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King Charles marks VJ Day anniversary
King Charles delivers a VJ Day address to honor veterans and reflect on wartime suffering across the Asia-Pacific region.

The monarch will honor veterans and reflect on wartime suffering in the Asia-Pacific region during a national remembrance.
King Charles marks VJ Day anniversary with address
King Charles will deliver a six minute message on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. The address will be released at 7.30am, followed by a service of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, attended by the king, queen and prime minister Keir Starmer and veterans. The event will be broadcast by the BBC and rounds off with a weekend of commemorations as hundreds of buildings across the UK light up in tribute.
The programme highlights battles across the Asia-Pacific theatre, including Kohima and Imphal in India, and recalls the suffering of prisoners of war and civilians. The speech echoes a historic broadcast by George VI and frames the sacrifices as a lasting example of international cooperation across distances, faiths and cultures, with a focus on unity and memory rather than celebration.
Key Takeaways
"shall never be forgotten"
the service will honor those who fought in the Asia-Pacific theatre
"the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear but the arms you link"
a key line in the king's address about cooperation
"Victory was made possible by close collaboration between nations across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides"
the speech cites international cooperation as essential to victory
"They left us the example of how it can and must be protected"
echoes the emphasis on safeguarding freedoms won in war
The event frames memory as a shared national project that crosses generations and borders. It positions the monarchy as a steady thread through Britain’s public history and diplomacy, while stressing a call to protect the freedoms won in war. The choice of a televised service and a wide range of veterans groups underscores the attempt to reach a broad audience and to situate remembrance within modern political life.
But royal remembrance also tests the boundaries of public life. Coverage will prompt questions about the monarchy’s role in contemporary Britain and how memory is shaped by ceremonial pageantry, government partnerships, and media access. The balance between solemn duty and political optics will be watched closely as the day unfolds and into future commemorations.
Highlights
- Memory guides us toward unity not blame
- Bonds across divides are stronger than weapons
- Remembrance is a call to protect what was earned
- Cooperation outlasts conquest
Royal remembrance event carries political sensitivity
Coverage of a royal address tied to wartime memory in the UK can invite political scrutiny and debate over the monarchy's role in public life and its influence on national memory. The event sits at the intersection of history, diplomacy, and national identity, which may generate diverse public reactions.
The memory of those who served may guide future choices in public life.
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