Royal family VE Day Buckingham Palace balcony: King Charles, Queen Camilla lead royal appearance during 80th anniversary

King Charles and Queen Camilla have led the UK in celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of the World War II in Europe with a spectacular appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The monarch and his wife were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and other members of the family.

It was the first time the royals had gathered en masse on the balcony since Trooping the Colour – the King’s official birthday – in June last year.

READ MORE: Why Harry’s recent BBC interview has ‘backfired spectacularly’

The joint gathering was also a strong show of unity in what has been a challenging period for the royals, with both the King and Princess of Wales battling cancer.

The King, 76, is still receiving an undisclosed type of treatment on a weekly basis while his daughter-in-law stopped her chemotherapy in September last year.

All the defining photos of the British royal family in 2025

In January Catherine confirmed she was now in remission, sharing her experience with the disease while meeting patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital where she had been treated.

Thousands of people lined the roads around the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace as British and allied troops paraded past at the start of four days of pageantry.

After Big Ben tolled at the stroke of noon, actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech that Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8, 1945.

Britain started its commemorations of VE Day three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the UK.

The Cenotaph, the nation’s war memorial, was draped in Union Jack flags for the first time since it was unveiled by King George V in 1920, two years after the end of World War I.

Members of the royal family were present in Parliament Square as an impressive procession made its way up the Mall, before the King took the salute at Buckingham Palace.

They watched a spectacular RAF flypast from the palace balcony on Monday local time (Monday evening AEST) while veterans, Britain’s Prime Minister and other senior guests viewing it from the West Terrace in the garden.

Afterwards, the King and Queen were due to host World War II veterans and those who manned the Home Front inside the palace for a tea party.

Bunting was expected to be the main decorations, recreating the look of the era with the bunting made from fabric recycled from the royal estates.

Prince William and Catherine were also expected to attend, along with Prince Edward and Sophie, Princess Anne and husband Sir Timothy Laurence and the Duke of Kent, who is 89.

His father died in the Second World War and he remains the only working member of the royal family with memories of living through the conflict.

The royal family appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the most important of occasions.

They are due to be back on show next month for the King’s birthday spectacle, Trooping the Colour, which will take place on Saturday June 14.

Later this week on May 8, which is the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the King and Queen and other senior royals will attend a service at Westminster Abbey.

The King and Queen will later watch an evening concert of Second World War-era songs and stories from veterans at Horse Guards Parade.

– Reported with AP

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.