Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
SILENCE SWEPT the nation as King Charles led a solemn service at Westminster Abbey, commemorating 80 years since Victory in Europe Day and the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Floral tributes, wartime letters, and peace pledges mark 80 years since Nazi Germany’s surrender.
The King led Thursday’s national act of remembrance, joined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and 78 surviving veterans of the war, in a service of thanksgiving and reflection.
Union flags were raised to full mast as millions paused for a two-minute silence at noon. The King laid a floral wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, bearing a handwritten note reading, “We will never forget.”
Prince William followed, placing a tribute composed of blooms native to May 1945.
Among those in attendance was 99-year-old Ken Hay, a veteran of the 4th Dorset infantry regiment, who sat in his wheelchair beside Charles and William during the silent tribute.
The service featured readings and prayers, including a Bible verse read by the Prime Minister and a wartime letter movingly recited by actor Josh Dylan.
The letter, written by Lance Corporal Fredrick Burgess to his son while stationed in Italy, was later revealed to have preceded the soldier’s death by seven months.
The congregation heard the familiar voice of Sir Winston Churchill in an archival recording of his 1945 victory broadcast, culminating in his resounding call: “Long live the cause of freedom.”
Churchill’s 10-year-old great-great-grandson, Alexander, lit a VE Day candle of peace and offered a prayer for unity across the world.
In his sermon, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell urged vigilance against the erosion of freedoms secured in 1945, warning that “the good” achieved through war’s sacrifice is “under threat again.” He called on all present to recommit to the cause of peace.
Symbols of wartime Britain – from a child’s gas mask to a sailor’s cap and an air raid warden’s helmet – were paraded through the Abbey, offering poignant reminders of the collective struggle and resilience of the era.
At the conclusion of the service, senior royals met with veterans in the nave. The Princess of Wales knelt beside one woman in a wheelchair, holding her hand during a warm exchange.
Camilla and Kate also laid flowers at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial, while outside the Abbey, 100-year-old D-Day veteran Peter Kent reflected on his wartime service aboard HMS Adventurer.
“So many young boys got killed… It was just a big waste of life,” he said. “We wouldn’t have the freedom we have today if it wasn’t for those men.”
Victory in Europe Day, first marked on 8 May 1945, ended six years of conflict on the continent and triggered spontaneous celebrations in Britain’s streets. Yet it was also a day of mourning, remembrance, and resolve — themes carried through Thursday’s commemorations.
Eighty years on, the message remains: we will never forget.
