And in a special statement, William and Kate said: “Today, on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we remember the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who served. Today we especially think of those British and Commonwealth troops who fought in the Asia-Pacific.

“We owe an enduring debt to the generation who gave so much, and to whom we will always be grateful. Lest we forget. W & C”.

William and Kate will not be at the national service of remembrance later today at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. However, it will be attended by the King, Queen Camilla and the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

In his message from earlier today, Charles hailed the “courage and camaraderie” of heroes who fought in the Pacific and Far East in “humanity’s darkest hour” as “a flame that shall blaze for eternity”.

King Charles records his message in the Morning Room of Clarence House ( 
Image:
PA)
He also significantly acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to Japan’s surrender, describing the “immense price” on its citizens as one “we pray no nation need ever pay again”.

His reflection on the nuclear attacks, which paved the way for the end of the Second World War, comes at a time of increased concern about the global threat of nuclear conflict.

In an audio message to the nation, realms and Commonwealth, the King spoke of the horrors faced by allied prisoners of war “who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance”, and the “mental and physical scars” the war left on those who survived.

And he vowed the service and sacrifice of VJ Day heroes “shall never be forgotten”, telling their families and the “sadly dwindling band of veterans”: “Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity’s darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.”

The Prime Minister meets with VJ Day veterans in Downing Street ( 
Image:
TOLGA AKMEN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

The King, in what is believed to be the most direct reference by a British monarch to the suffering in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, said it was right to pause and acknowledge the impact of the “war’s final act” on the people of the Japanese cities.

“Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too,” he said in the broadcast released at 7.30am today. “Their experience reminds us that war’s true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life – a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today.

“On this landmark anniversary, we should also pause to acknowledge that in the war’s final act, an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again.”

He added: “But in recalling so much suffering, we must not lose sight of how great was the cause and how sweet the victory.”

More than 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan, and nearly 30,000 died, while more than 12,000 Britons were among the 190,000 Commonwealth troops held as Prisoners of War by the Japanese. Of the Allied forces, the US suffered the greatest losses, with more than 100,000 killed in action.

In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than 200,000 people were killed by the US bombs and in the months after succumbing to radiation sickness, the effects of burns and other serious injuries.