King Charles calls for global peace as UK marks 80th anniversary of VE Day

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's King Charles said on Thursday the world had a duty to commit to seeking lasting peace and preventing warfare in a speech to mark the end of four days of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Following a sombre thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, Charles and senior royals joined 10,000 guests including veterans for a music concert at Horse Guards Parade near Buckingham Palace as part of events to remember Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, which took effect on May 8, 1945.

The anniversary, which comes at a time of ongoing conflict in Europe with Russia's war in Ukraine, was also marked with events in France and Germany, while Moscow will hold a major military parade on Friday.

In a speech at the concert, the British monarch echoed the words of his grandfather George VI from 80 years earlier, saying how those who had died in the cause of freedom in World War Two should never be forgotten.

"As we reach the conclusion of the 80th anniversary commemorations, we should remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said ‘Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war’," Charles said.

"In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict."

Earlier the 76-year-old king and heir to the throne Prince William, standing beside elderly veterans in wheelchairs, laid wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at the Abbey, while Britain observed a two-minute silence at midday.

'SACRED'

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of the "sacred" victory over Adolf Hitler, and said his country was standing against "neo-Nazism", a characterisation of the current conflict in Ukraine that is strongly rejected by Kyiv. 

Putin was holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is joining Russia's celebrations. 

French President Emmanuel Macron laid a wreath at the statue of French wartime hero Charles de Gaulle in Paris, where there was also a military parade down the Champs-Elysees avenue. 

In Berlin, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, when he too warned against forgetting the lessons of World War Two.

VE Day's 80th anniversary will be one of the last major celebrations with living veterans attending events, as most are now in their 90s or older. 

During his speech Charles also reflected on how his late mother Queen Elizabeth, then a 19-year-old princess, had joined the crowds on VE Day to celebrate, believed to be the only time during her 96 years she mingled with the public unrecognised.

In her diary she wrote how she had "Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2 a.m. Bed at 3 a.m," he said.

"I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2 a.m., let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace," he told the crowd.

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Michael Holden; Additional reporting by Richard Lough in Paris; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Gareth Jones and Daniel Wallis)