UK royals lead celebrations to mark 80 years since WWII end

LONDON: A military parade, fly-past and balcony appearance by the royal family on Monday kicked off four days of UK celebrations marking 80 years since the end of World War II.

King Charles III saluted as around 1,000 members of the UK armed forces, joined by Nato colleagues from the US, France and Germany, along with 11 soldiers from Ukraine waving their country´s flag reached the end of the procession in front of Buckingham Palace.

Tens of thousands defied the damp weather on the Union Jack-lined Mall to watch the parade, which began with Winston Churchill´s 1945 victory speech, voiced by actor Timothy Spall. “Do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straight forward and die if need be, unconquered,” bellowed Spall, standing in front of Churchill´s statue in Parliament Square.

The procession culminated in a fly past featuring aerobatic team The Red Arrows and 23 current and historic military aircraft, which the 76-year-old monarch watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Prince William and his wife Catherine along with their children George, Charlotte and Louis. As European countries gear up to celebrate Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, the war in Ukraine is a reminder “that peace is never to be taken for granted”, Charles told the Italian parliament last month.