The Prince and Princess of Wales were among the royals at Westminster Abbey today for a special service to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day – but their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not with them
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis stole the show when they joined their parents for commemoration for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. But the young royals were missing from the national service of thanksgiving marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales attended with the King and Queen today at Westminster Abbey – and there is an important reason why.
On Monday, they were at the heart of VE Day commemorations when they sat with veterans as the current crop of servicemen and women, including Nato allies, marched past in recognition of those who served to defeat Hitler’s Nazi regime and bring peace to Europe.
Afterwards, they all appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the incredible RAF flypast. Louis, who in past public appearances has stolen the show, did not disappoint royal fans, pulling faces as jets thundered overhead, and during the parade stuck out his tongue and playfully tried to get his father’s attention.
Later that day, Prince George carried out his biggest royal duty to date when he joined his parents and the King and Queen at a tea party for veterans inside the palace. During the tea reception, William told 101-year-old Alfred Littlefield his son George was “interested” in learning about veterans.
However, they are not at the Westminster Abbey service as today is a normal school day, with the trio of youngsters instead in class at their school, Lambrook, close to their home of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.
The service today is exactly 80 years to the say since the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds famously gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI. After almost six years of fighting against Hitler’s Nazi regime peace was declared, with only the conflict against Japan to be concluded.
During the service 10-year-old Alexander Churchill, the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, will light a candle of peace as young members of the congregation 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.
Four days of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day will culminate on Thursday evening with a concert in London’s Horse Guards Parade attended by the King and Queen, with performances by The Darkness, Toploader, and classical singer Sir Willard White.
Pubs and bars have been granted permission to stay open for longer to mark the anniversary. Venues in England and Wales which usually close at 11pm will be able to keep serving for an extra two hours to celebrate.
Churches and cathedrals across the country will ring their bells as a collective act of thanksgiving at 6.30pm, echoing the sounds that swept across the country in 1945, the Church of England said.
The VE Day party, presented by Zoe Ball, will air on May 8 from 8pm to 10pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Source: Mirror
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