The Queen salutes the glorious Few: Senior royals gather on Buckingham Palace balcony to watch spectacular fly-past commemorating 75th anniversary of start of the Battle of Britain
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The Queen today led members of the Royal Family in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain.
The Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of York are among the senior royals who joined the monarch as she watched an RAF fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
In the courtyard below, six veterans of the pivotal conflict were among those who looked to the sky as Spitfires, Hurricanes and Typhoons - three of the aircraft used to fight back the Luftwaffe - flew over the Mall.
Meanwhile, outside the palace gates, hundreds of people gathered on the streets to witness the stunning display - and remember the glorious Few who valiantly halted Hitler's plans for a German invasion.
During the summer and autumn of 1940, 544 pilots died as the RAF fought in the skies above southern England to force back the threat of any invasion by Hitler.
July 10 1940 is widely acknowledged to be the start of the battle, with a series of Luftwaffe raids on shipping convoys off the south-east coast of England.
Today, four Spitfires, two Hurricanes and four Typhoons took part in a fly-past during a special Changing of the Guard, which will be performed by the RAF Queen's Colour Squadron.
Guests at the event will include six surviving RAF Battle of Britain pilots. It is likely to be the last major anniversary at which members of the famous 'few' will be fit to take part.
Later, the airmen will be joined by royals including the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex at a reception and lunch at the RAF Club in Piccadilly, London.
On Sunday, a memorial service will be held at the National Memorial to the Few at Capel le Ferne on the famous white cliffs between Dover and Folkestone in Kent.
Prince Michael of Kent, the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust's patron, will take the royal salute during a day which will feature a display by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The day, which will be attended by eight veterans who are all well into their 90s, will end with a sunset ceremony.
Trust chairman Richard Hunting said: 'Memorial Day is the most important date in our calendar and we are looking forward to again welcoming a number of the Few.
'It is a privilege to have such men amongst us and we know that their presence will make the 75th anniversary of what was arguably the most important battle fought by this country in the whole of the last century a very special day.'