Members of the armed forces parade down The Mall, during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)
Members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces march, during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Andrew Matthews/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Ben Birchall/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s King Charles III takes the salute from the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Members of the Colour Party carry flags of the Commonwealth nations , during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (James Manning/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales speaks to veteran Bernard Morgan during the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Ben Birchall/Pool Photo via AP)
Irish Guards march past the Cenotaph, in Whitehall, during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Benjamin Cremel/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s Prince Edward attends the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence arrive for the military procession the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Thousands of people gather near Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of V-E Day
LONDON (AP) 鈥 Thousands of people lined the roads around the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace on Monday as British and allied troops paraded past at the start of four days of pageantry to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
Members of the armed forces parade down The Mall, during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)
LONDON (AP) 鈥 Thousands of people lined the roads around the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace on Monday as British and allied troops paraded past at the start of four days of pageantry to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
After Big Ben tolled at the stroke of noon, actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech that Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8, 1945. Britain started its commemorations of three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the U.K.
The Cenotaph, the nation鈥檚 war memorial, was covered with Union Jack flags. It was the first time that the memorial had been draped in the flags since it was unveiled by King George V in 1920, two years after the end of World War I.
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About 1,300 members of the British armed forces are being joined by troops from the United Kingdom’s NATO allies and Ukraine 鈥 a nod to the present war in Europe. The procession started in Parliament Square and swept past Buckingham Palace, where King Charles III took the salute.
Maria Crook, 69, who wore a hat with red, white and blue ribbons, traveled from Devon to London to watch the procession.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 extremely important to pay our respects and honor those who have died for us,鈥 she said.
