Few will disagree that the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla last Saturday was a truly spectacular occasion which showed off the very best of Britain and the Commonwealth. I was stuck by the number of houses in Warrington who had bunting in their garden and the support for Coronation events across the town. Of course, it was also brilliant to see the streets of London packed with spectators from all over the country who had defied the typical British weather to see the first event of its kind in seven decades.
For 1,000 years Kings and Queens have been crowned in Westminster Abbey in a ceremony honouring the monarch’s ancient role as defender of the faith and servant of the peoples he or she governs. King Charles’ crowning reflected also how the monarchy has changed with the times: it celebrated the diversity of modern Britain and the Commonwealth, with participants from all faiths and backgrounds having key roles in the ceremony.
The procession from Westminster Abbey brought together the largest gathering of our armed forces on parade since Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation back in 1953. Over 7,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers from all branches of the armed forces accompanied the Gold State Coach which transported the King and Queen. I know how lucky I was to have the opportunity to be one of the 2,000 attending the Coronation in person at the Abbey, to witness the ancient rituals on behalf of my constituents, a truly momentous event.
After the pomp and pageantry of the Coronation itself, it was a pleasure to join with the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, the Bishop of Chester and representatives from across our county at a special service of celebration in Chester Cathedral. Many volunteers were in attendance including those involved with the Scouts, Guides and Cadet organisations as well as those involved in the numerous charities of which the King and Queen are patron. Along with street parties during the day and The Big Lunch, I really enjoyed meeting families who were sharing stories about the last Coronation, a few years after the end of World War Two, when the country was finding itself again.
Topping off the bank holiday was the Big Help Out on Monday, in which I joined with hundreds of volunteers in Warrington taking part in the Royal Crown litter pick, the biggest in the town’s history. It was a chance for everyone to give back a bit through volunteering, something which is so important in all of our communities, as well as a chance to make a noticeable difference to the streets where we all live.
Of course, there are those who question whether it is still right and proper to have a monarchy in this day and age, so it’s important to remind ourselves what the monarchy means to Britain and why the overwhelming majority of us cherish it so much.
It is, first and foremost, an institution which offers stability in times of good and bad, a source of comfort and continuity. It is a system of government which provides us with a head of state who is above domestic partisan politics, yet wields incredible soft power in our country’s diplomatic interests because it is respected the world over. And it brings enormous economic benefit to our country in terms of tourism and ceremonial occasions.
The public enthusiasm for the Coronation and subsequent events of the bank holiday weekend have shown just how much the monarchy continues to be valued in this country. We can look back at this period with pride and say that Britain and the Commonwealth came together to unite in celebration and, as we always do best, put on a truly great show.
My thanks to all those who made the Coronation weekend a brilliant success, in particular our armed forces, police, and the thousands of volunteers up and down the country who gave up their time to organise a street party or an event in the park. Their contribution has allowed so many to take part in such an important part of our everchanging history.
God Save The King.
