With Flags And Fancy Hats, Canadians Join The Crowds Ahead Of King’s Coronation
Courtesy of Barrie 360 and Canadian PressPublished: May 5th, 2023
By Morgan Lowrie in London
Canadians were joining the crush of jubilant royal fans who were converging on London on Friday, ahead of the first coronation to take place in the United Kingdom in 70 years.
Flag-draped tents were lined three deep along the road to Buckingham Palace as royal fans from all over the world donned fancy hats and plastic crowns, sipped champagne and took photos with cardboard cutouts of King Charles.
Over a dozen members of the Monarchist League of Canada gathered in front of a statue of King George VI — the first reigning monarch to visit Canada — where they unfurled a huge Canadian flag. They then laid bouquets of red and white flowers at the base of the monument and sang “O Canada.”
Sally Harris, from Ottawa, said it was important for her to witness the moment in history. She said the monarchists are hoping to watch the coronation procession under a big Canadian flag and wave at the King and Queen Consort as they go by.
“King Charles is the King of Canada and it was very important for me to be here because I think that in my lifetime this is the only coronation I’ll ever see, so I wanted to be a part of it,” she said.
She said the scene outside the palace was “like a party,” with a safe and celebratory feel.
Security was heavy near the palace, where workers were setting up giant screens to show the coronation, as well as medical tents, bathrooms and designated quiet spaces.
The occasional thundershower didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, although it didn’t do much to improve the appearance of the cardboard cutouts of King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort.
A big cheer went up from the crowd when they were rewarded with a glimpse of the real thing, as King Charles and his wife were seen leaving the palace in a motorcade.
Several of the tents lining the Mall — the route to the palace — were festooned with maple leaf flags. A mini Canadian camping section was formed by royalists from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, who met at the queen’s funeral last year.
Futher down, Lynne Paterson had also draped her small tent with flags. The Toronto resident said she’d gotten her love of the royals from her mother, “who must have owned 60 books” about the family.
“I think (the royal family) give stability, and I think because I lived in Britain it’s different, they’re just such a part of the fabric,” said Paterson, who spent several years in London. “And obviously the Queen worked so hard and I really admired that.”
Canada’s official delegation to Saturday’s coronation includes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor General Mary Simon, as well as several Indigenous leaders, two astronauts, and several representatives of youth organizations.
Outside of that delegation, there will also be other attendees from Canada, including musicians from the Regina Symphony, who will play in a coronation orchestra.
There will also be 21-year-old Jay Patel, who was able to get a job as a cook at the CN tower through the Canadian arm of the King’s charity, the Prince’s Trust. Patel said he was stunned at the invite.
“There was no chance in the world I (had thought) I would wake up and get a call from the CEO saying, ‘are you interested in going to a coronation,’” said Patel, who came to Canada in 2021 as an international student from India.
The Indigenous members of Canada’s delegation include the leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, who were granted a rare audience with the King on Thursday.
Chief Perry Bellegarde, the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations and honorary president of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, said it’s important for Indigenous people to witness the coronation due to their treaty relationship with the Crown.
More recently, he said King Charles, then Prince of Wales, was given a traditional name in 2001, in Saskatchewan, which translates to “The sun watches over him in a good way” in Cree.
Bellegarde, who has worked with the monarch, believes that King Charles “has showed and demonstrated a willingness to listen, but as well to open doors and convene and bring parties together to have difficult conversations.”
While reconciliation is a long process that is far from complete, he believes the King has earned his Indigenous name, due in part to his commitment to the environment and willingness to tackle climate change.
“What better person to head up the Commonwealth than somebody who’s already doing that?” he said in an interview near Buckingham Palace. “To me, that’s hope for the future.”
Ancient Ritual, Drones, A Star-Packed Concert: What We Know About The Coronation [May 6th]
Courtesy of Barrie 360 Will KonkenPublished: Apr 30th, 2023
Royal jewels dating back centuries. A four-tonne horse-drawn coach. A next-day concert and a nation illuminated by lasers and drone-driven lights.
Elaborate tradition tinged with present-day sensibilities is expected at next weekend’s coronation of King Charles III, when the 74-year-old officially establishes a new era of the monarchy.
The ancient ritual is typically an extravagant display of solemn pageantry that dates back more than 1,000 years.
But Buckingham Palace has hinted at a scaled-down version compared to previous spectacles, and promised modern touches, too. Details have been sparse and slow to release in recent weeks. Here’s what we know about the coronation of King Charles III:
WHAT IS A CORONATION CEREMONY?
An heir instantly becomes the new monarch when the king or queen dies but there is also a mourning period, so public affirmation must wait. A coronation ceremony offers a platform for that transition. In this case, King Charles III will be crowned eight months after Queen Elizabeth II’s death Sept. 8, 2022.
The coronation itself is part of a Christian service in which the monarch makes promises to God and the people they serve.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
It all starts with a procession from the Palace to Westminster Abbey, where the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a service on Saturday, May 6at 11 a.m. GMT. King Charles III is expected to take the coronation oath and be “anointed, blessed and consecrated” while sitting in King Edward’s chair, a 1,000-year-old oak throne used by every sovereign since 1626.
Buckingham Palace says the ceremony will incorporate numerous ancient heirlooms, including a 17th century gold and jewel orb that symbolizes the Christian world, and two sceptres – one with a cross that is associated with good governance, the other topped by an enamelled dove representing the Holy Ghost.
He’s officially crowned King Charles III when the Archbishop puts St. Edward’s Crown on his head. Camilla, Queen Consort will be crowned in a similar but simpler ceremony.
A procession then returns Their Majesties to Buckingham Palace in the ornate four-tonne Gold State Coach too heavy to move faster than walking speed. They’re expected to be met with a salute from various Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth, and three cheers from service personnel.
The King and The Queen Consort, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, will then appear on the balcony.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME?
Despite the elaborate ceremony, this promises to be a relatively modest coronation. Queen Elizabeth II’s was a nearly three-hour affair with more than 8,000 guests in 1953.
Nearly 70 years later, Buckingham Palace has announced a guest list that’s a fraction of that at more than 2,000 invitations. It also promises the event itself will “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future.”
A next-day concert is headlined by global stars Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli, but organizers have also reached out to performers from marginalized groups across the United Kingdom. It’s touting a performance by the Coronation Choir, made up of community choirs and amateur singers including refugee choirs, LGBTQ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. A so-called virtual choir will add in singers from across the Commonwealth.
During the show, Buckingham Palace says U. K. landmarks will be lit up with projections, lasers and drone displays.
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
In Ottawa, the federal government will host an hour-long celebration Saturday morning across the street from Parliament Hill with music, art, a 21-gun salute and the revelation of Canada Post’s first stamp with the King’s image.
Canadian Heritage says there will also be free activities at Rideau Hall on Saturday and Sunday, when the Governor General’s residence, grounds and greenhouse will be open to the public. The Peace Tower and other local federal buildings will be lit emerald green and Ottawa is encouraging landmarks across the country to do the same.
Lieutenant-governors and territorial commissioners are expected to also host events in communities across the country, including military parades, tree plantings and exhibitions.
Patricia is the Business Mentor and owner of Grow Vantage and a Past President of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. She applies over 30 years of business experience (from start-up to corporate) to mentor entrepreneurs. Since 2011, she has held over 6,500 coaching and training sessions in-person and online. Through Ask For Directions Training, her entrepreneurial training program (and parent company Grow Vantage), and as a business coach, she works with start-ups who are new (or who have lost traction) to design, launch and grow their businesses. Along with 20 other expert instructors she teaches strategies in marketing, sales, communications, and finance, as well as practical techniques to increase productivity, and manage their businesses. In other words, everything entrepreneurs need to learn to grow and run their businesses successfully, and avoid the costly mistakes they can't even see coming - that lead to delays in growth and getting stuck.
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