Coronation of Charles III: the British divided between enthusiasm and anger

London, capital of the world. On Saturday, Britain prepares for the coronation of Charles III and Camilla at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of 2,300 guests, including Emmanuel Macron. God Save the King is one of the elements of this very codified ceremony: there will be an anointing, historical outfits, a parade with great pomp, a national banquet. The capital has not experienced such an event for 70 years.

On the eve of the ceremony, Europe 1 went to the Mall, this avenue which leads to Buckingham Palace. And the British and the tourists encountered are already very excited. The alignment of these hundreds of camping tents on this two kilometer artery that leads to Buckingham Palace is very impressive. In the middle of the flags, portraits of Charles III, sometimes life-size.

Waiting for the coronation…#coronation#CharlesIII#London
⁦@Europe1⁩ pic.twitter.com/aJAbc2w3xD

—Lionel Gougelot (@Lgougelot) May 4, 2023

“This is the place to be”

There are those worshipers of the monarchy who, for some, have been camping here for five nights, bundled up in their down or in a garment that is all the rage, a sort of poncho with a fleece hood in the colors of the Union Jack.

Among them, Alison, whom Europe 1 met very early this Friday morning. Behind the lack of sleep that could be seen in the small eyes of the young woman, there is enthusiasm at the idea of ​​being in the front row tomorrow for the royal procession. “It’s definitely the place to be. I haven’t slept much because of the noise around me and the little raindrops, but there was a really great atmosphere that night. I think it’s ok to be another fantastic day while waiting for the celebrations of tomorrow”, rejoiced Alison at the microphone of Europe 1.

A few drops of rain, but for now the good news is that it’s not really raining, at least not yet. Because unfortunately Saturday, the weather is not really optimistic.

Brits more worried about inflation or energy crisis

If some Britons and tourists from all over the world are looking forward to Coronation Day, this is not the case for everyone across the Channel. The exact cost of this coronation has not yet been revealed, but it is estimated at 113 million euros, a colossal sum that is causing talk in the United Kingdom as the country is going through a serious economic crisis. Moreover, according to some polls, more than one in two Britons say they are not really interested in these festivities.

Britons more concerned aboutgalloping inflation or even the energy crisis. In working-class neighborhoods, such as Brixton, Europe 1 met Diana, a market trader. “With the cost of living crisis that we’re going through, seeing all that money spent…I know it’s been a lot less than what a coronation might have cost in other times. But when we see so many poor people depending on the food bank, it’s starting to generate anger”, explains the shopkeeper. And many Britons think like her.

These coronation festivities will be perceived as a kind of parenthesis in daily life before a return to reality next Monday.