The Coronation of the new King of England, Charles III, took place over three days and was celebrated throughout the United Kingdom. The festivities began with a ceremony in Westminster Abbey, which was broadcast worldwide on the internet and television, attracting an estimated 14 million viewers, according to the BBC. Every aspect of the event was meticulously planned to leave no stone unturned. How did expats in London experience the event? Some of them shared their thoughts with us.
A recap of events
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, her son Charles succeeded her and became the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the other Commonwealth territories. For those who have not been following the royal news, his Coronation, and that of his wife, Queen Camilla, took place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, the very place where his mother was crowned in 1952, in addition to the 38 previous monarchs since William the Conqueror in 1066.
The May 6 ceremony began with the anointing, a symbolic rite of the new King's spiritual entrance into royalty. This was followed by the official Coronation and enthronement. The entire royal family (or almost everyone) then proceeded in a grand state procession to Buckingham Palace and later appeared on the famous balcony to greet the huge gathering.
On May 7, the Coronation Grand Lunch allowed citizens to mark the event by organizing giant picnics directly in the streets. The Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, which featured performances by Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, among others, received around 20,000 spectators.
Expats shared their views on the Coronation festivities
Expats in the United Kingdom have mixed opinions about the Coronation events. Many of those living in London decided to leave the city for the three-day weekend to avoid the crowds, the big ceremonies, and the traffic changes for the occasion.
Céline, an expatriate who has lived in London for six years, says: "You had to be in the center of London to get a sense of the event. There were lots of national flags and posters with the new King's insignia, so you could feel that something was happening, but there wasn't really any general excitement before the big day. There was a lot more emotion when the Queen died. For example, I have a friend who is very rock 'n' roll and not at all interested in the royal family, who wanted to queue to see the Queen's coffin, but he wasn't keen on watching the Coronation at all. Incidentally, most of our friends took advantage of the three-day weekend to travel out of London and get far away from the festivities!"
Celine continues: "As an international family with an 18-month-old daughter born in London, we liked the idea of celebrating the occasion, although we don't really care about the Royal Family. We thought it was still a historic moment! So we decided to watch the Coronation in the pub next door, which was broadcasting it over brunch with music. Another option was to watch the ceremony quietly at home and join one of the local parties organized in the streets around their home. "It was quite impressive; there were four or five different little parties just in our neighborhood, organized right in the street or in the park! And that's what I like: the Coronation was an opportunity to meet our neighbors and have a good time in a good atmosphere, with games, music and good food prepared by everyone".
Paola, who also lives in London, shares her experience of the Coronation: "Unfortunately, for those of us who live in London, the weekend was seen as a bit of an inconvenience, especially when it came to getting around the city". In fact, Paola and her family simply decided to avoid the city's tourist attractions last weekend to avoid the influx of tourists. "It is, of course, a historical event, but it seems that the death of Elizabeth II has also meant the end of the genuine crown of England. Moreover, knowing Charles III's past, there was no desire to celebrate. On the contrary, most people are more in favor of a possible future coronation of Prince William. But it won't be soon, considering how long Charles had to wait to ascend the throne. We weren't really interested in the subject, nor were most expats that we know (people in their 30s and 35s)". Still, Paola and her family were curious to see how events would unfold and what role Charles would play in the future as the new King.
Valentina, an expat in Cambridge, has a very mixed opinion: "Yes, Charles was crowned King in London as Charles III. Although I don't think many expats really care, my view of the English monarchy has changed since I arrived in England almost six years ago". As she does not live in London, she has felt little affection from other expats living in the UK like her. "We hardly mentioned it with my friends. I don't think Charles on the throne will be a big political change. I haven't followed the news".
