VE Day 80: A Royal Tribute and a Nation Prepares to Celebrate

As the nation approaches the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, we find ourselves once again pausing to honour a generation whose courage, sacrifice, and determination helped secure peace in a time of unimaginable peril. On 8 May 1945, news broke that Nazi Germany had officially surrendered. The war in Europe after nearly six years of devastation was finally over. Across Britain, scenes of jubilation unfolded: people danced in the streets, sang patriotic songs, and waved Union flags from windows and rooftops. But while the joy of peace was profound, so too was the collective memory of what had been endured.

To mark this extraordinary milestone, the UK is engaging in four days of national commemorations and celebrations, from Monday 5 May to Thursday 8 May. These events serve not only as a tribute to the past but as a call to remember the values that emerged from it: resilience, unity, and service.

On Bank Holiday Monday, a military procession and flypast in central London kicked off the commemorations, offering a visual and symbolic salute to those who served. In the coming days, 2,500 beacons will be lit across the UK, casting a light of remembrance over towns, cities, and villages. But the celebrations are not confined to official ceremonies. The public has been encouraged to gather in their communities—on streets, in gardens, village greens, clubs, pubs, and town halls—just as they did 80 years ago. From street parties to concerts, the spirit of 1945 is being rekindled in a nationwide act of remembrance and unity.

In a particularly moving moment of tribute, His Majesty the King hosted a special VE Day tea party at Buckingham Palace. Around 50 veterans, along with members of the wartime generation and their families, were invited to the Palace to be honoured in person. These men and women—many now in their nineties—shared stories of service and sacrifice in the company of the monarch.

This royal occasion was far more than symbolic it was a heartfelt act of national gratitude. These heroes, who once defended our freedom on distant battlefields and in bombed-out cities, were welcomed into the very heart of the nation.

At the Regiment Support Service, we are proud to support these celebrations and stand firmly alongside those who have served, past and present. Our mission is rooted in remembrance, but also in action ensuring that today's veterans receive the recognition, support, and care they so richly deserve.

VE Day is a moment to reflect, but it is also a time to renew our national promise: To honour those who fought for our freedoms. To remember those who never came home. To support those who carry the legacy forward today.

As beacons are lit and flags are raised, let this anniversary not only look backward but inspire us to move forward, with the same courage and unity that defined the wartime generation.

Let the celebrations begin—and let us never forget why we celebrate.