Celebrity
VE Day 80th anniversary: King Charles and Queen Camilla lead royal family in Westminster Abbey service
King Charles and Queen Camilla led a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the end of World War II in Europe.
The extended royal family were all in attendance, including Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
But all eyes, including Prince William‘s, were on Catherine, Princess of Wales.
READ MORE: Little boy steals spotlight from the royals during VE Day 80th anniversary
Kate stunned in a white Alessandra Rich dress with black polka dots, which fell just below the knee.
This was accessorised with a black Juliette Botterill hat, featuring chic netting over her forehead.
The Princess of Wales rounded out the ensemble with nude-coloured heels and handbag and pearl jewellery, including the Collingwood pearl earrings formerly owned by her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
Queen Camilla similarly dressed in white with black accents, wearing a white crepe silk dress and coat by Anna Valentine, along with a black and white hat by Phillip Treacy.
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King Charles and Prince William both opted for blue suits, with their medals pinned to their chest.
The monarch also wore his neck order, while the Prince of Wales donned his Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath neck order.
After their arrival to the Abbey, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate were all seen greeting veterans in the front row ahead of the service.
The most senior royals then stood by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where they marked a two-minute silence.
His Majesty and the Prince of Wales each laid a wreath on behalf of veterans and the World War II generation.
“We will never forget,” was the handwritten message from King Charles.
Prince William’s card also featured a message, which was signed by “Catherine” as well.
“For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the second world war, we will remember them,” he wrote.
The royals stood among the congregation as they sung a range of hymns while WWII artefacts including a child’s gas mask, air raid warden’s helmet and D-Day map were all place near the High Altar.
The service ended with a rendition of the late Dame Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again, a song made famous by the “forces’ sweetheart”, as she was known, in 1943.
In 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the song had a resurgence thanks to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who invoked the song in her address to the nation at the start of lockdowns.
Following the service, the royals made their way outside to lay flowers at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial.
After pausing for a moment in tribute Queen Camilla laid the first posy standing next to her husband.
Kate followed suit, as did the Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Royal, who attended with husband Sir Tim Laurence.
Members of the royal family were joined by a number of politicians for the service, including past and present Prime Ministers such as Kier Starmer, Boris Johnson and David Cameron.
The limelight though was somewhat stolen by 10-year-old Alexander Churchill – the great-great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, the wartime PM who announced victory in Europe to the nation on May 8, 1945.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will later attended a concert being held at Horse Guards Parade to mark the anniversary, which is being broadcast live on BBC.
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Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day anniversary
The monarch is set to make a speech for the anniversary at about 9pm (6am Friday AEST).
Princess Anne will stand in for King Charles across Friday and Saturday on a visit to the Channel Islands to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Guernsey and Sark.
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