Two Royal fans have set up camp outside Buckingham Palace a week before the King's coronation.
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will be officially crowned next Saturday (May 6), but royal devotees Sky London and Carol Foster have already taken their places on the Mall ahead of the ceremony. They have set up a group of tents together, and are well supplied with deck chairs and snacks.
Asked why he had set up camp a full week ahead of the coronation, Mr London said: "There’s a saying, the early bird catches the early worm."
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He added: "We intend to hold this place, we don’t want anybody else to take it." Mr London is a seasoned royal camper.
He said he had camped outside the Queen’s funeral, the Jubilee, and the births of all three of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children. It was at the birth of George that he met Ms Foster.
The pair have been friends ever since, meeting up to celebrate their own birthdays, as well as the birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales. Asked what she was most looking forward to about the coronation, Ms Foster said: "Seeing everybody dressed up, the pomp and ceremony.
"I’m looking forward to seeing what Catherine and Camilla are wearing. It’s a once in a lifetime thing."
Further details on the coronation were announced yesterday, as Lambeth Palace revealed representatives from the nation’s faith communities will play an active role for the first time in history. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will anoint and crown Charles during his coronation, described the service as 'foremost an act of Christian worship' but said new elements reflected the 'diversity of our contemporary society'.
New ground has been broken in other areas, from the inclusion of female Bishops the first time, to the use of Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic languages and the opportunity for those watching around the globe to join in and pay homage to the King. When Charles is crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, leaders from Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist groups will deliver a greeting to the King in unison, which he will acknowledge.
They are the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, leader of the nation’s Buddhists the Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala, prominent Sikh broadcaster Lord Singh of Wimbledon, Hindu representative Radha Mohan das and Muslim Aliya Azam, an Interfaith co-ordinator with the Al-Khoei Foundation.
And when the Regalia is presented to the King; Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish peers will take part, handing over items which do not have Christian meaning or symbolism.
Millions watching the coronation around the world will also be asked to cry out and swear allegiance to the King, with the public given an active role in the ancient ceremony for the first time in history.
Lambeth Palace said it was hoped the significant change to the historic service will result in a “great cry around the nation and around the world of support for the King” from those watching on television, online or gathered in the open air at big screens.
It replaces the traditional Homage of Peers in which a long line of hereditary peers knelt and made a pledge to the monarch in person.
The liturgy – words and actions of the coronation service – have been revealed, having been decided upon in close consultation with the King, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Government.
The new Homage of the People was introduced to allow “a chorus of millions of voices” to be “enabled for the first time in history to participate in this solemn and joyful moment”, Lambeth Palace said.
The Archbishop will call upon “all persons of goodwill in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of the other Realms and the Territories to make their homage, in heart and voice, to their undoubted King, defender of all”.
The order of service will read: “All who so desire, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, say together:
“All: I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”
It will be followed by the playing of a fanfare.
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