The Royal Family marked the end of a busy week honoring the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday, May 8. The King and Queen—joined by Prince William, Princess Kate and other senior royals—attended everything from a military parade to a service at Westminster Abbey followed by a special concert in London. But on May 8, 1945, the celebrations looked much different for the royals—and as King Charles noted in his speech at the concert, his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, definitely got into party spirit that long-ago night when World War II finally came to its end.
Just like the Royal Family did this week, the late Queen—known as Princess Elizabeth at the time—and little sister Princess Margaret joined their parents Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother) and King George VI on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on VE Day. While young Elizabeth—who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Services during the war—looked joyful but composed in her military uniform, she later partied the night away like any other teenager.
