To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day military planes will soar in the skies to honour the legacy of those who served in World War 2. The King and Queen will join veterans to watch a Bank Holiday May 5 procession and fly-past featuring the legendary Red Arrows.

The fly-past will feature a Voyager transport aircraft, a P8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft, as well as Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets. Second World War-era aircraft will also take part, and the flypast is said to culminate “with the iconic red, white, and blue smoke of the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows”.

The flyover will start off the coast of Norfolk (Great Yarmouth) before passing over south Suffolk (Ipswich). It will then move over Colchester and Chelmsford before flying low over London for the VE Day celebrations. The planes will then move west towards Slough and Oxford, before finishing near Reading.

The timings have not been confirmed yet, but the whole flyover will take place between 11.45am and 2.45pm. There will be rehearsals on April 28 and 29.

Over 1,300 people, including Armed Forces members, will march to Buckingham Palace from Parliament Square in the London procession.

Big Ben striking midday will mark the beginning, with extracts from Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech recited by an actor. Normandy veteran Alan Kennett, 100, will then be passed a Commonwealth War Graves Torch for Peace.

The Government describes the torch as “an enduring symbol, honouring the contributions made by individuals”, acting “as a baton to pass and share stories to future generations.”

The King and Queen will be joined by Prince William, Princess Kate, Keir Starmer, and World War Two veterans, who will watch proceedings from a specially built platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial.

The Royal Family will also host a tea party at Buckingham Palace for veterans and members of the World War 2 generation.

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will lead the procession. A group featuring members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force will follow. And cadets from all three services, as well as other uniformed youth groups, will take part.

The procession will go from Parliament Square, down Whitehall and past the Cenotaph, through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall before finishing at Buckingham Palace.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “VE Day 80 is a chance for us to come together and celebrate our veterans and ensure their legacy of peace is passed on to future generations.

“Whether by watching on TV or having a street party with neighbours, everyone can take part. This is one of the last chances we have to say thank you to this generation of heroes and it is right that we do just that.”

On May 8, 80 years to the day since the end of World War Two in Europe, a service will take place at Westminster Abbey. In the evening, a concert will be held on Horse Guards Parade, with stars telling the story of the end of the war. On May 6, the Queen will visit the Tower of London to view a new display of ceramic poppies.