What It Was Really Like Being at King Charles III’s Coronation
Photo Credit: Hello Magazine (no… I did not get the chance to take my own photo with them lol)
Wow, what a time to be living in the UK!
When my husband and I moved to the UK earlier this year for work, we assumed that Queen Elizabeth II would still be reigning. She kind of seemed immortal in some ways, and I think we always thought she would be here. Whenever asking my American friends the first thing that came to mind when thinking of the UK, the first answer I got was always “well, the Queen of course.” When she sadly passed, it felt like a wave of depression and loss was spread all around the world. It felt like my grandmother had passed all over again. How could her son, whom has had a history of controversies, be able to win over the hearts of his nation the same way his mother did? I think it is a difficult task to take, but I’m sure he will try his best to provide peace and comfort to his country during their continuing struggles.
To think, the last time we had a coronation here in the UK was 1953! My grandmother and her cousins recounted going over to friends’ houses in their neighbourhood and all gathering around a tiny black-and-white screen in amazement of what they were seeing. My aunt recalls it being a very cold, wet day - not like the bright sunny morning we picture in our minds. It was actually quite miserable. But, that didn’t stop them from celebrating. It was a big celebration of patriotism for the world to experience. To think how much we’ve changed since 1953. My grandparents didn’t even meet by that time!
So, what was it actually like being in London for the Coronation?
Well, what do you think? It was a madhouse, and I loved it! We tried to be proactive, so we left Friday night after work. We stayed in a nice hotel nearby and scouted out to try and find some potential spots for the Coronation. It actually felt quite empty in London until we got to Parliament. I thought these crowds were of people camping out near Big Ben, but they were actually just the usual tourists taking photos. We stumbled our way through them before we got to Westminster Abbey. It felt like a completely different city. Hardly anybody was near the Abbey, which we were surprised by because that was kind of the main place during the Coronation; we thought it would be a madhouse of people taking photos… and it wasn’t. It was beautiful. We had our own personal time with the Abbey. Pretty much the only people around us were newscasters setting up and preparing for coverage of the event. Crane-like cameras were installed and a giant news box was adjacent to the Abbey. We got our selfies and reflected on what history and tradition this Abbey has seen since 1066 for William the Conqueror. Now we are privileged to see history unfold in front of us.
We got up on Saturday morning around 5:30 a.m. We grabbed some food from the continental breakfast and then hurried over towards Trafalgar Square around 6:30 a.m. We weren’t sure we were going to have a great spot (especially after seeing the crowds from the telly while we were eating), so we had other options just in case. Sure enough, we got to Trafalgar Square… and nope. We couldn’t get close enough to see any action. So, we walked a little farther down on Whitehall, so we were between Trafalger Square and Big Ben. Not a bad choice!
Overall, everyone was super excited for what was about to take place. We walked past a Canadian protest holding banners saying “Not My King.” They were peaceful, but they were instantly booed by people waiting off to the sides (we actually heard later on that they were all arrested). Standing off to the side, everyone around us was cheering, chanting, and just thrilled to be in London. People were playing games, chatting with new friends, juggling champagne and berries, and shouting “God Save the King.” However, the excitement began to dwindle after the rain started two hours into us standing together like sardines. Several people, including us, brought folding chairs to sit in, but we were all instructed to fold up our chairs and pack closer together. Even the frail and elderly had to fold up their chairs and stand the next couple of hours. Shortly after everyone had to put their chairs away, the rain began. I remember thinking, “oh, this isn’t so bad!” Umm… it got worse. Basically right at 10 a.m., it began to rain harder, right before King Charles came out in the carriage. It got very quiet. It was a bit strange to be surrounded by thousands of people, and you felt like you could hear a pin drop. It was crazy. Then, around 10:40 a.m., we heard a rush of energy and excitement! The King was coming! We saw guards, horses, the band (playing while riding on a horse!), and the King and Queen Consort. They looked so stoic, yet so appreciative of seeing their people so dedicated after the cold and rain. And then it was gone. It lasted about 30 seconds! I remember hearing a bunch of people saying “That’s it? We waited 4 hours in the rain for 30 seconds.” Yeah, it was only 30 seconds, but it was 30 seconds I’ll never forget.
Instead of waiting outside for them to come back, we decided to walk into a pub literally right behind us. They were showing the full ceremony on a large screen TV, so we grabbed a table, had a pint, and periodically checked the screen to see where they were at in the ceremony. It was loud, boistrious, and a great time. We thought taking a break from the crowds and relaxing a bit would help give us energy to get back out on their exit to Buckingham Palace (spoiler -the break helped A LOT). The only problem was nobody could order food because the kitchen staff got stuck in all the crowds. Crazy times we were living in. But I tell you what, there was nothing quite like all of us gathered together and watching the moment King Charles was crowned. We were all cheering and hugging each other, like we won the World Cup. It was an INCREDIBLE experience that I will never forget.
Once we went back out (40 minutes before the ceremony finished), we could hear what was taking place through a speaker. It felt ominous seeing crowds of people standing in silence (in the rain, mind you) listening to what was happening. It was a time for respect and honour. We listened in stillness, which I wasn’t expecting to see with such large crowds of people. Young and old, British or not, we were all gathered to respect the Crown. And then we heard it… the national anthem. A bit strange to replace the word “Queen” with “King,” but I think it came more natural to a lot of people than what I had expected. After that, we heard Pomp and Circumstance, and we prepared to see the King and Queen Consort yet again, along with other members of the royal family. This time, it wasn’t just 30 seconds. It lasted a good 15 minutes or so. We saw so many groups of people, from military branches, representatives from commonwealth countries, beefeaters, King’s guards, bands, Canadian mounties, Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish military members (not sure which kind), and others. And then we saw three carriages. The first one held the newly crowned King and Queen Consort in a gorgeous golden carriage. The second one carried the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The third carriage had the Duke (King Charles’ youngest brother) and Duchess of Edinburgh, and their children Lady Louise Windsor and the Earl of Wessex. We were starstruck seeing the royal family actually in person. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The King and Queen Consort were once again very stoic in their waves to us. In the second carriage, I only got to see Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte. Oh my gosh, Princess Charlotte was the sweetest girl, waving to all of us with love and genuine happiness to see all of us. And, Princess Kate, just looking at her daughter with kindness in her eyes. And she really is super beautiful in person. In fact, I’d argue she’s even more beautiful in real life! The third carriage was once again filled with happy and appreciative faces, which gave me a glimpse as to how wonderful the royal family is. Didn’t get a chance to get good photos of the last two carriages, but we will never forget seeing them with our own eyes.
After that, there were a few more parades scattered around London, but we were free to leave or head for Buckingham Palace to watch the royal family wave from the balcony. We decided to leave and find food since we figured there would be no way for us to actually see them on the balcony.
So there you have it. Yes, it wasn’t fun getting up at 5:30 a.m. and then standing outside in the cold, but it was worth it. Growing up in Texas to an English family, I felt a real sense of pride in my roots. I felt as though my grandmother was watching over me waving the Union Jack and singing God Save the King. I felt like I finally belonged. We felt privileged to be at such a historical event, and we will cherish this day forever!
Lastly, I wanted to dedicate this blog to my grandmother - a beautiful and classy Englishwoman who had more courage than anyone I have ever known. She taught me the traditions and values of what being English means and what it represents. Without her, I do not know where I would be today. I sincerely felt her presence today, and I know she is looking down on us proud. I miss you every day, Nana. Love, your granddaughter.
