reporter
Image caption,
Vito Ward says it's an honour to be an official part of the commemorations
LGBT veterans who were sacked for their sexuality have for the first time been officially welcomed to take part in VE Day commemorations.
Vito Ward, 81, served in the Royal Navy for almost ten years.
She was sacked after bosses found letters to her then girlfriend, who was also being investigated for her sexuality.
She tells BBC News it was “an honour” to be an official part of commemorations for the first time.
She says: “I’ve had my veterans status reinstated and that gives me such a sense of pride.
“I’ve been welcomed back into the military family, and to take part in something like VE Day makes it really extra special.”
Vito, as well as others who were impacted by the ban, were invited to take part in today’s commemorations and were also invited to attend the special memorial concert later this evening on Horse Guards Parade.
Until the year 2000 it was illegal to be gay in the British military, with those who were gay or perceived to be gay interrogated, thrown out and in some cases imprisoned.
In 2023, those impacted received an official apology from then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and are now being awarded financial redress for the harm caused by the ban.
'We've been working 24/7 on today'published at 15:16 British Summer Time
Gabriela Pomeroy
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Outside Westminster Abbey, I had a quick chat with Valerie Humphrey who has worked at the Abbey for 17 years, running the Westminster Abbey Foundation.
She has spent much of the day meeting and greeting the dignitaries and veterans who came through the doors.
“I hate to sound soppy but it is a privilege to be meeting all these young soldiers and veterans who came here for the memorial,” she says.
The staff at the Abbey “have been working on this 24/7 to make sure we give it the dignity it deserves.”
'I pretended to be 17 so I could become a Land Girl'published at 14:40 British Summer Time
Image caption,
Annie in the same Women's Land Army uniform she wore 80 years ago
Annie Duplock is 101 now, but back in 1940, she was so keen to become a Land Girl, that she pretended to be 17 so that she could enrol one year earlier.
It was hard work on the farm - the work day started at 05:00 and didn't finish until 23:00. She remembers hearing Victory in Europe announced on the radio.
"We all went a bit mad," she says. "We had a bit of a party ourselves on the farm and then, when milking was done, we went up to the town to see what was going on.
"There were tables in the middle of the road, everywhere, and everybody was having a party. Singing, dancing, music. And there were flags all over the place."
At its peak in 1944, there were more than 80,000 women, like Annie, working in the Land Army, feeding the nation. Thinking of her time on the farm she says: "I'd go back if I could."
Bells peal as bustle returns to Westminsterpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Ashitha Nagesh/ BBC
The roads around Westminster have reopened, and members of the public are filtering back in.
What was an eerily quiet atmosphere before is now joyful and lively again.
The Westminster Abbey bells are ringing out a piece composed specially for today, called 1945 Stedman Caters.
They will ring for about an hour and 25 minutes.
Afghanistan veteran proudly wears his grandfathers' World War Two medalspublished at 14:00 British Summer Time
Gabriela Pomeroy
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Gabriela Pomeroy/BBC
In London, guests are pouring out of Westminster Abbey and into the streets now the thanksgiving service has concluded.
One young man has prosthetic legs and some of the elderly veterans are in wheelchairs.
With men and women in army uniforms, veterans wearing their medals, and teenagers from youth groups looking thrilled to be part of it all, it really is an amazing collection of people dedicated to public service.
Jason Webb, a Royal Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, is wearing his medals - and also the medals of both his grandfathers who served in WW2. “I felt very emotional during the service” he says.
Wales joins VE Day 80 commemorationspublished at 13:50 British Summer Time
Image caption,
Members of the Senedd observing a two-minute silence
Across Wales, events have been taking place to commemorate 80 years since the end of war in Europe.
In Cardiff, Members of the Senedd observed the two-minute silence at 12:00 BST along with the rest of the UK.
At a service at Christ Church in Swansea, four school groups from across the city performed songs including White Cliffs of Dover and Calon Lan.
Veteran Richard Pelzer laid a wreath on behalf of Blind Veterans UK and veterans from more recent conflicts were also invited, with more than 40 in attendance.
In Wrexham, events took place across the city with a service held in St Giles Church.
A special assembly with afternoon tea to follow will be held in Ysgol Glan Gele, Abergele, Conwy.
Poignant service, with prayers, hymns and poetry to mark VE Daypublished at 13:46 British Summer Time
Chris Lockyer
Reporting from Bridgwater in Somerset
Image source, Chris Lockyer/BBC
A couple hundred people gathered in Bridgwater's King Square, in Somerset - from school children, to veterans.
It was a poignant service, with prayers, hymns and poetry read out by local school children.
Sir Ashley Fox, the local Conservative MP, says the event underlined the importance of democracy and freedom to the youngsters in attendance.
John Hardy, a veteran and now volunteer who served in the Royal Medical Army Corps, stresses the importance of marking these events locally.
He says it is their “duty” to remember those who served, adding he never wants to see anyone left behind and is “heartened” to see such a big turnout for the town.
“We shouldn’t forget that people fought and died so that we enjoy the freedoms we enjoy," he says. “Both my parents served in the RAF… it’s so important for all of us and many of the people here will have their own story.”
It’s busy few days for John, as tomorrow he’ll receive his British Empire medal in Wells.
Hull shopping centre comes to a stand still for two-minute silencepublished at 13:38 British Summer Time
Jo Makel
BBC Look North
Hull’s Princes Quay Shopping centre came to a stand still for the national silence.
The bottom floor has been transformed into a street party, with live music, attended by veterans and dozens of others in the community.
A giant union flag has been hung from one of the balconies and the lifts and bannisters have been decorated with bunting.
VE Day service concludes, but more events to comepublished at 13:33 British Summer Time
While the thanksgiving service is now over, there's more events to come across the UK to mark VE Day:
- 14:00 BST: The Royal British Legion is hosting an anniversary tea party at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which brings together some Second World War veterans
- 18:30 BST: Churches and cathedrals across the country will ring their bells, which the Church of England says will echo the sounds that swept across the country in 1945
- 20:00 BST: There'll be a live concert from Horse Guards Parade - VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember - with 10,000 attending
- 23:00 BST: Pubs and bars have been given permission to stay open for two extra hours to mark the anniversary
Meanwhile in Scotland, a convoy of Norwegian fishing boats is travelling to Shetland to commemorate the "Shetland Bus" operation that rescued many refugees during the war.
A number of activities, including historical talks, parades and services, are being held across Northern Ireland.
And in Wales, a poppy cascade made from 1,000 individual flowers has been knitted by the Steel Magnolias Women's Institute. The cascade is being displayed outside the veterans' hub in Connah's Quay.
Bells ring all at once as guests leavepublished at 13:26 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Ashitha Nagesh/BBC
Now the service is over and the King and Queen have left, other guests are slowly filtering out too.
The Abbey’s bells are being fired - that is, they will all be struck simultaneously - as they were on VE Day.
This is being done 80 times to mark the 80th anniversary.
Princess of Wales places flowers in memory of innocent victims of warpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from Westminster Abbey
Prince William and Catherine have left the Abbey and have laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial by the Great West Door.
This memorial remembers all those who have suffered death, torture and oppression throughout the world.
The flowers were picked yesterday on the grounds of Windsor Castle and the surrounding estate - and include rosemary for remembrance, oak for longevity and endurance and bluebells for gratitude.
King and Queen leave Abbey after servicepublished at 13:15 British Summer Time
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from Westminster Abbey
The King and Queen have left the Abbey and stepped into the State Bentley which is slowly driving away, following police outriders.
Royals greet veterans attending the servicepublished at 13:12 British Summer Time
Now that the service is over, the Royal Family are walking through the Abbey shaking hands and chatting with some of the veterans in attendance.
Warm handshakes and smiles are being exchanged between the King and the war heroes, whilst Prince William and Kate appear to be engaged in avid conversations with attendees.
Procession of clergy files down Westminster Abbey aislepublished at 13:00 British Summer Time
The final blessing has now been given and a procession of clergy is now walking down the aisle of Westminster Abbey as the service concludes.
Members of the Royal Family, including the King and Queen, are chatting with the Dean before they, too, start making their way out of the Abbey.
VE Day service will conclude shortly, after Dean's final blessingpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time
The VE Day service in Westminster Abbey is coming to a close.
In the last section we heard from Cadet Warrant Officer Bethan Holmes, who read from the memoir of 15-year-old Joan Broome, on her experience of VE Day in London.
Abigail McFarlane is speaking now, a King’s Scout reading the Rededication to Peace, as the Dean prepares his final blessing.
Sun shines over a quiet Westminsterpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Outside the Abbey the sun has finally come out, and the skies are clear.
But Westminster is still eerily quiet.
The roads around the Abbey have been closed. While events like this usually attract large crowds, if there are any today, they’ve been kept well away.
As a result the streets here are completely empty, save for a few police officers and ceremonial guards - and of course, journalists.
In pictures: Attendees arrive and service gets under waypublished at 12:46 British Summer Time
Here are some of the first high-quality photos from inside Westminster Abbey as the service progresses:
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Catherine, the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla observe the two minutes silence at noon after arriving for the service
Image source, PA Media
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Veterans and guests passed the display of red poppies as they enter
Image source, Getty Images
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Wreaths with handwritten notes sit inside the abbey to be laid during the service - this one, signed by William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been laid by the pair
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
The Prince of Wales and the King stood alongside a veteran as they observed the silence
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Many attendees are wearing their best - 100-year-old veteran Dorothea Barron added a pop of vivid red to the benches of the abbey