London's New Year fireworks display includes tribute to the Queen and show of support for Ukraine
A tribute to the late Queen and a show of support for Ukraine featured in London's New Year fireworks display, as more than 100,000 people gathered on the banks of the Thames to mark the beginning of 2023.
Some 12,000 fireworks lit up the sky in the sold-out show, which was created with the theme of "love and unity".
At the beginning of the display, drones spelled out the message "2023 with love from London".
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Fireworks light-up the sky over the London Eye in central London to celebrate the New Year on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. Pic: AP
The tribute to the Queen, who died in September, featured a voice recording from her and words from Dame Judi Dench.
Then it honoured the King, with a message from him about the need to preserve our planet.
It also highlighted the Lionesses' Euro win at Wembley and marked 50 years of London's Pride with a message from Peter Tatchell from the Gay Liberation Front.
Music included Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline, Ukrainian Eurovision winner Kalush Orchestra, and hits from Stormzy, Dua Lipa, Cher, Dave, Rihanna and Calvin Harris, with the show concluding with the traditional Auld Lang Syne.
In Edinburgh, people gathered for the first full Hogmanay celebrations in three years, with previous events being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter: "Thinking back to Hogmanay last year and indeed the year before that, we're reminded of just how far we have come from the very darkest days of the pandemic."
As in London, partygoers in Edinburgh braved the weather to hear '80s duo The Pet Shop Boys sing and fireworks lit up the sky behind the city's castle.
In Cardiff, the city's Winter Wonderland was the place to be, while Belfast celebrated at Europa Hotel's annual Gala Ball.
But some parts of the UK deliberately had no fireworks.
The North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough cancelled their display after concerns that the noise and light could cause distress for an Arctic walrus named Thor.
The walrus was spotted on the Hampshire coastline earlier this month and arrived in Scarborough's harbour earlier on New Year's Eve.
-sky news
