Kate Middleton and Prince William made a second VE Day appearance on Thursday, 8 May 2025, by attending the evening concert at Horse Guards Parade after that morning’s Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. The Palace’s announcement of their concert attendance was described as unexpected in contemporary reporting; no official explanation for their decision to attend has been published.
What was their second VE Day outing?
It was the VE Day 80 concert at Horse Guards Parade in London. Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William, Prince of Wales, joined King Charles III, Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family for the evening event, which concluded the national commemorations on 8 May 2025. The Royal Family’s official account records their attendance at both the service and concert.
The phrase “second outing” means their second appearance that day, not their second appearance during the wider VE Day programme. On Monday, 5 May, they had also taken part in commemorations that included a military procession along The Mall and a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
Why was the evening appearance called a surprise?
A contemporary Marie Claire report described the couple’s evening attendance as unexpected, noting that the Palace announced it after the Abbey service. That reporting explains the “surprise” framing: it refers to the announcement, not to a publicly documented motive or account of when the couple decided to attend.
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How did the concert differ from the Abbey service?
The two events had distinct purposes and programmes. At Westminster Abbey, the service focused on thanksgiving and remembrance; at Horse Guards Parade, the evening was a celebratory concert featuring music from the era and stories from Second World War veterans.
| Appearance | Venue and format | Documented programme |
|---|---|---|
| First on 8 May | Westminster Abbey; Service of Thanksgiving | A two-minute silence and wreath-laying at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. King Charles laid a wreath, followed by William, whose wreath was on behalf of veterans and the Second World War generation. The service was led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle. |
| Second on 8 May | Horse Guards Parade; live concert presented by Zoe Ball | Music from the Second World War era and veterans’ stories. King Charles spoke at 9 p.m., matching the time his grandfather King George VI had addressed the nation 80 years earlier. |
Westminster Abbey describes 8 May 1945 as the public holiday marking the formal end of the Second World War in Europe. Its estimate of about 25,000 people attending the Abbey’s VE Day services applies to 1945, not to the 2025 service.
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What did King Charles say at the concert?
In his remarks, King Charles urged people to preserve the experiences of those who lived through the war: “In remembering the past, we must also look to the future. As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten. We must listen, learn and share.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did the second appearance fit into the VE Day 80 programme?
The concert closed a series of commemorations marking 80 years since Victory in Europe Day. The Royal Family’s retrospective records the 5 May procession and balcony events, as well as the two appearances on 8 May. The Abbey service offered a formal act of remembrance; the evening concert brought together period music and veterans’ accounts.
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