King follows in grandfather’s footsteps by not wearing medals at VE Day parade

The King followed in his grandfather’s footsteps 80 years on as he chose not to adorn his uniform with medals at the VE Day parade.

Charles wore the naval No.1 dress uniform to see Monday’s military procession and flypast in central London to kick off four days of celebration.

He elected not to wear medals, reflecting the same choice made by King George VI when he stepped on to the Buckingham Palace balcony on May 8 1945.

The Queen paid tribute to her family’s military legacy with a 12th Royal Lancers brooch – her late father’s regiment – pinned to her sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat.

Her father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk, and again in 1942 for his efforts in North Africa, and was later wounded and taken prisoner while fighting in the same region.

He died in June 2006 aged 89.

On Monday, the Princess of Wales also wore a brooch fit for the occasion – an RAF wings pin.

Kate’s grandfather served in the RAF as a fighter pilot during the Second World War.

The Princess Royal wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps), emulating what the late Queen wore when she was a princess appearing on the Palace balcony on VE Day in 1945.

The Prince of Wales was dressed in the RAF No.1 uniform.

Members of the royal family watched the parade on Monday from a specially built platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial before making their way to Buckingham Palace’s balcony to watch the flypast overhead against a soundtrack of cheering crowds.