75th anniversary of VE Day: Queen Elizabeth II to mark day with milestone address

The 75th anniversary of "Victory in Europe" Day, commonly known as VE Day, will be celebrated with a milestone address by Queen Elizabeth II.

The British monarch's televised address to the nation on the occasion of VE Day on Friday, May 8 will be broadcast on BBC One at 9 pm, the same hour as her father, King George VI, made his radio address marking victory in Europe after what he called "nearly six years of suffering and peril."

In her message on the occasion of the VE Day, which celebrates the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on May 8, 1945, the queen will commemorate the sacrifices of the Second World War generation.

After the broadcast of the pre-recorded video message, the public will be invited to take part in a rendition of Forces' Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn's wartime anthem "We'll Meet Again," reports BBC. While usually, the VE Day commemorations include a veterans' procession and street parties, the golden jubilee celebrations will be held on a quiet note as Britain and the rest of the world deals with the coronavirus pandemic.

Announcing the VE Day celebration that has been reorganised in wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "Whilst we now need to celebrate VE 75 in our homes and on our doorsteps, rather than in parades and street parties, I know the nation will come together to mark this historic occasion."

The speech on Friday, May 8 will be the queen's second televised address since coronavirus lockdown, the first one being the speech on April 5 where she spoke to the public about some qualities that can be emulated from the World War during the COVID-19 pandemic. Echoing Dame Vera's words from her wartime anthem, the 94-year-old had told those in lockdown "we will meet again."

The BBC show on VE Day will also include screening a pre-recorded video message by her son Prince Charles. The heir apparent who recently battled with COVID-19 will read an extract from his grandfather King George VI's diary from May 8, 1945, which describes VE Day.