text: The Queen will lead the nation at a religious service commemorating the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, when Second World War Allied forces finally defeated Hitler's Nazi troops on the continent. The Queen and senior members of the Royal Family will attend the Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving - the culmination of three days of events marking the milestone. A chain of beacons will be lit across the country, Spitfire and Lancaster bomber planes will take to the skies and a star-studded concert will be held in London from May 8 to 10 as part of commemorations marking the 70th anniversary. The Queen will lead the nation at a religious service . On VE Day - May 8, 1945 - the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, famously joined the jubilant victory celebrations in London and danced the conga through the Ritz Hotel before joining crowds outside Buckingham Palace. Jean Woodroffe, one of the Queen's first ladies in waiting, when interviewed by the BBC to mark the monarch's 80th birthday in 2006 said: 'What was amusing is that we went into the Ritz hotel through one door and out of the other door, the other end, doing the conga.' She added: 'And then we stood outside Buckingham Palace with the crowd and we all shouted 'We want the King' with everybody else until the King and Queen came out onto the balcony.' On the first day of the festivities a national two-minute silence will be held at The Cenotaph at 3pm on Friday, May 8, marking the moment prime minister Winston Churchill broadcast his historic speech to formally announce the end of the war. It will be followed by the lighting of more than 100 beacons, stretching from Newcastle to Cornwall. The next day cathedrals across the country will ring bells at 11am in celebration. In 1995, the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the 50th anniversary of VE Day . VE Day 50th Anniversary, 1995, showing enthusiastic crowds at Buckingham Palace . Many veterans were alive to celebrate for the anniversary in 1995, some will still be for the 70th this year . Stars will also perform at a 1940s-themed concert held on Horse Guards Parade in London in the evening, to be shown on the BBC. At the Sunday service the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be joined by veterans and their families, politicians, members of the Armed Forces and representatives of Allied nations and Commonwealth countries that fought alongside Britain. A parade of bands, veterans and current servicemen and women will then make their way from the Abbey along Whitehall before a reception in St James's Park for 2,000 veterans hosted by the Royal British Legion. The parade will pass the balcony of the Treasury building, where Churchill made his historic speech before vast crowds on VE Day. That afternoon there will be a fly-past of current and historic aircraft from the RAF, including Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster bomber planes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Vehicles dating from the 1940s will also be on display in St James's Park. People are encouraged to enjoy their own celebrations by holding street parties. Announcing the three-day celebrations last month, William Hague, First Secretary of State, said they would pay 'fitting tribute' to those who did so much to defend the country and ensure victory in Europe. Winston Churchill waves at the crowd in Whitehall during VE Day celebrations on 8 May, 1945 . A Cheer Goes Up For George VI, his wife - later Queen Mother - and the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret as they appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 70 years ago on 8 May, 1945 . He said: 'It is right that we take time to reflect on the sacrifices made, not just by those in the Armed Forces, but by civilians such as Land Girls and those in Reserved Occupations and make sure that the whole country has the chance to take part in commemorating this momentous anniversary and remembering those who gave so much for our freedom. 'The celebrations in London will be echoed by other events across the country to mark VE Day 70, with local authorities and communities encouraged to participate. 'They will celebrate with members of their communities who contributed to the war effort throughout the Second World War.' The announcement of the VE Day celebrations came after the Queen attended the traditional Royal Maundy Service in Sheffield yesterday. Joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty, dressed in a turquoise coat by Stewart Parvin and matching hat, was there to present 'alms' to 89 women and 89 men, among them D-Day veteran, Denis Gratton. 'It was just quick. I'm not very good at hearing,' said Mr Gratton, 91, after the ceremony. 'She did say something but I'm not sure what it were.' Handing out alms: The Queen presents a lady with the two Maundy Purses at Sheffield Cathedral . Custom: Monarchs have been presenting Maundy Money since 1210 and King John . The Queen, who had arrived on the Royal Train, was driven to the cathedral where she got a warm welcome from the flag-waving crowd and was presented with a nosegay of spring flowers. Met at the church door by Peter Bradley, the Dean of Sheffield, and the local Bishop, Steven Croft, Her Majesty spoke briefly to the clergymen before being whisked inside for the service. After the hour-long service, the Queen posed for pictures with the Yeoman of the Guard, who had lined the cathedral's aisles during the ceremony. The Royal party then left for a reception at Sheffield Town Hall as the recipients emerged into the sunshine, all pleased with their royal acknowledgement. Patricia Durkin, 72, said: 'It was brilliant, absolutely wonderful. When I got here the atmosphere was tremendous.' The Royal Maundy Service is one of the UK's oldest royal customs and sees the monarch distribute alms in the shape of two purses of specially minted coins. This year, the Red Purse contains a £5 coin, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Winston Churchill and a 50p coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Commemorative: The red and white bags contain commemorative coins, this year featuring Winston Churchill . Tradition: The Queen and Prince Philip were handed traditional nosegays made from spring flowers . Historically, this sum of £5.50 in the Red Purse is made up of £3 for clothing, £1.50 in lieu of provisions and £1 for the redemption of the Sovereign's gown. The White Purse contains uniquely minted Maundy Money, which, unlike coins in general circulation,   bear the portrait of the Queen produced by Mary Gillick at the start of her reign. Gillick, a sculptor, designed the portrait which appeared on the coins of the UK and some Commonwealth countries from 1953 until preparations for decimalisation began in 1968. The portrait of the Queen wearing a wreath on her head was considered to reflect the nation's optimism as it greeted a new monarch in the post-war years. The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples the day before Good Friday. Warm welcome: The Queen is greeted at Sheffield Cathedral ahead of the traditional Royal Maundy Service . Cheerful: The Duke of Edinburgh was on jolly form as he arrived for the service . In an echo of the Last Supper, mediaeval and Tudor monarchs also washed the feet of beggars during the service. Unlike the nosegay, which was originally introduced as a means of disguising the repellent smell, that custom failed to survive the 18th century. The first monarch to take part in a Maundy Thursday service was King John, of Magna Carta and Robin Hood fame, who distributed gifts of clothes and money to the poor in Knaresborough in 1210. John was also the first to present the poor with silver coins and is recorded as having done so in Rochester in 1213. John's grandson Edward I, the king known to posterity as 'the Hammer of the Scots', was the first to confine the tradition to Maundy Thursday alone, which, until his reign, could be conducted on any day of the year. Long wait: Many of the well-wishers outside the Cathedral had waited there for hours . Modernising: The 800-year-old tradition used to involve washing beggars' feet - hence the nosegay . All smiles: The Queen, who has only missed the ceremony four times, was all smiles as she arrived . Smell: The scented nosegays were originally used to disguise the stench of unwashed people .
target: Three days of celebration to  mark the  70th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May .
  Her Majesty will attend Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving .
  In 1995, Her Majesty was joined by Queen Mother and Princess Margaret .
  Yesterday the Queen distributed alms at Royal Maundy service in Sheffield .