Exciting preparations for the big day

The anticipation was rising throughout Britain as the country prepared to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, and people and businesses across the nation showed their patriotism in diverse ways, as we report…

It appeared that Buckingham Palace was leaving no stone unturned in its planning of the historic event; the last time Britain hosted a Coronation was 70 years ago, when the late Queen Elizabeth II was crowned before more than 8,000 guests. This time, to mark the occasion, London received a Royal makeover before tourists from around the world flocked to the capital to join in with the festivities.

Seats were set up well in advance on a specially built Grandstand at Horse Guards Parade opposite Buckingham Palace, where the public would observe a 62-round salute and a six-gun salvo as part of wider military displays on the day.

Carnaby Street and Regent Street, popular shopping regions in central London, were decorated with large Union Flags and there were extravagant window displays at the city’s iconic stores. Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade displayed the national flowers of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

A Royal Air Force college undertook its own rehearsal on April 26, as more than 30 aircrafts took to the skies for a practice run. The actual fly-past was meant to see more than double that number flying over Buckingham Palace.

FLYING THE FLAG

Meanwhile, with the big day in sight, Britons everywhere were getting behind the pre-Coronation celebrations, and with so many companies producing celebratory souvenirs, the biggest selling item was undoubtedly the Union Flag, which was being raised all around the UK.

It could be seen at its highest on top of The Shard in London, flying at 929ft on level 87, the highest standing floor of the building. A special Coronation light display also switched on at 8.30pm on May 6, comprising 552 LED lights and fixtures beaming from the top 20 storeys of The Shard.