The Royal Family demonstrated a strong front during the 80th anniversary commemorations of VE Day, a series of events that culminated in a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey and a concert in London's Horse Guards Parade. Despite concerns that Prince Harry's recent comments might overshadow the occasion, the family's collective participation, including a surprise appearance by Prince William and Princess Kate's children, underscored their unity and commitment to honoring the sacrifices of World War II veterans.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Birgitte, showcased royal etiquette with a perfect curtsy to King Charles and Queen Camilla during the VE Day thanksgiving service. This gesture, a hallmark of royal protocol, was observed as the senior royals departed Westminster Abbey. The event also highlighted the order of precedence among the royals, with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent seated first, followed by other members of the royal family, culminating in the arrival of the King and Queen.

Queen Camilla and Princess Kate made a striking statement in matching white outfits at the service, effectively dispelling rumors of any discord between them. Their coordinated appearance, along with the inclusion of personal touches such as Princess Kate wearing earrings that belonged to the late Princess Diana, added a layer of personal significance to the public commemoration. The handwritten notes on wreaths by Prince William and Princess Catherine, and King Charles III, further personalized the tribute to the war's fallen heroes.

The week's events not only celebrated the historical significance of VE Day but also showcased the Royal Family's ability to present a united front in the face of potential distractions. The participation of multiple generations of royals, from the King and Queen to the youngest members of the family, emphasized the continuity and enduring relevance of the monarchy in contemporary society. The careful observance of traditions, combined with personal gestures of remembrance, highlighted the family's dual role as custodians of national memory and as individuals with their own connections to history.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced an urgent independent inquiry into maternity services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, describing himself as "shocked" by families' experiences of "repeated maternity failures in Leeds - made worse by the unacceptable response of the trust." The decision comes after years of campaigning by bereaved families who reported feeling "gaslit, dismissed and even blamed" for what went wrong at one of Europe's largest teaching hospitals. Mr. Streeting emphasized the "stark contradiction between scale and safety standards" at the trust, which official data shows "remains an outlier on perinatal mortality."

The inquiry follows a June downgrade by the Care Quality Commission, which rated maternity services at the trust as "inadequate" and identified serious risks to women and babies. Inspectors highlighted a deep-rooted "blame culture" that made staff reluctant to raise concerns about incidents. Brendan Brown, chief executive of LTH NHS Trust, apologized to bereaved families and expressed hope that the inquiry would provide them with "answers." He stated the trust is "determined to do better" and is already taking significant steps to improve maternity and neonatal services following reviews by regulatory bodies.

Families affected by the failures have welcomed the inquiry but are calling for rigorous leadership, specifically requesting that midwife Donna Ockenden chair the investigation. Fiona Winser-Ramm, whose daughter Aliona died in 2020 after an inquest found multiple failures, emphasized the importance of ensuring the inquiry is "the best and most thorough that it can possibly be." She described how families have been "thrust into this life that none of us should be living," noting that their shared grief should never have brought them together under such circumstances.

Serious questions are now being raised about what Sir Julian Hartley, who led the trust for ten years until 2023 and now heads the Care Quality Commission, knew about the poor maternity care. In a statement, Sir Julian expressed being "truly sorry" for families' suffering and said that while he was "absolutely committed to ensuring good patient care across all services, including maternity," this commitment "wasn't enough to prevent some families suffering pain and loss." Lauren Caulfield, whose daughter Grace died in 2022, called it "completely unacceptable that nothing has been done to date" to examine Sir Julian's role, expressing hope that the inquiry will address this gap.