VJ Day: UK marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2
World War Two
Events are taking place on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Their Majesties The King and Queen will lead the nation in commemorating VJ Day at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The National Service of Remembrance will honour and remember those who continued to fight and those who lost their lives during the final three months of the Second World War in the Far East.
A special tribute will be hosted by 400 members of the Armed Forces, including a guard of honour from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, with music provided by military bands.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will lead a flypast featuring the historic Dakota, Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft.
Ahead of the service, the King, in an pre-recorded audio has addressed to the nation, vowing that the sacrifice of heroes who fought and died in the campaigns 'shall never be forgotten'.
A national two-minute silence will be held at midday.
At dawn, military bagpipers performed the lament 'Battle's O'er' at The Cenotaph, in the Far East section of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, and at Edinburgh Castle.
A piper also performed at a Japanese peace garden to reflect the reconciliation which has taken place between the UK and Japan in the decades since the Second World War.
From 9pm on Friday evening, hundreds of buildings across the country will be lit up to mark VJ 80, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, Tower42, The Shard, Blackpool Tower, Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Durham Cathedral, Cardiff Castle, the Cenotaph, the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore and the White Cliffs of Dover.
Commemorations have been taking place throughout this week, including a reception for veterans hosted by the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer in Downing Street on Thursday and a sunset wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial Gates in London to pay tribute to Commonwealth personnel.
A reception will be held in the autumn at Windsor Castle to honour VJ veterans and the Commonwealth's contributions.
These events are part of the commemorations throughout 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
They follow four days of events in May to mark VE Day.
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