United Kingdom: VE-Day

Record ID: 691

  • Title: United Kingdom: VE-Day
  • Date: 8th May 1945
  • Summary: Britain's Royal Family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on May 8 1995, in a re-enactment of 50 years ago when the war ended. Celebrations to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany turned to the royals and particularly the Queen Mother, who for many is the symbol of Britain's wartime unity and defiance. She walked onto the balcony as she did 50 years ago to the day, then with her husband and two daughters, to salute the crowds. This time, she was flanked by just her daughters, the current Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The Queen Mother has been at the centre of the VE weekend and won widespread admiration for her courageous opening of the celebrations, despite clearly suffering from a badly ulcerated leg. Thousands of people crowded around the palace as wartime planes flew overhead. The Royal Air Force Red Arrows joined the celebration with a flyover, leaving a jetstream of red, white and blue. While Winston Churchill and Field Marshal Montgomery, who led Britain and its army through six years of war, are long dead, the 94-year-old Elizabeth has become the country's living link to World War Two hardship and victory. Biographical notes: Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, Duke of York / King George VI - 1895/1952.Born on 14 December 1895, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary - Princess Victoria Mary of Teck.During World War I he served in the Royal Navy - 1913/1917, the Royal Naval Air Service/Royal Air Force - 1917/1919. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge - 1919/1920 - before being created Duke of York on 3 June 1920. On 26 April 1923 he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - see below. Their first child, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary - later Queen Elizabeth II - was born on 21 April 1926, followed by Margaret Rose - later Countess of Snowdon - on 21 August 1930.Following the abdication on 12 December 1936 of his brother King Edward VIII - later the Duke of Windsor - he was proclaimed King, taking the title of George VI, and was crowned on 12 May 1937.Although many members of the British public regretted the abdication of Edward VIII and initially looked on George VI as a 'poor substitute' he earned their respect by scrupulously observing the responsibilities and limitations of a constitutional monarch. Before the outbreak of World War II he helped to establish strong Anglo-French relations and formed a close friendship with US President Roosevelt. In 1940, when the British parliament forced Neville Chamberlain to resign, he wished to appoint Edward Halifax - later Earl Halifax - to the premiership but was persuaded to select Winston Churchill, whose wartime leadership he then supported unreservedly. During the war he visited several battle fronts and maintained morale at home.From 1948 onwards his health deteriorated and he developed lung cancer. He died at Sandringham, Norfolk, on 6 February 1952. ---------------Biographical notes: Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon / Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother - 1900/-.Born on 4 August 1900, the youngest daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn, through whom she is descended from Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland (1274/1329). On 26 April 1923 she married Prince Albert , Duke of York - see above. Following the abdication of King Edward VIII she became Queen Consort (1936/1952).During World War II she refused to be evacuated to Canada and remained at her husband's side throughout the London blitz and the remainder of the war. Following the death of King George, in 1952, she adopted the title Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and continued to undertake royal engagements well into her late 90's.An ardent horseracing fan she is often to be seen at meetings across the United Kingdom. In January 1998 she had a successful hip replacement operation, following a fall while watching her racehorses at the family's rural home at Sandringham. On March 16, 2000 she presented horseracing's 'Cheltenham Gold Cup' to owner Tim Collins following the success of his horse 'Looks Like Trouble'. Two days later she was presenting shamrock, the native plant of Ireland, to the Irish Guards and taking the salute at a parade in London to mark St Patrick's Day. 03/2000
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  • Location: UK ENGLAND LONDON BUCKINGHAM PALACE
  • Reuters ID: LDL000YZ63A4Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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