A military parade, fly-past and balcony appearance by the royal family on Monday began four days of UK celebrations marking 80 years since the end of World War II.
King Charles saluted as around 1,000 members of the UK armed forces, joined by Nato colleagues from the United States, France and Germany, along with 11 soldiers from Ukraine waving their country’s flag reached the end of the procession in front of Buckingham Palace.
Tens of thousands defied the damp weather on the Union flag-lined Mall to watch the parade, which began with Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech, read by actor Timothy Spall.
“Do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straight forward and die if need be, unconquered,” bellowed Spall, standing in front of the wartime UK leader’s statue in Parliament Square.
The procession culminated in a fly-past featuring fighter jet display team The Red Arrows and 23 current and historic military aircraft, which the 76-year-old monarch watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.