King Carlos III has celebrated his coronation in the rain. But what might be a bad omen for some is, for most, a reflection that in the UK some things remain constant.
Few institutions can conjure up the pomp, tradition and spectacle present in a British coronation. thousands of flags decorate windows, restaurants, supermarkets and pubs across the country, amid tight security measures. On The Mall, the street that connects Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, fans of the royal family have placed banners, cardboard figures of Queen Elizabeth I, and the occasional inflatable corgi. There, they have witnessed the royal procession, in which more than 4,000 members of the armed forces – along with representatives from 39 Commonwealth countries – have accompanied the ‘Golden State Carriage’ in the largest ceremonial military operation in the last generation.
“You couldn’t be anywhere else!” said Patricia Ferrier, who has witnessed the greeting of the kings from the balcony of the palace, wearing her own crown and cape. Braden Miller, 17, has already camped out on The Mall to attend Elizabeth II’s Jubilee, and has returned to bring your tent from California for the coronation. “It’s an incredible experience,” Miller says. “You make a lot of friends and everyone gets along! Lots of singing and very little sleep.”
Although it has not dampened the spirits, the rain has caused some havoc. Bad weather has shortened the air parade and forced spectators to take out their umbrellas and ponchos. Catherine Yuefang Tang, 23, planned to watch the ceremony from one of the huge screens set up in Holland Park, “but the rain has made things difficult.” Still, the water hasn’t downplayed the occasion. “This is a historic moment and I love the grandeur of the ceremony,” He said.
Marta Navarro, a Spanish student living in London, has also seen her plans affected by the rain,”but on Sunday We plan to go see the concert in St James Park“. There, a giant screen will broadcast the show that will take place in Windsor, where singers like Katy Perry and Lionel Richie – a well-known friend of the King – will sing their greatest hits. The celebration will continue on Monday with a big lunchin which people are encouraged to take advantage of the national holiday to donate and share food with their neighbors.
Among those who have followed the event on social networks, the protagonist of the day did not have royal blood. Lord Penny Mordaunt, President of the Privy Council, has carried both ceremonial swords, making her the first woman to perform this important function. “I feel like it’s Penny’s big day,” journalist Ayesha Hazarika said on Twitter. The yawn of Prince Louis and the Katy Perry confusion looking for her seat in the abbey they have also been highly commented among internet users and a reason for smiles in the streets of the city.
But not all Britons feel the same affection for their newly crowned king. Many Londoners have taken advantage of the additional holiday to get away from the bustle of the capital. As Lina, 24, commented: “almost all the people I know have gone on the bridge.” In addition, activists from the Republic group have marked the day demonstrating against the monarchyleading to police arrests and complaints about the right to peaceful protest.
Despite the debates about the cost of the event, which could be between 50 and 100 million pounds, it is expected that the economic gains it generates will far exceed this figure. Hundreds of thousands of tourists They have arrived in London for the weekend and city hotel prices have risen 60% in these dates. According to UK Hospitality, the three days that the celebrations last can generate 350 million pounds for the tourism sector.
In addition to transport and catering expenses, every self-respecting British royal ceremony is a reason for buying monarchical merchandising, a British speciality. T-shirts, tableware, stamps, pyjamas, cakes and even garden gnomes fill the shelves of London stores and supermarkets. Australian Jan Hugo, 64, has traveled from Australia to experience this moment and says that she has more than 10,000 objects with images of the royal family. “I’ve packed a whole suitcase and sent three more boxes,” she says. “I’ll be too old when William becomes king, so he was now or never.”
