THE largest gathering of heads of state and government in Britain
since the 1953 Coronation will assemble in London to mark the 50th
anniversary of VE-Day.
VIPs from more than 50 foreign and Commonwealth countries will attend
the Victory in Europe commemorations over the weekend of May 6 to 8.
Almost every senior member of the royal family will take part in the
events. The Prince and Princess of Wales will be appearing together in
public for the first time since Christmas Day at Sandringham.
The Duchess of York will not take part in the commemorations. She has
had no royal engagements since her unofficial marriage separation was
announced in March 1992.
The Queen Mother, 94, and Princess Alice, 93, will participate.
As well as set-piece events in the capital, there will be
commemorations in other cities, including Cardiff and Edinburgh.
On Monday, May 8, the Prince of Wales travels to Cardiff for a peace
service in Llandaff Cathedral, while the Princess Royal and Commander
Laurence attend a service at St Giles' in Edinburgh.
Also on Monday, a concert in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace for
the Queen, Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret will relive the palace
balcony scene of 50 years ago.
Members of the royal family will also travel to Norway and France to
take part in ceremonies to mark the 50th anniversary of peace.
On Friday, May 5, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Prince of
Wales will attend a joint session of the Houses of Parliament at
Westminster.
The following day, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret will perform
the opening ceremony for a three-day event at Hyde Park.
The first set-piece event will be on Saturday May 6 with a reception
and banquet for heads of state and government at Guildhall when the
Queen will make a speech.
Other members of the royal family present will be the Duke of
Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Princess
Margaret, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Duke and Duchess of Kent,
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Sir Angus
Ogilvy.
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