Queen’s VE Day 75th Anniversary Speech Praises The Spirit Of Confinement

The Queen paid tribute to Britain’s confinement spirit last night with an electrifying speech on the 75th anniversary of VE Day, in which she said that the heroes of World War II would admire the nation’s response to the pandemic.

The 94-year-old monarch, who was 13 when the war broke out in 1939, added: “It may seem difficult that we cannot celebrate this special anniversary as we would like.” Instead, we remember our homes and our doors.

‘But our streets are not empty; they are full of the love and care that we have for each other.

“And when I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support each other, I am proud to say that we are still a nation that those brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen would recognize and admire.”

She added: “Never give up, never despair, that was the message of VE Day.”

His words were delivered just as his father, George VI, delivered his VE Day speech 75 years ago.

The Queen’s speech was filmed in the Windsor White Room last week, where she and her husband, Philip, 98, who served with distinction in the Royal Navy during the war, are isolated.

After the broadcast, the nation was invited to open doors and windows and participate in Forces ‘war hymn’ Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn We Meet Meet Again, during the BBC’s VE Day 75 program.

The Queen’s words were her second televised speech during the coronavirus crisis, and they followed her speech in the country on April 5, when she said that if Britain remained resolute, “we will get through it.”

A photo of her father George VI, who became king after his brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry divorced Wallis Simpson, stood by the Queen at her desk while speaking to the nation. His address with black-and-white images of his father’s war speech.

On VE May 8, 1945, George said: ‘Let us remember the men of all services and the women in all the services that have given their lives.

“We have reached the end of our tribulation and are not with us at the time of our rejoicing.”

Speaking about the beginning of the war, the Queen, then the schoolgirl Princess Elizabeth, said: ‘The outlook seemed bleak, the end distant, the outcome uncertain. But we kept the faith that the cause was correct, and this belief, as my father pointed out in his broadcast, helped us move forward. ”

‘Never give up, never despair, that was the message of VE Day. I vividly remember the joyous scenes that my sister and I witnessed with our parents and Winston Churchill from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, ” he said.

“The feeling of joy in the crowds that gathered outside and across the country was profound, although as we celebrated the victory in Europe, we knew there would be more sacrifices.”

During the Queen’s speech, black-and-white images were shown of the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace where the Queen, her family, and Sir Winston Churchill recognized the crowds.

There were scenes of revelers congregating through the streets, other ballroom dancing in celebration, and street parties organized with tables full of food since May 8, 1945.

Even the Queen ventured with a group of friends, including her sister, Princess Margaret, to experience the excitement, with the events that form the basis of the movie A Royal Night Out.

The monarch went on to say in his broadcast, projected at the end of VE Day 75, a music and memoir program: “It was not until August that fighting in the Far East ceased and the war finally ended.”

‘Many people gave their lives in that terrible conflict. They fought so that we could live in peace, at home and abroad. They died so that we could live as free people in a world of free nations.

Winston Churchill’s grandson Nicholas Soames, who served as a deputy for 37 years, paid a brief tribute to the Queen after her VE Day message, simply tweeting: ‘THE QUEEN’.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “A striking speech tonight by Her Majesty the Queen for VE Day on honoring and remembering all who fought for us, and on the importance of never giving up.”

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer has praised the Queen’s “powerful and moving” speech to the nation.

He tweeted: ‘Never give up. Never despair. “ Powerful and heartwarming words from the Queen as we share our thanks to those who sacrificed and sacrificed themselves now to keep us safe. ”

Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster praised the Queen’s “wonderful” speech, tweeting: “How privileged we are to live through the great Elizabethan age.”

Good morning, British Susanna Reid has praised the queen’s “strength and comfort”. His co-host, Piers Morgan, tweeted: “Once again, the Queen nails him.”

Today marks the official surrender of Germany to the Allied forces in 1945, ending the war in Europe.

And while large-scale public events could not go on, patriotic neighbors struggled, making the most of the situation while decorating their streets and holding tea parties while observing social estrangement.

Many saluted from their balconies and gardens as the RAF arranged air flights, with the Red Arrows flying over Buckingham Palace and the London Eye and Typhoon fighter jets flying over Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

Boris Johnson urged Britain to draw inspiration from the generation that won the world war when he paid tribute in a VE Day video, adding: “We owe them everything.”

Veterans and members of the public, unable to assemble at their local war memorials, quietly reflected in their own homes as veterans across the country led the way to pay their respects to the fallen.

The Prime Minister has also written to veterans, assuring them that their efforts “will always be remembered.”

In a heartfelt message to the nation this morning, Johnson said that “our gratitude will be eternal” to the “soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought the Nazis with courage, ingenuity, and stubborn resistance.”

At 6 p.m., Katherine Jenkins led the nation in a wartime Dame Vera Lynn song chorus at the Royal Albert Hall for 30 minutes behind closed doors for the first time in the 150-year history of the place,

The Welsh songbird performed songs that included We Meet Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover, while even duoing the 103-year-old young lady of the troops, Dame Vera.

At Balmoral, Prince Charles kept a two-minute silence at 11 am to remember the military who had died fighting for the freedom of Great Britain, its Empire, and the territories that became the Commonwealth.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, wore a Highland Day dress, a Hunting Stewart kilt, as well as medals.

Charles’s message with his floral tribute read: “In everlasting memory.” Camilla left a note with her bouquet in memory of her father, Major Bruce Shand, who served with the 12th Lancers during the war.

General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of Defense Staff, this morning urged the public to “reflect” on those trapped at home in a moment of celebration, as he said the blockade made it “difficult” for veterans.

VE Day is a ‘very special’ occasion, said beloved 100-year veteran Captain Tom Moore, remembering his comrades from World War II.

The Yorkshireman, who was 20 when he was recruited, said “we should all be very happy” during the celebrations. He walked 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, raising more than £ 32 million for the NHS.

After joining the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1940, he was sent to India before moving to Burma. He had just returned from Asia and was in an army camp in Bovington when news of Germany’s surrender came.

But even though the war ended in Europe, Captain Tom has bittersweet memories of VE Day, having returned to the UK to work as a tank instructor while his friends were still fighting in Asia.

Another three months passed before the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945. He told ITV Good Morning Britain: “At the time, I was very concerned that all my comrades I had left in Burma were still fighting.”

Captain Tom previously said that he would celebrate having a “very calm and quiet day, rejoicing in the fact that this happened a long time ago and with so much benefit to all.”

The veteran, who was named honorary colonel to mark his fundraising efforts, added that it is “quite sad” that people are unable to celebrate the occasion in groups together due to the closure.

Brits across the country come together to sing alongside Dame Vera Lynn’s We Meet Meet Again after The Queen’s speech as the nation celebrates the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

• Brits come together singing Dame Vera Lynn’s We Meet Meet Again on VE Day 75
• A full day of broadcast follows to commemorate 75 years since World War II ended in Europe
• Celebrities came together to perform a socially estranged tribute on Friday
• Key workers, from nurses to binmen, sang to the nation after Queen’s speech
• Families and neighbors take to the streets and gardens to join in a song.

Published: 9:00 PM BST, May 8, 2020 The | Updated: 03:44 BST, May 9, 2020

Voices from across the country have come together to sing 75 years since the end of World War II in Europe.

Tonight, Mrs. Vera Lynn, We’ll Meet Again, rang out in Britain as it marked Victory Day in Europe with a national song.

NHS staff, pharmacists, transport workers, veterans, and workers from all British industries sang to the country after the Queen’s speech at 9 p.m.

Thousands of Britons joined them at their doors and in their homes.

While the emotional tribute was heard on television, neighbors joined together to sing on the street, while others were filmed singing at home.

A VE Day themed night of viewing on the BBC led to a Queen speech at 9 p.m., the exact time her father spoke to the nation 75 years ago.

Actors, music directors and choreographers came together to perform an incredible socially distanced tribute to VE Day from its doors.

While the coronavirus pandemic may have halted the biggest events of VE Day 75, the British have been decorating their homes to mark the special anniversary of the German surrender.

Earlier this week, the Royal British Legion encouraged audiences to participate in tonight’s singing by having celebrities record their own performances.

Antony Cotton, Dame Joan Collins, Bill Bailey, Simon Williams, Alison Steadman, Ross Kemp and Elaine Paige lent their voices to the cause.

Katherine Jenkins sang the war anthem in an empty Royal Albert Hall along with a video of Forces’ Sweetheart earlier in the week.

ROBERT HARDMAN: Echoing her father’s VE Day speech, the Queen has once again raised the nation during this very different war by telling us’ Never give up, never despair

Even 75 years later, there was still something electrifying, something completely reassuring about those words: ‘This is London. His Majesty King George VI.

And then, from the Emperor King saluting his war-weary people on their great day of redemption, our screens changed to their obedient daughter doing the same thing at the same time. As the announcer might have added, but didn’t: ‘This is Windsor …’

The coronavirus may have done its best to ruin this great anniversary. However, it was our 94-year-old monarch who, once again, lifted the spirits of his anxious, shut-in nation last night with another momentous ‘special’ transmission.

Reminding us of the central message of VE Day itself, the Queen declared: “Never give up, never despair.”

And frankly, after a day like yesterday, culminating in last night’s national song and speech like this, how could we?

Al igual que con el discurso de pandemia del mes pasado, estaba hablando una vez más desde el White Drawing Room en los apartamentos semi-estatales del Castillo de Windsor. Una vez más, BBC Events había enviado una unidad de producción completa (y totalmente desinfectada) para capturar el momento.

Sus accesorios eran escasos y bien elegidos. Había una fotografía de la familia, ‘Nosotros cuatro’, como diría el Rey, en el balcón del Palacio con Winston Churchill y el retrato de Jorge VI en su uniforme de Almirante de la Flota.

Sus joyas también contaban una historia: había elegido usar el regalo de cumpleaños número 18 que su amado papá le había regalado justo un año antes de VE Day, un par de broches de diamantes y aguamarina Boucheron.

Ante ella se sentó su gorra del Servicio Territorial Auxiliar. No fue solo un guiño a los días felices como orgulloso Subalterno Segundo en el Centro de Entrenamiento Mecánico No 1 en Camberley (subiendo poco después al rango de Comandante Junior).

Fue un recordatorio de que hoy tenemos el único jefe de estado en el mundo que sirvió en la Segunda Guerra Mundial (y probablemente el único que todavía puede quitar el carburador de un camión Bedford).

No hubo un líder mundial que pudiera hablar con mayor autoridad ayer. ‘La guerra había sido una guerra total; nos había afectado a todos, y nadie era inmune a su impacto “, nos recordó, subrayando que toda la generación en tiempos de guerra” tenía un papel que desempeñar “.

La fe en la causa llevó a Gran Bretaña a través, aunque no podría haber celebraciones para aquellos que aún luchan contra Japón.

La Reina tuvo mucho cuidado al incluir a los que servían en el Lejano Oriente, aunque apenas podía olvidarlos mientras se prepara para entrar en su tercer mes de autoaislamiento con el orgulloso poseedor de la Estrella de Birmania, el Príncipe Felipe, el mes próximo.

Además de honrar a aquellos que nunca volvieron a casa, la Reina, como siempre, estaba ansiosa por dar una nota prospectiva, que culminó con el trago de la noche anterior.

Su mensaje de despedida hizo eco de su llamado a las armas de coronavirus, con un mensaje dirigido directamente a los jóvenes: “Digo con orgullo que todavía somos una nación que esos valientes soldados, marineros y aviadores reconocerían y admirarían”.

De no haber sido por el virus, no hubiéramos escuchado a la Reina ayer. Su plan había sido dirigir a la nación en oración en un servicio en la Abadía de Westminster. Entonces habría habido lo que se llamó libremente un “desfile” de veteranos por el centro comercial con el príncipe de Gales dando el saludo.

Como todo el país se ha limitado a los cuarteles, se solicitó un plan muy diferente. Pero el Palacio había sido el punto focal del júbilo nacional hace 75 años. Incluso si fue abandonado ayer, la Reina estaba decidida a revivir lo que ha llamado “una de las noches más memorables de mi vida”.

Entonces, ayer, el Palacio lanzó sus reflexiones personales, grabadas para la radio en el momento del 40 aniversario.

You can almost hear the sparkle in her eyes as she is transported back to the happy bedlam around the Palace that day.

‘I think we went on the balcony nearly every hour, six times,’ she says.

‘And then when the excitement of the flood lights being switched on got through to us, my sister and I realised we couldn’t see what the crowds were enjoying. My mother had put her tiara on … so we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised.’

And she explains why that ATS cap still brings back so many happy memories: ‘I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes.

‘A Grenadier officer amongst our party of about 16 people said he refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed, so I had to put my cap on normally. We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the streets,’ she adds.

Finally, the two princesses returned home where crowds were still screaming to see their sovereign.

‘We stood outside and shouted, ‘We want the King!’ ‘

Much as Britain might have liked to, there could be no chants of ‘We want the Queen!’ last night. We could only open our windows and belt out those wartime words which both she and Dame Vera Lynn had implored us to sing: ‘We’ll Meet Again.’

One day, the Queen will be out on that balcony again. One day, she and her people really will meet again. When that day finally comes, it will be just like May 8, 1945, all over again.