Westminster Abbey fills up ahead of servicepublished at 11:57 British Summer Time
Image source, PA MediaSummary
The King pays special tribute to the veterans and those who died in World War Two as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day
After two minutes of silence, King Charles and the Prince of Wales lay wreaths at the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, while the Princess of Wales lay flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial
Anniversary events took place across the country - from London to Shetland, Cardiff and Howden - including a special tea party at the National Memorial Arboretum
"I certainly don't consider myself a hero," the RAF's oldest surviving veteran tells the BBC
We've stopped regular updates, but you can watch a special VE Day concert on this page starting at 20:00
Watch: Royals, veterans and politicians attend VE Day thanksgiving service
Westminster Abbey fills up ahead of servicepublished at 11:57 British Summer Time
Image source, PA MediaPrince and Princess of Wales at Westminster Abbeypublished at 11:55 British Summer Time
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, ReutersPrince William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have arrived at the Abbey.
Image source, ReutersDuke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne arrivepublished at 11:51 British Summer Time
We're now seeing pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh arriving at Westminster Abbey for the Service.
Right behind them are Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.
Just the royals left to arrivepublished at 11:48 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Ashitha Nagesh/BBCThe Abbey’s bells are ringing out ahead of the service starting in about 15 minutes.
Most of the 1,800 or so guests have now inside, with just the Royal Family due to arrive.
Abbey bells, helicopters overhead, but no cheering crowds to watchpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, from Westminster AbbeyThe area in front of the Westminster Abbey is seeing a succession of expensive looking cars dropping off guests.
There's also a knot of photographers at the doors of the Abbey, capturing the arrivals, and a big media encampment over the road.
But there are no members of the public in the immediate vicinity. The police are at barriers with no one behind them. It will be because of security, but it means that such events happen in a strange emptiness.
There are Abbey bells, helicopters overhead, but no cheering crowds to watch.
Former PMs Cameron, Johnson and Truss arrive for servicepublished at 11:46 British Summer Time
Among the politicians attending today's service, are several former PMs.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, PA Media
Image source, ReutersMPs and peers walk to Westminster Abbeypublished at 11:42 British Summer Time
We've just had this image of MPs and peers making the short walk from Parliament to Westminster Abbey.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle can be seen towards the front of the procession, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer a little way behind.
Image source, PA MediaHow is VE Day being celebrated across the UK?published at 11:37 British Summer Time
Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Scotland's National Piper Louise Marshall played a lament to the fallen on Portobello Beach at dawn to kick off the commemorations
As we've been mentioning, events are being held across the nation to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
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.
Northern Ireland is marking VE Day with a series of events, including a tea dance at Belfast City Hall, and displaying a replica Spitfire throughout the day.
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.
Image caption, Knitted poppy cascade in Connah's Quay, Wales
Starmer leads procession of MPs into Abbeypublished at 11:33 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, ReutersWe’ve just seen the procession of MPs, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, arriving at the Abbey.
They are re-enacting the historic walk MPs did from Parliament on VE Day in 1945, after it was announced that fighting in Europe had come to an end.
There’s a hush in Westminster now as we get closer to midday, when the service is starting.
Image source, Ashitha Nagesh/BBC'Excited' Scouts prepare to play key role during VE Day servicepublished at 11:21 British Summer Time
Gabriela Pomeroy
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Gabriela Pomeroy/BBCImage caption, Calla and Keinan wait to enter the Abbey
In the long queue outside the Abbey, I met two young people who’ve been given a special job during the memorial service: handing out flowers to veterans during the proceedings.
Calla, 13, and Keinan, 12, are part of a large group of Scouts invited to take part in the service.
Their scout leader Gillian tells me they spent yesterday afternoon “rehearsing handing out red roses” inside the abbey.
“The teenagers are very excited to be chosen,” she says. “They were nervous yesterday but today they are happier now that they’ve had a rehearsal.”
The Spitfire at St Paul'spublished at 11:15 British Summer Time
Gem O'Reilly
BBC London
Image source, Gem O'Reilly/BBCIt’s been a hugely eventful week across London and I’ve been lucky enough to see it all, reporting across the city, learning what VE means to people in the capital.
Today I am stood in front of the replica spitfire outside St Paul’s Cathedral that was modelled by Terry Arlow. He runs Simply Spitfire, where they remake the planes that we remember from World War Two.
This particular Spitfire is modelled from a veteran called Tony Cooper, who flew a 64 squadron during the war.
This is one of many commemorations taking place today to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and a service will be held today at St Paul’s at 17:00 BST.
Guests are starting to arrive at the Abbeypublished at 11:08 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Ashitha Nagesh/BBCSome of the 1,800 guests have started to arrive for today’s service, and are being shown into the Abbey.
As you can see, the entrance is also lined with photographers and security officers.
It’s a bit chilly, but the weather’s just started to improve, with clear skies and a bit of sunshine.
‘I remember everything that happened 80 years ago as if it happened yesterday’published at 11:02 British Summer Time
Ashitha Nagesh
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Alexandra Vanotti/BBC NewsI’ve just met Harry Winter, a 103-year-old RAF veteran who is one of the guests at today’s service at Westminster Abbey.
He said he was feeling “very well” this morning – “quite fit, but not fit enough to do a marathon”.
Winter was shot down over Germany in January 1945, and held as a Prisoner of War until VE Day five months later.
“I remember everything that happened 80 years ago as if it had happened yesterday or today, it’s as clear in my mind. I’ve got a very good memory,” he tells BBC Radio 4’s World at One.
While in captivity he had to walk 150 miles in 17 days without any food, pushing cattle trucks in -30C cold.
On 8 May, he was told that American trucks were waiting in the woods to pick up him and other prisoners of war. They crossed out of Germany at about 12 noon – and he was elated.
“I just felt, ‘I’m free! I can do as I like again! I can go around without anybody trying to hold me back.’”
You can listen to the full interview with Harry Winter at 13:00 on BBC Radio 4.
Full day of activities as Hull children mark VE Day 80published at 10:54 British Summer Time
Sally Fairfax
BBC Radio Humberside Live in Hull
Image source, Sally Fairfax/BBCThe children are having a day full of activities relating to World War Two, including an air raid, with the siren, singing Vera Lynn songs and writing letters back to someone who lived through the war.
The children are in pyjamas because many children would have been in bed when air raids happened.
Image source, Sally Fairfax/BBCImage caption, The children had a mock air raid, in which they had to quickly get under the tables. And they had visitors from Murton Park, dressed as air wardens
Dancing, singing and kissing in the streets - how people celebrated the end of the warpublished at 10:41 British Summer Time
Image source, Press AssociationImage caption, Some people jumped into the water at Trafalgar Square during VE Day celebrations, as they celebrated the end of the war
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Young girls danced in the streets of London with American soldiers during the VE Day celebrations.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Outside of Buckingham Palace, a group of young girls waved their flags in front of the statue of Queen Victoria.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Across the pond in the US, which joined the war in 1941, people celebrated in New York's Times Square
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Almost one million Black Americans served during World War II, but faced unequal treatment, despite playing a significant role
A cloudy VE Day on the cardspublished at 10:35 British Summer Time
Chris Fawkes
BBC Weather presenterThere's quite a lot of cloud for England and Wales today with some sunny intervals, the best of the sunshine will be in western areas and later in parts of East Anglia and southeast England.
After a sunny but cold start in Northern Ireland and Scotland, some areas of cloud will develop and spread across the sky.
Temperatures for most will reach between 15-19C.
'It's a privilege to be here' - Gulf War veteran pays tribute to grandfatherpublished at 10:24 British Summer Time
Gabriela Pomeroy
Reporting from Westminster Abbey
Image source, Gabriela Pomeroy/BBCCrowds are starting to gather outside Westminster Abbey.
A tent with large metal detectors is being set up at the entrance, along with several “knife amnesty” bins. Metal barricades and police officers line the street.
A long queue is forming outside the abbey as memorial service guests start arriving, dressed in war medals, uniforms, hats and fascinators.
In the queue I met Pete Pullin and his wife Lucy.
Pete applied for a ticket to the memorial service because he served in the Royal Airforce regiment for 16 years, serving in Northern Ireland, the first Gulf War and Bosnia.
“My grandfather was in the army in WW2 and was in Normandy, and my son is also in the army. I’m proud to be here today, it’s a privilege,” he says.
Day full of remembrance and celebration at Howden Minsterpublished at 10:10 British Summer Time
Becki Bowden
Reporting from Howden
Image source, Becki Bowden/BBCThe Union Jack flag has been raised at Howden Minster to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Colonel David Fuller OBE, Deputy Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, has laid a wreath at the War Memorial.
It’s a day full of remembrance and celebration at Howden Minster. In a few hours, local school choirs will be performing wartime songs.
Image source, Becki Bowden/BBCMilitary band rehearses ahead of National Memorial Arboretum servicepublished at 09:58 British Summer Time
John Maguire
Reporting from the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
Image source, John Maguire/BBCIt's cold but you feel instant warmth as the Tidworth Military band fires up to rehearse for today’s commemoration service.
The voices of Russell Watson and Carly Paoli fill the expanse of the Arboretum as they practice the songs they will sing later.
The Royal British Legion has invited 44 veterans and their families for a tea party followed by the service.
The oldest veteran of World War Two, 110-year-old Donald Rose heads the guest list.
They will also be treated to a fly over by two wartime aircraft, a Spitfire and a Hurricane.
A thanksgiving service, a two-minute silence, and a concert - what to expect todaypublished at 09:49 British Summer Time
There’s a full roster of celebrations lined up to mark the anniversary. Here’s what we've got coming up:
- 12:00 BST - A thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, attended by the King, Queen and other members of the Royal Family
- 12:00 BST - A two-minute national silence will be held, and all UK Government departments will fly the Union Flag at full-mast
- 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