THOUSANDS have eagerly lined up along The Mall ahead of today’s VE Day military parade in London.
Commemorating the , huge crowds are expected to enjoy the in the capital as street parties take place across the UK.
Members of the are expected to be out in full force at the , with Princess Kate and her three children due to arrive soon.
Countless people have lined The Mall in order to commemorate the end of the war, with many donning patriotic outfits.
Some were spotted draped in while others wore -inspired outfits.
Chris Sutton, 41, told The Sun that being on The Mall for a royal event was a “bucket list”; experience.
The royal fan, who wore a Union Flag umbrella hat,said: “My grandfather served in the war and sadly he’s no longer with us.
“So I am doing this for him today, and to remember his contribution.”;
The King and Queen have said they are “”; to the week’s events.
It is understood that, out of respect for the surviving veterans, Buckingham Palace hopes “nothing will detract or distract from celebrating with full cheer and proud hearts that precious victory and those brave souls, on this most special and poignant of anniversaries”;.
After the celebrations begin at midday, members of the Firm, as well as the prime minister, will observe military units in the procession along The Mall from Whitehall.
Honouring those who served during the devastating war, the King and Queen, William and Kate, Edward and Sophie, Anne and Sir Tim Laurence will all be in attendance, alongside veterans from the Royal British Legion.
The Royal Family are then also set to make an appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace as a , both new and old, takes place at around 1.45pm.
Led by Lancaster bombers from World War Two, the flypast will also feature the iconic .
will watch on from the gardens of Buckingham Palace alongside the veterans and other senior guests.
The prime minister said this week’s events are a reminder that victory was “not just for Britain”;, as personnel from the US, France and Germany will be among those joining the military procession.
In an open letter to veterans, he said: “VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid.”;
Following the grand flypast, the King and Queen will host a tea party for veterans and members of the Second World War generation at the palace, starting at around 2pm.
The 30 veterans, and 20 people who lived through the Second World War, will attend the garden party alongside the prime minister, Charles and Camilla.
They will also meet the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke of Kent during the reception.
Those commemorated include British and Commonwealth Armed Forces veterans from the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force, who will be accompanied by their families and carers.
Also in attendance will be veterans of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wren), Special Operations Executives, D-Day veterans, and Desert Rats – those who were still in active conflict in other parts of the world after .
Ensuring the home front is also remembered, there will also be attendees from those who contributed to the war effort within the UK.
10 female veterans who served as vital codebreakers, drivers, and mechanics will join the tea part, including Joyce Wilding, 100, who was in “Churchill’s Secret Army”;, and Ruth Bourne, 98, who served as a Wren at Bletchley Park, intercepting Nazi messages throughout the war.
Both had been outside Buckingham Palace in huge crowds 80 years ago, celebrating VE Day in 1945 in front of King George VI, the Queen Mother, a young Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret.
Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, this year will be the first landmark VE Day commemoration without any of the royals who stood on the balcony that day.
While Victory in Europe Day is on May 8 each year, officials have dedicated the Early May Bank Holiday today to the celebrations.
This year, The Marble Corridor of Buckingham Palace will be decorated in bunting made from fabrics recycled from the Royal estates, as guests enter for a tea party reception to honour the bravery and service of the Second World War generation.
Following this, HMS Belfast, which fired some of the opening shots in the D-Day sea battle off Normandy and is now moored on the River Thames near Tower Bridge, will hold VE tea party onboard, hosted by the Imperial War Museum at around 4pm.
The royal family will take part in a number of events over the next four days, leading up to the actual marker of 80 years on Thursday.
Pubs have been given permission to stay open late on May 8 in order for celebrations to last well into the night.
The royals’ appearance today marks the first major event since took part in a where he and his family.
