King leads VE Day remembrance amid call for Europe unity

80 years of peace honoured in silence as new fears take hold

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In commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the nation fell silent, the King laid a wreath, and the Archbishop of York warned the “good” resulting from the Second World War is “under threat”.

On Thursday, Stephen Cottrell paid tribute to “those whose sacrifice made our victory possible” against Hitler’s Nazi regime, and said he is praying again for “peace in Europe” amid Russia’s three-year invasion of Ukraine.

His address was delivered during a service of thanksgiving to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, with a number of veterans among the Westminster Abbey congregation featuring the King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who read the lesson.

At noon, a two-minute silence was observed across the country and in the ancient place of worship where Charles was crowned King, and he laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior by the Abbey’s great west door on behalf of the nation and Commonwealth.