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WHEN I looked up at the Buckingham Palace balcony and saw the King with all the royal family, I thought how sad that our late Queen was not there.

Ever since May 8, 1945 — when Princess Elizabeth and sister Margaret slipped to join the VE Day celebrations — she was regarded by veterans as one of them.

Royal family members on Buckingham Palace balcony.
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Royals look to the skies to watch the fly past featuring the Red ArrowsCredit: PA
Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret watching a flypast at Buckingham Palace.
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The late Queen, Queen Mother and Princess Margaret watch a procession of vintage planes fly over Buckingham Palace for the 50th anniversary of VE DayCredit: PA

For that incredible Tuesday she and her sister had been just like the rest of those remarkable men and women, who were just relieved that this awful war was over.

No more living in fear of bombs and snipers.

No more putting up blackouts and a return to simple things like listening to the weather forecast.

World War II veterans adored Queen Elizabeth — she was one of the great generation — and wherever she met them, the world over, they had a special bond with their monarch.

READ MORE ON VE DAY

I’m sure many of the veterans in London yesterday wished, like me, that she had been there for what will probably be the last time we will be able to say a heartfelt thank you on a grand scale like this.

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