London VE Day map shows procession, flypast, viewing areas and toilets

Yahoo

05-05-2025

This Early May Bank Holiday, on Monday, May 5, London will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. The four-day commemorative celebration is jam packed with celebratory events including from a military procession to a flypast, as well as a concert at Horseguards parade, 2,500 beacons being lit across the UK and a display of over thousands of ceramic poppies at The Tower of London.
A map released by TFL details exactly where the events will start and end on the Monday including the procession route, toilets and viewing areas. We have covered the route as well as all the key events happening across the four days of celebration.
World War Two lasted nearly six years and May 8, 1945, would have been the first VE Day or Victory in Europe Day. After almost six years of war, Germany officially surrendered on May 7, 1945, ending the conflict. The next day celebrations erupted around the world.
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The announcment that the war was over was broadcast across the radio to the British people on the evening of May 7 with a news flash announcing that VE Day would be a national holiday and would take place the next day.
The government says this upcoming VE Day will be 'an opportunity for the nation to come together to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation from across the UK and Commonwealth'. Veterans will attend the events and Britons are being urged to participate in the celebrations as it 'might be our last chance to thank' surviving veterans.
With over 12,500 people expected to attend, including a number of World War Two veterans, and with the events spread out across London, over four days, there is going to be a lot going on. A lot of the key events including the flypast and procession are happening on the Monday. Here are the key events and timings and locations:
The VE Day 80 procession from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palace will pass national monuments to British military history. The procession will start from Parliament Square and travelling along Whitehall and The Mall, it will finish at the Queen Victoria Memorial.
The special flypast is expected to feature the Red Arrows as well as more than 20 current and historic military aircraft and will culimminate with the iconic red, white, and blue smoke of the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows.
Here's a rundown of Monday's events, timings and locations:
Monday, May 5:
12pm: the events kick off at 12:00 with a short ceremony in Parliament Square.
12.10pm: the procession leaves from Parliament Square and will travel along Whitehall and The Mall, finishing at the Queen Victoria Memorial.
13.45pm: the flypast over The Mall and Buckingham Palace takes place.
The procession will be made of up of more than 1,300 members of the armed forces. Youth groups will also be involved, reflecting the importance of intergenerational remembrance.
After the procession has passed down The Mall, people will be able to walk down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast at 13:45. Later on, there'll be a tea party for some of the veterans and their families.
And no doubt, nationwide there will be plenty of street parties including the HMS Belfast street party. Communities will hold their own get togethers, as would have happened at the end of the war.
The four day nationwide party continues with several events over the next few days. Here's a snapshot -
Tuesday, May 6:
An installation of 30,000 ceramic poppies will go on show at the Tower of London to 'reflect on the lasting legacy of conflict'. In the evening, several historic UK landmarks will be lit up.
Wednesday, May 7:
In the evening, the Parliament Choir will host a Victory in Europe Day 80th Anniversary Concert in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster. The concert takes place exactly 80 years after a newsflash announced that the following day would be Victory in Europe Day.
Thursday, May 8:
While the Royal British Legion VE Day tea party will be for World War Two veterans and their families, the general public are welcome to attend the commemorative service. There will be seating available for the public at the commemoration service - but it will be on a first come first serve basis after ticketed guests are seated.
Later in the day, there'll be a service at Wedsminster Abbey as a moment to give thanks and 'honour a generation that showed extraordinary courage and resillience".
Finally, the Official VE Day 80 commemorations will end with a concert at Horsehuards Parade, which will feature 'stars of stage and screen'. The concert will be broadcast live on BBC One at 8pm.
You can watch the VE Day procession in person at viewing areas along the procession route in London. Entry to the viewing areas are free. The viewing areas are along the procession route, on both sides of the Mall and Whitehall.
For those who won't be able make it in-person, the procession and flypast will be broadcast live on national television. Although entry to the viewing areas is free, there are large crowds expected and therefore visitors are advised that they should be prepared to queue to enter the viewing areas. As capacity is limited, viewing areas will be closed when they are full, so visitors are advised to arrive early.
As well as first aid points, water refill stations and concession kiosks (for food and drinks), there will be toilets along the route as well as accessible toilets. There won't be screens along the route or in any of the nearby parks, however, there is accessible viewing area which can be used by people with access requirements, and a quiet viewing space.
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