Over 10million Brits turned streets red, white and blue in joyful celebration of King Charles’ coronation
TEN million royal fans turned the streets red, white and blue in a joyful nationwide celebration of King Charles’ Coronation.
Patriotic people up and down the country enjoyed picnics on roads and in community centres, village and church halls to mark the monarch’s crowning.
A record 67,000 Big Lunch events — 50,000 more than for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee — brought together all faiths and backgrounds in a moment of national pride.
Some 80 locals gathered at a 60ft table to feast on food from all parts in St Cuthberts Road in Kilburn, North West London.
Morris dancers performed in Union Jack suits as locals sang patriotic songs beneath bunting, including 87-year-old John Rodgers who was enjoying his second coronation.
He said: “Back in 1953, all I was interested in was how pretty Queen Elizabeth looked. I have enjoyed this one in a very different way.”
Geoff Stilwell, 71, who played guitar for the numbers, said: “It’s amazing to see this neighbourly atmosphere. Only the Coronation could do something like this.”
Organiser Kerstin Rodgers added: “I’ve lived here 23 years and I’ve met some neighbours for the first time today. Everyone here is from everywhere. They’ve all come with food from their cultures. It’s wonderful.”
On Worcester Road in Colchester, Essex, meanwhile, Angie Fairbrother hosted a party for 250 residents.
She said: “We throw a street party as part of the Big Lunch every year and this has been the busiest.
“There are babies and people in their 80s. It’s so enjoyable and just creates a real community spirit.”
Up in Burn, North Yorks, 150 locals crammed into a marquee where the decorations included a life-size recreation of The Gold State Coach — complete with horses and cut-outs of the King and Queen.
Local Sheila Holmes, 79, said: “The parish has made a supreme effort and I’m proud. I thought the service yesterday was beautiful. It’s what we do best, being British.”
In Blackpool, flags flew over the famous promenade as thousands took part in a massive Big Lunch.
Dedicated royalist Margaret Shaw, on holiday from Scotland, said: “I was glued to the telly yesterday watching the Coronation, so today I’m going to enjoy the sunshine.”
At the Eden Project in Cornwall, meanwhile, 200 guests shared a 32-inch Coronation quiche — a supersized, 65-egg version to the recipe personally chosen by King Charles.
Peter Stewart, of the Eden Project, who came up with the idea of the Big Lunch in 2009, said: “Bringing people together to share such experiences over food and fun is crucial to building stronger, resilient communities, and we’re proud to have done just that.”