The King and Queen have thanked hundreds of people involved in their historic coronation – with one guest revealing Charles wanted to be closer to the celebratory concert.
Charles and Camilla invited representatives from across government, the Church of England, creative arts, volunteers and policing involved in the historic day to Buckingham Palace.
Others who helped plan and run Queen Elizabeth’s funeral were also invited and personally thanked by Charles and Camilla at the event attended by the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The King and Queen were crowned during a glittering ceremony staged at Westminster Abbey on May 6, and the following day a concert was staged in the grounds of Windsor Castle with performances from an array of stars from Olly Murs and Lionel Richie to Paloma Faith and Take That.
Neil Walter, who was in charge of parking for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, said the King told him how he was seated so far from the concert stage he could not see what was happening on the stage
The official added: “He said next time he would like to be closer – or bring his binoculars.”
Another guest, Claire Popplewell creative director, BBC Studios – who helped oversee the broadcast of the coronation and concert, said: “The whole team rose to the occasion on the day, they are moments in history, amazing history.
“We were there to do the ceremonial, which is what it’s all about, but then to have the party and the concert afterwards and to be such a success was very special.”
Among the guests at the event were royal florist Shane Connolly, who provided the blooms for the Westminster Abbey Coronation and Bruce Oldfield, the designer behind Queen Camilla’s coronation gown.
Broadcaster Clare Balding, who provided the BBC commentary for the coronation processions to and from Westminster, recalled a slight faux pas during her presentation.
She said: “I managed to say – which is a perfectly acceptable horsey phrase – that the Princess Royal had been very quickly mounted, and joined the procession. I didn’t bat an eyelid at that.
“I didn’t even realise. When I got home, my partner Alice said, ‘You seem to have caused a bit of a stir.’ But that’s just the sort of thing that would make them all laugh.”
