With the King's Coronation quickly approaching, it's time to plan some Royal celebrations and we have some great ideas to share.
King Charles III Coronation: Royal Ideas for Celebrations and Parties
The Coronation of King Charles III takes place on Saturday 6 th May 2023 and the celebrations are spread over the weekend, with all sorts of parties, concerts, lunches and special events arranged up to and including Bank Holiday Monday, 8 th May. It all promises to be a very uplifting and exciting time, with plenty of opportunity for friends, families and neighbours to gather together in celebration.
Emma Bridgewater mugs and teapot, Daisy Park
Get Your House & Garden Celebration-Ready!
Whether you’re hosting or not, surely the Coronation is a very good excuse to get your new home and garden ready for celebrations! After the mixed weather of the last few weeks it’s definitely time for a general spruce-up in the garden, and an extra summer time tidy-up in the house. If you’d like to add some Coronation style to your living room, there’s a fantastic selection of hand-embroidered cushions by Jan Constantine which will add a very Royal style to your home – and they’re set to become collector’s items, too. All the big stores and supermarkets will be awash with Coronation goodies, so keep your eyes open when doing the weekly shop, you’ll be able to pick up decorations, bunting, flags, balloons and cakes whilst stocking up on fizz and nibbles! As far as the garden is concerned, give the patio or terrace a good sweep and tidy-up, mow the lawn and maybe do a bit of strimming and pruning to neaten things up. Get the garden furniture out, check the parasol is in good working order, and make sure your outdoor cushions are aired, clean and fresh. If you’re having guests over, check how many chairs you have and maybe be prepared for a quick dash out to stock up.
Coronation Dinner Candles, Truffle Tablescapes
DIY & Decorations
It’s definitely bunting time, and at the moment, it’s available absolutely everywhere! Don’t get caught out though, make sure you buy in time for the big day. We particularly like the Union Jack cotton bunting available from Marks & Spencer, and there’s also a fabulous collection of Union Jack designs available from The Cotton Bunting Company. Well worth the investment and naturally, it can be brought out for lots of other occasions as well (we’re thinking Wimbledon and various other sporting occasions!). If you’re hosting a party with children, what about holding a crown-making competition – rather like an Easter bonnet parade, but with crowns instead. Stock up on craft materials such as coloured cartridge paper, cotton wool (for the ermine!), glue sticks and so on, and see what they get up to. Or make your own DIY Coronation decorations with cut-out shapes, glitter and glue. Paper chains are also very simple to make and can be strung all over the garden. If you need inspiration, there’s some great ideas at Hobbycraft, including a ready-to-decorate gold foam tiara and a paint-your-own-crown moneybox.
Coronation Tea towel and linens, Sophie Allpor
Holding a Street Party?
A Coronation street party is a great way of getting to know your new neighbours – it could be the perfect ice-breaker, especially for families that have only just moved into the area. Of course, it needs to be given a little bit of publicity ahead of the day itself, so someone will need to get the ball rolling. We suggest starting off by dropping a note through letterboxes and perhaps asking neighbours to form a WhatsApp or Facebook group. The main thing is to make it easy and flexible – not everyone may want to join in, but everyone should be invited! It can be an informal picnic on your nearest green space, or communal tables along the footpaths.
Remember not to disrupt neighbours, or to block roads or drives – ask everyone to park their cars considerately. There are some official guidelines here, but if the street party is only for local residents it’s straightforward and won’t need a licence. Bigger events that are open to members of the public or non-residents may get slightly more complicated, so it may be worth checking in with the local authority.
Malmo Stoneware Cake stand from a selection at ProCook
The Coronation Big Lunch
The Coronation Big Lunch concept on Sunday 7 th May has been put together with the support of the Eden Project Communities, which you can find out more here. The idea is to bring communities together with a spirit of celebration, friendship, food and fun. We’re all going to have our own ways of celebrating the Coronation – which may include watching the processions and ceremony on TV with friends and family, possibly with a glass of fizz in hand to toast the King and Queen. The Big Lunch actually started in 2009, and has held over a million events, so the 2023 event will be extra-special.
The Coronation Big Lunch needs to be a step ahead of sandwiches and crisps, so we’ve found some easy and delicious recipes to share with friends and neighbours. First of all, of course we have to mention the Coronation Quiche recipe, which includes broad beans, spinach and tarragon – a great sharing dish. Find the official recipe here. If you’d rather bring cakes and deserts to share, we’ve got some mouth-watering suggestions from Dualit. The Summer Berry Eton Mess, Strawberry Flan and Lemon Drizzle Traybake will all go down very well at your Coronation Big Lunch celebration, we are sure!
Coronation food flags and bunting, Talking Tables
The Big Help Out
The Big Help Out on Monday 8 th May, which is a Bank Holiday, is happening to mark the Coronation of King Charles III, and involves organisations all over the country getting together to mark the occasion and to help out local communities. Anyone can join in, whether it’s just for an hour or two or for the whole day, and of course organisers are hoping that helpers and volunteers will not just have an amazing day, with the satisfaction of doing something useful and productive, but may even go on to help out more in the future. Join in and register here.
