Harking from Australia, Canada, France and beyond, many international royal fans are celebrating King Charles III’s coronation by heading to London, a city that knows how to capitalize on its most famous residents.
“It’s a dream come true,” 24-year-old Frenchwoman Ludivine Decker said, a few days before leaving for London.
Originally from Metz in northeastern France, the communications worker is to make the trip alone as her friends do not share her passion for the British royal family.
Photo: Reuters
Too young to visit the UK for William and Kate’s 2011 wedding and still a student during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last year, the coronation is “a now or never” moment to attend a royal celebration, she said.
She plans to watch on one of the giant screens installed in the heart of the capital and to be in front of Buckingham Palace to see the king and his close family make their balcony appearance.
Decker is expecting a “festive” and “family” atmosphere, and plans to stock up on souvenirs at the historic event.
London already hosts millions of international tourists each year, and could attract an extra 250,000 for the coronation, the Centre for Retail Research said.
Visitors are expected to spend more than ￡322 million (US$403 million) on accommodation, food, shopping and attractions.
Anna Bloomfield, an Australian in her 40s, has already arrived in London ahead of the ceremony.
She admires King Charles “for everything that he has had to endure just being a part of the royal family.”
Bloomfield has packed a tent for her own endurance test — waiting in all weathers to secure a prime spot to watch the royal couple pass.
Kathryn, a 54-year-old executive assistant from Toronto, said she cannot wait to experience the “pomp and ceremony which the British are famous for.”
The royal fanatic also wants to “show my support” for Charles.
“He has already shown his desire to modernize, streamline, cut excess and make the modern day royal family resemble the cultural and religious makeup of Britain today,” she said.
“He is open-minded, defends the environment, he lives in his time,” added Decker, who praised the “humanity” of Charles’ charity works.
Demonstrating the coronation craze, European travelers’ Internet searches for flights to London over the coronation weekend are 65 percent higher than for the same weekend last year, and 105 percent for hotels, data from US search engine Kayak showed.
“The French seem to be the most interested,” with Americans making up the bulk of visitors from outside of Europe, the company said.
The coronation’s boost to the kingdom’s pulling power is beyond measurement, said Patricia Yates, director general of VisitBritain, which promotes tourism.
“Millions and millions of people will see the coronation on their television set and hopefully will be inspired to come and see London to see the royal residences ... and to see special exhibitions that are being held,” she said.
They include royal dresses at Kensington Palace and special waxwork statues at Madame Tussauds, while hotels and cafes are to serve special coronation “afternoon tea,” and many shops are to sell souvenirs bearing the image of the royal family.
About 600,000 people visited Buckingham Palace after William and Kate’s wedding to see the bridal gown on display, Yates said.
Added to the mix, there is also “a real appetite for international travel, and an appetite for experience” following COVID-19.
“And what better experiences than ... seeing a monarch being crowned,” she added.
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