On the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, King Charles has issued a warning that the sacrifices of the VJ Day veterans who gave us "more than freedom" should "never be forgotten". The 76-year-old monarch also significantly acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which led to Japan's surrender, describing the "immense price" on its citizens as one "we pray no nation need ever pay again".
In an audio message to the nation, realms and Commonwealth, the King spoke of the horrors faced by allied prisoners of war "who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance", and the "mental and physical scars" the war left on those who survived.
And he vowed the service and sacrifice of VJ Day heroes "shall never be forgotten", telling their families and the "sadly dwindling band of veterans": "Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity's darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity - a beacon that honours our past and guides our future."
Today, the King and Queen and senior politicians will come together to mark the poignant anniversary.
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