Coronation: Families enjoy the coronation of King Charles III at screening in Portsmouth Cathedral
Portsmouth celebrated the coronation in style yesterday, from holding street parties to watching the broadcast on large screens in pubs and churches.
Families gathered in Portsmouth Cathedral in High Street, Old Portsmouth, to witness the historic ceremony, with some spectators dressed in red, white and blue garb to mark the occasion. The special screening came as one of several coronation events at the cathedral, with a ‘music and reflections’ service held the evening before to kick off the three-day celebration.
Simon Martin travelled down from Nottingham to spend the weekend in Portsmouth with members of his social club.
Clad in a plastic union flag bowler hat, Simon said: ‘It’s quite surprising. I thought I wouldn’t be too interested or excited by it but now it’s on the big screen, I’m getting quite involved. It’s fabulous and it’s everything you’d want it to be really. We’ll probably have a few drinks afterwards.’
Will Cripps, co-owner of Frying High Fish and Chips, was running a concession wagon outside the cathedral with his brother Craig to feed those enjoying the ceremony.
Will, who lives in Waterlooville, said: ‘With the weather, I feel quite sorry for him. For Old Portsmouth I think it will be quite a nice day. Hopefully people will come out and it’s a nice opportunity for people to get together and enjoy the weekend.
Obviously, being out here, we’re not going to have the privilege of watching it but I shall watch it tomorrow with my wife and kids.
We were hoping to have a barbecue with a few neighbours, but obviously that’s weather dependent.
Also enjoying the ceremony was Lucy, a bell ringer who participated in the day’s pageantry by ringing one of the bells in the cathedral.
Lucy said: ‘I’ve come to see King Charles be crowned. The service is going well.’
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Lucy’s support worker Sheila added: ‘I really enjoyed everything. I was very happy with the bells – I especially enjoyed that.’
The cathedral will also hold a ‘Big Coronation Lunch’ today – one of many such events across the country – at 12.30pm with local people invited to enjoy a picnic with ‘a joyful atmosphere’.