LONDON — Vera Lynn, the singer who became a symbol of hope in Britain during the Second World War and again during the coronavirus pandemic with her song “We’ll Meet Again,” died at the age of 103 on Thursday.
Known as the Forces’ Sweetheart, Lynn struck a chord with soldiers fighting overseas and with the public back home through her performances and records, including “The White Cliffs of Dover.”
To mark her 100th birthday in 2017, a giant image of Lynn as a young woman was projected onto those white cliffs and a new album released.
She was back in the headlines in April when Queen Elizabeth used words from Lynn’s song to tell the country “We will meet again” and urged people to show resolve during the coronavirus lockdown.
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Lynn died on Thursday morning surrounded by close relatives, her family said in a statement to British media.
The queen is to send a private message of condolence to Lynn’s family, Buckingham Palace said. The office of heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla said they were remembering the singer.
“Dame Vera Lynn’s charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter. “Her voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come.”
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