Royals come together to mark 80 years after WWII
King Charles and other senior royals have made a united appearance to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, just days after Prince Harry lobbed another bomb.
The royals joined veterans and crowds to watch a grand military parade and flypast at the start of four days of commemorations.
The King and Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children waved together from the Buckingham Palace balcony on Tuesday (AEST).
It was just a few days after Prince Harry’s emotional interview with the BBC in which he revealed that his father would not speak to him because of a row over his security.
Harry said he did not know how long his father, who has cancer, would live.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” Harry said.
“Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff but it would be nice to reconcile.”
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UK media reported that one of the King’s team labelled Harry “deluded” for thinking a media interview could bring them together.
“If Harry reckoned going ‘scorched earth’ was a clever move, he was foolish.”
Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California with his American wife Meghan and their two children.
Since leaving, both he and Meghan have been highly critical of the royals in TV documentaries, an explosive interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey and most notably in Harry’s best-selling biography Spare.
Now the prince is barely on speaking terms with either his father or his elder brother, heir to the throne Prince William.
VE Day commemorations
The United Kingdom government planned a series of events in the run-up to the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender that took effect on May 8, 1945.
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It is observed around that date in many countries, including France, the United States and Russia.
The celebrations kicked off on Monday (UK time) when London’s famous Big Ben clock struck at midday and extracts from British war leader Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech were read out.
“My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class,” actor Timothy Spall said, reciting the words spoken by Churchill to cheering crowds eight decades ago.
“It’s a victory of the Great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny.”
More than 1300 members of the UK’s armed forces marched through central London from outside parliament to Buckingham Palace, watched by the King, who offered a salute as they passed, alongside Queen Camilla, Prince William and his wife Kate, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and veterans of the conflict.
Ukrainian armed forces also took part, carrying their country’s blue and yellow flag, in a gesture that underlined the UK’s continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Addressing the UK veterans in an open letter, Starmer said: “I want you to know: the whole nation is inspired by the selfless dedication of your example.”
“This week, the country will show you just how thankful we all are. Because we know that without your service, the freedom, peace and joy that these celebrations embody, would not be possible,” he said in the letter published by the government.
The Princess of Wales joins WWII veterans for a tea party at Buckingham Palace. Photo: AAP
In 1945, VE Day was greeted by wild celebrations in London and across Britain.
The late Queen Elizabeth, then a 19-year-old princess, and her younger sister Margaret famously slipped out to join the throng outside Buckingham Palace, believed to be the only time during her 96 years she mingled with the public unrecognised.
Monday’s parade concluded with a flypast by historical military aircraft and the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows display team, watched by the royals from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as crowds, many of them carrying the red, white and blue Union Jack, flocked below to take in the spectacle.
The royals, who waved to the onlookers gathered outside, were also due to host about 50 veterans and others who lived through the war for a tea party inside the palace.
