Keir Starmer

LondonLife – VE Day remembered 80 years on…

by exploringlondon

London commenced four days of national commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe – known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day – on Monday.

A military processions of about 1000 members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force made its way from Parliament Gardens along Whitehall before turning through Admiralty Arch and down the Mall to Buckingham Palace. Some 23 aircraft were involved in a flypast.

Tea parties were also held across the country to mark the event, including at Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.

The Cenotaph ‘dressed’ in Union flags early this morning before the start of the days events. PICTURE: Stuart Livesey/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
A guard of honour of personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force on parade in Parliament Square. PICTURE: Rory Arnold/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
The Life Guards,The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment ride down Whitehall. PICTURE: POPhot Lee Blease/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
A Ukraine marching detachment comprised of 11 officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took part in the procession, see here marching down Whitehall. PICTURE: POPhot Lee Blease/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
The military procession makes its way down the Mall toward the Queen Victoria Memorial. PICTURE: Cpl Tomas Barnard RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
King Charles III salutes as the military procession approaches the Queen Victoria Memorial. PICTURE: Sgt Jimmy Wise/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
Crowds make their way down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace after the military procession. PICTURE: Cpl Sarah Barsby RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the VE Day 80 flypast. PICTURE: Cpl Tim Hammond/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
VE Day 80 flypast with the Red arrows and four Typhoon jets flying over the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. PICTURE: Cpl Sarah Barsby RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
Veterans gather in the gardens of Buckingham Palace afer the military procession to watch the flypast. Overhead are The Red arrows, followed by four Typhoon jets. PICTURE: Sgt Rob Kane/K MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and his wife Victoria Starmer host a street party outside 10 Downing Street to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. PICTURE: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

LondonLife – Never forget…

by exploringlondon
10 Downing Street is lit to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January. PICTURE: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks as he attends a Holocaust Memorial Day event at the Guildhall . PICTURE: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer poses for a photo with the Prince and Princes of Wales and survivors of the Holocaust as they attend a Holocaust Memorial Day event at the Guildhall. PICTURE: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

LondonLife – Christmas comes to 10 Downing Street…

by exploringlondon
PICTURE: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer turned on lights on the Christmas tree outside 10 Downing Street on 2nd December. The couple were joined by NHS workers, military personnel and members of the police. The Christmas tree is the winner of a competition run by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, chosen for showcasing “the finest dedication, craftsmanship and commitment of British Christmas tree growers”. This year’s Nordmann Fir was grown by Evergreen Christmas Trees – a family run business based on the Welsh border who have been growing Christmas trees since 1992. The runner-up in the Christmas tree competition – Cadeby Tree Trust from Warwickshire – have supplied two Christmas trees for inside Downing Street. The wreath for the famous door at Number 10, meanwhile, was provided by Santa Trees, a Christmas tree farm from Cornwall. Lights on London’s most famous Christmas tree – that in Trafalgar Square – are being turned on this Thursday (5th December).