On 8 May 1945, celebrations broke out for Victory in Europe Day. Street parties took place across the country as six long years of war were over. George VI and his family were at the heart of VE Day, making several appearances as well as the king making an historic speech.
King George and Queen Elizabeth had remained in London during the war, with their two daughters living at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family refused to desert their people, visiting many bomb sites while Buckingham Palace was also hit in air attacks.
On VE Day, King George, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret made eight separate balcony appearances at Buckingham Palace to greet the ever growing crowds gathering there.
Earlier in the day, His Majesty had carried out an investiture service where he awarded over 270 military medals. He then had lunch with Prime Minister Winston Churchill. It was after lunch that the massive cross began chanting, “We want the King!”.
The police believed at the time that over 100,000 people had gathered outside Buckingham Palace, in addition to massive groups at Trafalgar Square and in Piccadilly.
The family of four made their first appearance at 3:11pm and continued to make several more as the crowds called for their beloved King.
At 9pm, King George’s broadcast to the Empire began with the stirring words ”Today we give thanks to Almighty God for a great deliverance. Speaking from our Empire’s oldest capital city, war-battered but never for one moment daunted or dismayed – speaking from London, I ask you to join with me in that act of thanksgiving… when the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and homes in these islands, we may at last make one pause for thanksgiving and then turn our thoughts to the tasks all over the world which peace in Europe brings with it.”
German forces in Europe surrendered on 7 May 1945, leading to widespread celebrations on the 8th as news spread.
