VE Day 2025 live: UK to observe two-minute silence with King as he attends thanksgiving service for 80th anniversary – UK Times

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Westminster Abbey.

The prime minister will be joined by the royal family and some 78 veterans for the service marking the 80th anniversary of the allied victory in Europe during WWII.

The prime minister will also give a bible reading.

The sacrifices of Second World War veterans and their generation will be commemorated during a service at Westminster Abbey shortly.

Some 78 veterans will be joined by the King and other members of the royal family during the service of thanksgiving marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

The service will see the prime minister deliver a bible reading and the great-great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill light a candle of peace.

Young members of the congregation will also hand out white roses to Second World War veterans.

After a national two-minute silence is observed, Charles and William will lay wreaths of seasonal flowers, which would have been in bloom in May 1945, at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

The King will do so on behalf of the nation and the Commonwealth, and William for the veterans and the wartime generation, with 99-year-old Ken Hay, who served in the 4th Dorset infantry regiment, at their side.

At the end of the service, the tune of We’ll Meet Again made famous by forces sweetheart the late Dame Vera Lynn will be heard.

Outside the abbey Kate will join Camilla and other royals in laying flowers at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial in tribute to all victims of war and oppression as the proceedings draw to a close.

Some veterans have begun arriving at Westminster Abbey, ahead of a service marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe.

Some 78 veterans are expected to attend the service of thanksgiving, which will also be attended by the King and prime minister.

The prime minister will give a bible reading at the Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving today.

Sir Keir Starmer is attending the service to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day alongside some 78 veterans and the royal family.

A 99-year-old veteran who fought in the Normandy campaign after lying about his age has recalled his VE Day memories.

Born in London in 1925, Donald Turrell was just 17 when he enlisted in the Army having forged a letter from his parents.

Asked about his memories of the original VE Day in 1945, the 99-year-old said with a chuckle: “I was in a pub, naturally”.

“I never heard a Churchill speech or anything, but I knew the war was over.

“So I met all the local lads who were in my class, and those who were on leave, etc and we had a damned good time.

“But I wasn’t going to go up to London to Trafalgar Square because I was on crutches.

“I’d been wounded and I’d been pushed and shoved about, so I stayed local and (had a) really good time.”

He added: “It was a relief, because I was alive.”

At midday on Thursday, a two-minute silence will be observed across the nation.

The government announced the silence to remember and thank those who fought for Britain’s freedom.

It will be marked across the country, including in all UK government departments, which will also fly the Union Flag at full-mast.

VE Day commemorates the formal acceptance of Nazi Germany’s surrender by the allied forces at the end of the Second World War.

On 30 April 1945, with Berlin surrounded by opposing forces, the leader of the Nazi party Adolf Hitler died by suicide.

Karl Dönitz succeeded him as the German head of state, going on to negotiate an end to the war with the allied forces, which was made up of nations including Britain, the US, France and Russia.

According to English Heritage, the allied forces originally planned on celebrating VE Day on 9 May.

However, news of Germany’s surrender spread at such a fast rate that on 7 May, an announcement was made on BBC radio that the following day would be a national holiday.