King Charles delivers VJ Day address

The king records a national audio message to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day ahead of a remembrance service.

King Charles delivers VJ Day address

King Charles will release a six minute pre recorded message at 7 30am to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and ahead of a remembrance service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The speech was recorded earlier this month in the Morning Room at Clarence House and echoes the historic broadcast by King George VI.

The service will be attended by the King and Queen, Second World War veterans and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Friday’s televised service, broadcast by the BBC, will honor those who served in the Asia Pacific theatre including Burma Star recipients and the British Indian Army, and will feature a two minute national silence, a flypast by the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Floral tributes will be laid by the royal couple along with other senior figures, and a reception with veterans will follow.

The address casts the monarchy as a living conduit of national memory, linking past sacrifice to present unity. By framing victory as a shared effort across nations and faiths, the speech leans into a unifying narrative at a time when public memory can be polarized. Yet the event also foregrounds questions about royal funding and public role in politics, especially given government involvement and a high profile broadcast. The speech’s echoes of George VI’s tone suggest continuity, but the context today invites scrutiny of whether remembrance should be primarily ceremonial or politically resonant.

Highlights

Memory is a living thread that connects yesterday to today and tomorrow.