Queen Elizabeth led tributes to veterans of World War Two recalling the “never give up, never despair” message of victory in Europe Day 75 years ago as the novel coronavirus damped commemorations for the end of the war on the continent.

In a rare televised address that brought together the themes of wartime and Covid-19, the 94-year-old monarch said those who had served during the conflict with Nazi Germany would admire how their descendants were coping with the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the virus.