ASHLEY GREEN: Residents of the central English village of Ashley Green gathered on Sunday to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III with a festive street party filled with traditional food, patriotic songs, and a strong sense of camaraderie.
Following a rainy day that soaked the crowds lining the coronation procession route, organizers left nothing to chance.
Inside the village hall in Buckinghamshire, located northwest of London, the atmosphere was adorned with red, white, and blue bunting and balloons, while long tables were set up to accommodate around 100 attendees.
Partygoers brought their own savory dishes and shared sweet treats, leading to a dessert table overflowing with homemade delicacies. The selection included generous sherry trifles, plates of scones topped with jam and clotted cream, “summer puddings” crafted from bread and red berries, and an abundance of meringues.
Young girls dressed in festive colors, their hair adorned with Union Jack ribbons, couldn’t help but cast longing glances at the enticing dessert table. “I think it’s lovely,” said Annette Cathcart, 67. “I think you need these events to bring the community together. It’s the perfect way to celebrate.”
King Charles III’s coronation celebration across UK
Across the UK, approximately 67,000 similar parties were taking place on Sunday as part of the nationwide coronation festivities. Rob Barnes, 42, a retail tech boss and member of the community association that organized the Ashley Green event, highlighted the inclusive nature of the street parties.
“I didn’t actually watch the coronation myself. My daughters and wife did, but I have certainly mixed feelings about the royal family. It is about coming together as a community,” he said, emphasizing the diverse group of participants that included people of all ages, from infants to nonagenarians.
Retired scientist and royalist Katherine Hyde expressed her admiration for the community spirit reflected in the party. She believed that the country needed more of such gatherings and praised King Charles for his charitable work.
Hyde observed that younger generations often focused too much on the online world and risked missing out on the support that comes from personal interactions and sharing a meal.
Graeme Nation, a 50-year-old IT manager from nearby Chesham and a New Zealand native, described himself as “ambivalent” about the monarchy and a “live and let live sort of person.” He joined the celebration to support the community and spend time with friends, adding that the challenging economic times the country was going through served as all the more reason to celebrate.
When it came to the unpredictable British weather, Nation remarked, “I’ve come to learn that with the great British weather, you just get on with it like they did yesterday.”
As the meal concluded, another volunteer set up a sound system for a lively singalong. The community joined in enthusiastically as familiar tunes like “Rule Britannia,” “Jerusalem,” and “Land of Hope and Glory” filled the air. The crowd swayed and waved their arms to the beats of “Sweet Caroline” before concluding with “Auld Lang Syne” and the national anthem.
Outside on the village green, the dark rain clouds that had threatened throughout the day finally gave way to intermittent sunshine, providing a fitting end to a joyful celebration of King Charles III’s coronation.
