Latest news with #TorchForPeace
The Herald Scotland
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
George, Charlotte and Louis join royal family for VE Day commemorations
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis made a rare public appearance with their parents William and Kate to see the spectacle which began a few minutes before they arrived at the royal box. The King and Queen are driven along The Mall to attend the armed forces and veterans' parade (Toby Melville/PA) Charles and Camilla led the royal party sitting in the shadow of the Queen Victoria Memorial, along with the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent. Second World War veterans and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were sitting nearby, and crowds lined The Mall, with some waiting since early morning to secure a spot to watch events. Actor Timothy Spall read extracts from wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill's VE Day speech and 100-year-old RAF veteran Alan Kennett formally started the parade when he received the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace. VE Day was declared on May 8 1945 and Mr Kennett learnt about the historic news in a cinema when a soldier drove a jeep into the venue and shouted: 'The war is over.' The Mall was the setting for jubilant scenes that day, with the royal family playing a central role in the celebrations as crowds gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Kate, Charlotte, George, Louis and William in the royal box (Toby Melville/PA) King George VI and the Queen Mother made eight balcony appearances and were joined by their daughters, Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret, who later famously slipped into the crowds in The Mall celebrating the end of hostilities. George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, seven, were last seen together in public at the Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham Estate. Louis, who during past public appearances has stolen the show, did not disappoint royal fans and was seen at one moment sticking out his tongue – a trademark gesture for the young royal. He also held William's gold aiguillettes, the braided loops hanging from the shoulder of his RAF uniform, and appeared to touch his father's shoulder again, and also held out his hands palms up as if he was testing for rain, which later fell. When the Waleses and their children took their seats they shook the hand of Royal British Legion veteran Bernard Morgan, who was sitting next to Kate, and he appeared to show her photographs.
Powys County Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
George, Charlotte and Louis join royal family for VE Day commemorations
The Prince and Princess of Wales's children have joined the King, Queen and veterans to watch a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. The procession of 1,300 members of the armed forces and Nato allies, past some of London's most famous buildings and monuments and ending at Buckingham Palace, commemorated the service of those who fought to bring peace to Europe and the rest of the world. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis made a rare public appearance with their parents William and Kate to see the spectacle which began a few minutes before they arrived at the royal box. Charles and Camilla led the royal party sitting in the shadow of the Queen Victoria Memorial, along with the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent. Second World War veterans and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were sitting nearby, and crowds lined The Mall, with some waiting since early morning to secure a spot to watch events. Actor Timothy Spall read extracts from wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill's VE Day speech and 100-year-old RAF veteran Alan Kennett formally started the parade when he received the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace. VE Day was declared on May 8 1945 and Mr Kennett learnt about the historic news in a cinema when a soldier drove a jeep into the venue and shouted: 'The war is over.' The Mall was the setting for jubilant scenes that day, with the royal family playing a central role in the celebrations as crowds gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace. King George VI and the Queen Mother made eight balcony appearances and were joined by their daughters, Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret, who later famously slipped into the crowds in The Mall celebrating the end of hostilities. George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, seven, were last seen together in public at the Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham Estate. Louis, who during past public appearances has stolen the show, did not disappoint royal fans and was seen at one moment sticking out his tongue – a trademark gesture for the young royal. He also held William's gold aiguillettes, the braided loops hanging from the shoulder of his RAF uniform, and appeared to touch his father's shoulder again, and also held out his hands palms up as if he was testing for rain, which later fell. When the Waleses and their children took their seats they shook the hand of Royal British Legion veteran Bernard Morgan, who was sitting next to Kate, and he appeared to show her photographs.
ITV News
05-05-2025
- General
- ITV News
Lichfield VE Day veteran recalls bumping into his father during Normandy invasion
A 100-year-old RAF veteran who is leading the VE Day processions today (May 5) shares how he reunited with his father during the Allied invasion of Normandy. Alan Kennett, from Lichfield, turns 101 on May 29, and is formally starting a military procession of 1,300 members of the armed forces marching through the streets of central London from today, May 5. He remembered working on one of the aircraft after landing in Normandy when 'one of the lads' came up and informed him that a soldier was looking for him. He said, 'Then up comes my father — I had no idea he was there,' as he remembered meeting his father, Leonard. 'I was gobsmacked. It was pure chance. We just congratulated each other, and it was in the local newspaper. 'We had a little chat for half an hour or so and then he left – I never saw him again for the rest of the war.' The procession will head from Parliament Square to Whitehall, then to Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch, The Mall, and finally to Buckingham Palace. It will formally begin with Warrant Officer Emmy Jones, a young air cadet, handing over the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace to Mr Kennett. 'I will feel very proud – to think I'm still here,' he said. 'I just remember those that didn't come back, that's the thing that sticks in my mind. I'm lucky. 'I got out. There's a lot that didn't believe me. Luck of the draw. It shouldn't be forgotten.' After the D-Day landings, as Germany's surrender approached, Mr Kennett was in Celle, near Belsen, in a cinema with other men in his unit as the 'whole thing slowed down'. He recalls how the Battle of Britain pilot and senior officer Johnnie Johnson, whom he referred to as 'Cowboy Johnson' for his recognisable two six-gun revolvers at his waist, burst into the cinema shouting: 'I've just come to tell you that the war has finished.' Mr Kennett said: 'The whole place erupted, and of course it became one great party. 'The next thing, we were loaded up off back to the UK.' "I had a record of four-and-a-half years of 'undetected crime'." The 100-year-old, who worked with a variety of aircraft but loved nothing more than the Spitfires, also recalled having a streak of 'general mischief' during his service. He added: 'My commanding officer said I had a record of four-and-a-half years of 'undetected crime'. 'When we were down in Kent, I was refuelling one evening after an early night flight, and it was wet. I put the pipe on the tanker, and as I moved back, I slipped. 'Next morning, when they expected the aircraft, there was a hole in the mainframe. 'I denied – I said 'no, I can't remember anything'.' Mr Kennett is one of 30 Second World War veterans the Royal British Legion is supporting to attend a tea party at Buckingham Palace today (May 5) with their patron, the King. The Royal British Legion said: 'As the nation's largest military charity and champion of Remembrance we are dedicated to ensuring the service and sacrifice of the Second World War generation is never forgotten.'
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
King Charles to lead greatest VE Day celebration in years
The King will lead the nation through the most prominent VE Day celebrations in years. Senior members of the Royal family will mark next week's commemorations as they come out in full force to take part in nationwide tributes in the last major 'living memory' opportunity to do so. The public is being urged to 'not forget' the sacrifices made by Second World War veterans. Landmark buildings across the country will be lit up as events are staged to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe, including a military procession, an RAF fly-past over Buckingham Palace, as well as a concert at the Horse Guards Parade. Starting the commemorative proceedings will be Timothy Spall, the actor who is set to read extracts from wartime prime minister Winston Churchill's renowned VE Day victory speech in 1945. He will be followed by Alan Kennett, the 100-year-old Normandy veteran who will formally begin Monday's procession of 1,300 members of the Armed Forces after being handed the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace. The Tower of London will unveil a new installation of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies on the site as one of their Beefeaters praised the importance of 'the last big one' for WWII veterans. Sergeant Daniel Benson, the Yeoman Warder who stood guard over the late Queen's coffin as she lay in state in Westminster Hall, said: 'It's important that our veterans are going to be alive for this last one, or this last big one. 'But I think it's for everybody, because there have been a lot of conflicts around the world, and especially those that I've been involved with, that my colleagues have been involved with. He added: 'So it's important for everybody just to understand, and it's sad that the veterans are going to probably not get another big one – this is our time to remember that.' The 54-year-old, who formerly served in the Armed Forces for 26 years, was wearing his Yeoman Sergeant stripes for the first time on Thursday as he was photographed amid the poppy display being assembled around him. Among the 30 daily volunteers building the display – modelled from the 2014 commemorative art installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red – was Annette Boak, a retired teacher whose late grandfather died during the war serving as a signals operator for the Royal Air Force. As she assembled the ceramic poppies wearing protective gloves, she said: 'Soon we'll have nobody that remembers the war. 'My father, who died years ago, was a child during the Blitz and he was evacuated away and he remembers being in Devon and told stories all about it.' The poppies installation within the inner walls of the Tower of London, which is taken care of by the Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) charity, has been made to resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the tower, which was bombed during the Blitz. During the commemoration celebrations, Queen Camilla will view the installation and meet the team behind the display, which took 10 days to complete at the pace of around 3,000 poppies planted each day. It has been designed to mark and reflect the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War. Rhiannon Goddard, the head of public engagement projects at HRP, said: 'The Tower of London has become a bit of a place of 80th anniversary is a really important one. 'It's sort of as things are passing out of living memory, so we wanted to do something really is a moment where we can still talk to those veterans and share their memories.' She added: 'I do think that 2014 really made us into a place where national commemoration was something people thought about.' Surviving veterans around the country will see London's most iconic buildings light up from Tuesday evening, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and the Shard. Sir Keir Starmer described next week's commemoration plans as 'a moment of national unity' to 'salute' the service of Second World War veterans. His comments came as one of the last survivors of the assault on the D-Day beaches in 1944 died aged 101 on Thursday. Cecil Newton from Aldbourne, Wiltshire, who served in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, died in his sleep a few days before the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The Prime Minister added that it will be 'a time to celebrate that hard-won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom'. He said: 'Their legacy lives on today in how we stand together in defence of the values they fought for and which bind us together as a nation.' Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said: '80 years ago, millions of people celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe. 'This week, we will recreate this moment across towns and cities, in our homes, in pubs and on our streets. 'We must do all we can to ensure that the stories and memories of this period in our history are not forgotten. We must not forget the hardships, the heroics and the millions who lost their lives. 'We are here because of the sacrifices they made and the horrors they endured. This week, I urge the nation to come together and send a powerful message: we will remember them.' On Thursday, celebrations will include a service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence and then will conclude with a concert at the historic Horse Guards Parade. The concert, intended to finish the VE Day 80 commemorations in a celebratory tone, will be attended by the King and Queen. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
King Charles to lead greatest VE Day celebration in years
The King will lead the nation through the most prominent VE Day celebration in years. Senior members of the Royal family will mark next week's commemorations as they come out in full force to take part in nationwide tributes in the last major 'living memory' opportunity to do so. The public is being urged to 'not forget' the sacrifices made by Second World War veterans. Landmark buildings across the country will be lit up as events are staged to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe. These will include a military procession, an RAF fly-past over Buckingham Palace, as well as a concert at Horse Guards Parade. Starting the commemorative proceedings will be Timothy Spall, the actor, who is set to read extracts from wartime prime minister Winston Churchill's renowned VE Day victory speech in 1945. He will be followed by Alan Kennett, the 100-year-old Normandy veteran, who will formally begin Monday's procession of 1,300 members of the Armed Forces after being handed the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace. The Tower of London will unveil a new installation of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies on the site as one of their Beefeaters praised the importance of 'the last big one' for WWII veterans. Sergeant Daniel Benson, the Yeoman Warder who stood guard over the late Queen 's coffin as she lay in state in Westminster Hall, said: 'It's important that our veterans are going to be alive for this last one, or this last big one. 'But I think it's for everybody, because there have been a lot of conflicts around the world, and especially those that I've been involved with, that my colleagues have been involved with. He added: 'So it's important for everybody just to understand, and it's sad that the veterans are going to probably not get another big one – this is our time to remember that.' The 54-year-old, who formerly served in the Armed Forces for 26 years, was wearing his Yeoman Sergeant stripes for the first time on Thursday as he was photographed amid the poppy display being assembled around him. Among the 30 daily volunteers building the display – modelled from the 2014 commemorative art installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red – was Annette Boak, a retired teacher whose late grandfather died during the war serving as a signals operator for the Royal Air Force. As she assembled the ceramic poppies wearing protective gloves, she said: 'Soon we'll have nobody that remembers the war. 'My father, who died years ago, was a child during the Blitz and he was evacuated away and he remembers being in Devon and told stories all about it.' The poppies installation within the inner walls of the Tower of London, which is taken care of by the Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) charity, has been made to resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the tower, which was bombed during the Blitz. During the commemoration celebrations, Queen Camilla will view the installation and meet the team behind the display, which took 10 days to complete at the pace of around 3,000 poppies planted each day. It has been designed to mark and reflect the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War. Rhiannon Goddard, the head of public engagement projects at HRP, said: 'The Tower of London has become a bit of a place of 80th anniversary is a really important one. 'It's sort of as things are passing out of living memory, so we wanted to do something really is a moment where we can still talk to those veterans and share their memories.' She added: 'I do think that 2014 really made us into a place where national commemoration was something people thought about.' Surviving veterans around the country will see London's most iconic buildings light up from Tuesday evening, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and the Shard. Sir Keir Starmer described next week's commemoration plans as 'a moment of national unity' to 'salute' the service of Second World War veterans. His comments came as one of the last survivors of the assault on the D-Day beaches in 1944 died aged 101 on Thursday. Cecil Newton from Aldbourne, Wiltshire, who served in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, died in his sleep. The Prime Minister added that it will be 'a time to celebrate that hard-won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom'. He said: 'Their legacy lives on today in how we stand together in defence of the values they fought for and which bind us together as a nation.' Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said: '80 years ago, millions of people celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe. 'This week, we will recreate this moment across towns and cities, in our homes, in pubs and on our streets. 'We must do all we can to ensure that the stories and memories of this period in our history are not forgotten. We must not forget the hardships, the heroics and the millions who lost their lives. 'We are here because of the sacrifices they made and the horrors they endured. This week, I urge the nation to come together and send a powerful message: we will remember them.' On Thursday, celebrations will include a service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence and then will conclude with a concert at the historic Horse Guards Parade. The concert, intended to finish the VE Day 80 commemorations in a celebratory tone, will be attended by the King and Queen.
