The Royal Family shared a poignant picture that marked the end of an era whilst celebrating a new one.
Members of the monarchy turned out in force to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London today as Britain remembered the end of the Second World War in Europe.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by Prince William, Kate and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Other senior royals were also present for the commemorations, which included watching a spectacular RAF flypast.
The Royal Family shared a poignant picture that marked the end of an era whilst celebrating a new one.
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The Royal Family's social media account shared a picture from VE Day 1945 alongside one from today.
The 1945 picture shows King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
Today's VE Day is the first time in 80 years that one of the members of the Royal Family from the 1945 VE Day celebrations was not alive to celebrate the occasion.
Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 and today's VE Day celebrations were the first major anniversary of the event since King Charles became monarch.
The 1945 picture shows King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
Royal Family/X
The flypast featured an impressive array of aircraft, including the Red Arrows and numerous historic and current military planes.
Among them were P8 Poseidons, which carry out reconnaissance missions surveying Russian vessels near UK waters.
Voyager aircraft, which deliver equipment to Ukrainian forces, were also part of the display.
Crowds gathered on The Mall witnessed Typhoon fast jets, a key part of NATO Air Policing, soaring overhead.
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📸 VE Day 1945 ➡ #VEDay80 2025 pic.twitter.com/q13VHjJ28Y
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 5, 2025
Fifth-generation F-35 Lightning fighters completed the spectacular aerial showcase that honoured those who fought for peace in Europe.
Earlier, the royals observed a military procession from a specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace.
The procession featured 1,300 members of the armed forces and NATO allies marching through London.
Thousands of people packed the streets to witness the spectacle as four days of commemorations began.
