D Day celebrations in London 2024: Five events to mark 80 year anniversary

This year marks 80 years since the famous D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy.

On June 6 1944 the historic operation saw the Allied Forces mount a large-scale invasion of Nazi-occupied France that ultimately tipped the course of the Second World War in the Allies’ favour.

Some 4,400 Allied troops died during and about 9,000 were wounded or missing.

A number of commemorative events will take place across the UK and France to honour those who died or risked their lives.

Here are five events in London to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with LondonWorld’s free emails

D-Day 80: Remembering the Normandy Landings

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, SW7 2AP Thursday June 6 at 7.30pm Tickets: From £40.50 to £101

‘D-Day 80: Remembering the Normandy Landings’ presented by Davina McCall, will be a unique evening of music-led storytelling reflecting on the beginning of the end of the Second World War.

The anniversary event will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Mike Dixon and Veterans of the Normandy Campaign, plus performances by Katherine Jenkins, Emeli Sandé, Lulu and lead vocalist of The D-Day Darlings, Katie Ashby. The show will also feature untold personal stories through letters and diary entries read by famous faces from stage and screen.

The event will be filmed for television, to be broadcast on ITV at 4pm on Sunday June 9.

D-Day: 80 years on

St Paul's Gardens, Hammersmith, W14 9YA Saturday June 8 12pm to 5pm Free

To mark the 80th anniversary of the beach landings which led to the retaking of continental Europe by the Allied forces, an event is being held in the gardens of the former St Paul’s School in Hammersmith Road, where Operation Overlord was finalised on Saturday June 8.

There will be a range of activities to get involved with including historical re-enactments, military vehicle and weapons displays, have-a-go activities for families, live wartime entertainment, army personnel and cadet stands, and historical information displays.

Marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day concert

St Clement Danes Church, Strand, WC2R 1DH Saturday June 8 7.30pm to 9pm Tickets: From £33.22

To mark the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings in Normandy in 1944, a concert featuring the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, South East Regional Choir and the St Clement Danes Church Choir will take place at St Clement Danes Church.

The concert will support the ongoing 1941 appeal, which aims to raise funding to guarantee the safety and future of St Clement Danes for the generations to come.

Women of D-Day

Churchill War Rooms, King Charles St, SW1A 2AQ Tuesday June 4 6.15pm to 8.30pm Tickets: £20

IWM in Conversation: Women of D-Day sheds light on the contributions of remarkable women during the D-Day landings of June 6 1944.

In an evening of conversation with historian, writer and broadcaster Dr Tessa Dunlop, the Imperial War Museum will pay tribute to the courage of the women who undertook pivotal roles in this historic military operation, exploring the personal stories of women working in intelligence, nursing, the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and across the Allied forces.

1944-2024: D-Day 80th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

Chislehurst Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst, BR7 5LX Saturday June 8 3pm to 5.30pm Tickets: £19.44

Chislehurst Rotary Club is hosting a WW2 themed afternoon tea to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The event will include a live performance by vintage harmony group “Company 3”, a homemade tea and a WW2 memorabilia display and picture show.