Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joined the royal family for VE Day commemorations
Prince Louis tried to get his father’s attention(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)
The Prince and Princess of Wales’s children have joined the King, Queen and veterans to watch the VE Day celebrations. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis made a rare public appearance with their parents William and Kate in the royal box to watch the military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Around 1,300 members of the armed forces and Nato allies will march past some of London’s most famous buildings and monuments, ending at Buckingham Palace, to commemorate the service of those who fought to bring peace to Europe and the rest of the world.
Prince Louis briefly struggled to gain attention from his father as the family sat on the Queen Victoria Memorial to watch the VE Day parade.
The young prince, 7, sat next to his father and tapped his shoulder repeatedly while William was in conversation. After a few moments, William turned to his youngest son and they spoke.
Prince William spoke to his youngest son(Image: PA)
Louis also fiddled with his hair as he watched the parade in breezy conditions, pushing his hair back from his forehead, blowing his fringe and smoothing the side of his hair down.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were last seen together in public when they attended the Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham Estate.
William shook the hand of one veteran as he passed him to take his seat, and his children followed his example with Kate the last to greet the old serviceman and she sat beside him.
He later appeared to show her some photographs and she took one to give it a closer look.
Prince Louis pulled a cheeky face during the VE Day celebrations(Image: PA)
Charles and Camilla led the royal party sat in the shadow of the Queen Victoria Memorial who included the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent.
Nearby sat Second World War veterans and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and crowds lined The Mall, with some waiting since early morning to secure a good spot to watch events.
Actor Timothy Spall read extracts from wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill’s famous Victory in Europe (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.
The Royal Family watched the parade in front of Buckingham palace along with veterans(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
VE Day was declared on May 8 1945 and the veteran learnt about the historic news when the doors burst open in a cinema he was in as 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 the 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.
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales smiled during the military procession(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
The afternoon’s events will also include a Red Arrows flypast at approximately 1:45pm, featuring 23 current and historic military aircraft. The King and Queen will also host a tea party at Buckingham Palace for around 50 veterans.
Meanwhile, across the nation street parties will take place as well as community events.