King Charles will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) with a pre-recorded audio address to the nation, Buckingham Palace has announced. The message will be broadcast on August 15, ahead of a service of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The King and Queen will attend the service alongside Second World War veterans and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The event, hosted by the Royal British Legion in partnership with the Government, will pay tribute to all those who served in the Asia-Pacific theatre, including Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans, former prisoners of war, and those who fought in battles such as Kohima and Imphal.
The service, broadcast live by the BBC, will include floral tributes from the King and Queen and other senior figures. A national two-minute silence will be followed by an aerial display from the Red Arrows and a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The King and Queen will then attend a reception with Second World War veterans.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend a service at the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle, while the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will join a service at Norwich Cathedral and a second commemorative event in Suffolk. Events will conclude with a reception for veterans at Windsor Castle later in the autumn.
