Summary

  • King Charles delivers speech honouring veterans at the VE Day concert at London's Horse Guards Parade

  • The concert features performances from Fleur East, The Darkness, and Freya Ridings and comes at the end of a day of remembrance and commemoration as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe

  • Following a two-minute silence across the UK, King Charles and the Prince of Wales laid wreaths at the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey

  • 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 the stream on this page

'A giant conga': King Charles makes crowd laugh during VE Day speech

Live Reporting

Edited by Jamie Whitehead

  1. ‘I remember everything that happened 80 years ago as if it happened yesterday’

    Ashitha Nagesh
    Reporting from Westminster Abbey

    An elderly man on a wheelchair poses in front of Westminster Abbey holding a picture of himself when he was youngerAlexandra Vanotti/BBC News

    I’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.

  2. Full day of activities as Hull children mark VE Day 80

    Sally Fairfax
    BBC Radio Humberside Live in Hull

    A group of seven children in pyjamas pose for a picture with a man dressed as a WW2 air warden whilst holding several objects incudlng a helmet, a spade and cardboard suitcasesSally Fairfax/BBC

    The 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.

    Children in pyjamas seek cover under their school desks during a pretend air raidSally Fairfax/BBC

    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

  3. Dancing, singing and kissing in the streets - how people celebrated the end of the war

    Two young women and two young men standing knee-deep in Trafalgar Square during VE Day celebrations on 8 May 1845Press Association

    Some people jumped into the water at Trafalgar Square during VE Day celebrations, as they celebrated the end of the war

    Young women and men dance in the streets of London.Getty Images

    Young girls danced in the streets of London with American soldiers during the VE Day celebrations.

    Young girls standing outside Buckingham Palace in front of the statue of Queen VictoriaGetty Images

    Outside of Buckingham Palace, a group of young girls waved their flags in front of the statue of Queen Victoria.

    A man and a woman embrace as they kiss to celebrate the end of the warGetty Images

    Across the pond in the US, which joined the war in 1941, people celebrated in New York's Times Square

    Young Black Americans celebrate the end of World War II in Baltimore. Maryland.Getty Images

    Almost one million Black Americans served during World War II, but faced unequal treatment, despite playing a significant role

  4. A cloudy VE Day on the cards

    Chris Fawkes
    BBC Weather presenter

    There'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.

  5. 'It's a privilege to be here' - Gulf War veteran pays tribute to grandfather

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Reporting from Westminster Abbey

    Lucy Pullin (L, middle-aged woman with short brown hair) in a white blazer and blue dress stands next to her husband (R) wearing a suit with four medals on display on the left side of his chest, a queue of people to their leftGabriela Pomeroy/BBC

    Crowds 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.

  6. Day full of remembrance and celebration at Howden Minster

    Becki Bowden
    Reporting from Howden

    Colonel David Fuller OBE salutes a monument to the fallen after laying down a paper poppies wreathBecki Bowden/BBC

    The 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.

    Union Jack flag flies on top of Howden MinsterBecki Bowden/BBC

  7. Military band rehearses ahead of National Memorial Arboretum service

    John Maguire
    Reporting from the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

    Military band practices on black stage at National Memorial ArboretumJohn Maguire/BBC

    It'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.

  8. A thanksgiving service, a two-minute silence, and a concert - what to expect today

    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

  9. It's the fourth day of commemorations - what's happened so far?

    The military fly past passes over The Mall and Buckingham Palace, central London. Thousands gather on the treelined street which is bedecked with Union Jack flagsPA Media

    Though today is officially VE Day, commemorations began on Monday, with a military procession and a Red Arrows flypast.

    Thousands gathered to line the streets near Buckingham Palace to witness the event, with King Charles rising to salute the soldiers taking part.

    King Charles salutes as soldiers in bearskin hats and red uniforms march past at the paradePA Media

    Prince William, Catherine, and their three children were among the royals standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the flypast.

    They gazed upwards as the Red Arrows streaked the sky with red, white and blue trails.

    Prince George, the Princess of Wales, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace,PA Media

    Commemorations continued on Tuesday, with the return of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies the Tower of London marked by a visit by Queen Camilla.

    Queen Camilla signing a visitors book in front of an explosion of ceramic poppies.Getty Images

    Queen Camilla signs the visitors' book whilst visiting the ceramic poppies at the Tower of London.

    On Tuesday evening, dozens of buildings across the UK were lit up for the anniversary, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, and the Houses of Parliament.

    Silhouette of Winston Churchill's statue standing in front of Big Ben at night, which is illuminated with the Union FlagGetty Images

    Big Ben illuminated with a Union flag to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day

    On Wednesday, the Parliament Choir held an anniversary concert in Westminster Hall supported by the Sinfonia Smith Square orchestra.

    view from the back of the hall, of a choir performing on the stage of a grand gothic hall, with audience watching.PA Media

    The Parliament Choir and Sinfonia Smith Square performing in Westminster Hall.

  10. Calm and pleasant ahead of VE Day service

    Ashitha Nagesh
    Reporting from Westminster Abbey

    Side view of the entrance to Westminster Abbey, with metal barriers lining the empty main street as passers-by walk alongAshitha Nagesh/BBC

    I’m at Westminster Abbey, where a special service is going to be held from midday to commemorate VE Day.

    The service is both an act of shared remembrance, and a celebration of the end of fighting in Europe. There will also be a two minutes’ silence.

    Around 1,800 people are attending, and they’re likely to start arriving in a couple of hours.

    The roads around the Abbey are closed to traffic, which means for now the area is a bit quieter than usual.

    There are still plenty of tourists and school groups on foot though, as there usually are in Westminster.

  11. VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations continue

    Black and white picture of people in London celebrating the end of the war. One man in a suit stands in the centre laughing while holding a US and a Union flag while a young woman leans on his left shoulder, other women surrounding them smilingGetty Images

    On this day 80 years ago, then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill said that the country had “emerged from one deadly struggle” as he announced the end of World War Two in Europe.

    Joy and cheer filled the streets as people celebrated the end of a war that had killed over 50 million people since it began in 1939.

    Today marks the fourth and final day of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

    In the coming hours, there'll be a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, a tea party for World War Two veterans, and a concert at Horse Guards Parade.

    We'll be joined by reporters on the ground giving you the latest as it happens - stick with us.