Coronation crowds aren’t letting the weather rain on their parade

Like all great theatres, the day unfolded in three stunning acts, deftly leading the nation to the coronation. inside Westminster Abbeythis sacred place of crimson robes and ancient ritual, the king and The queen were ceremoniously crowned for posterity while the public watched them outside on big screens.

Then, staggering past in Gold State coach with fanfare, feathered magnificence, glittering breastplates, bearskins, and about 4,000 members of the armed forces, they gave us much splendor in a popular procession that drew gasps of admiration.

But perhaps King Charles and Queen Camilla really connected with the crowd when they stepped onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

They waved with smiles in thanks to the crowds at The Mall who had waited all day or camped out for nights braving the weather.

‘We are used to rain’

“Today is my birthday but I keep forgetting,” beamed Helen O’Toole, 52, from Wirral. Dressed in a Union Flag T-shirt, matching ra-ra skirt, patriotic drums and red, white and blue face paint previously applied by her teenage daughter.

“I came to get late queen’s funeral and so it felt right to be here again. I brought my camp stove to make hot chocolate for all the new friends we made. We’re used to rain in this country and we’re not going to let it stop us from having a good time.”

The camaraderie of trench foot, so to speak. But then again, expressing perverse pride rather than anger at physical discomfort is another old British tradition.

Meanwhile in Edinburgh‘s Princes Street Gardens, where the screen was set up, around a thousand well-wishers watched the ceremony, who cheered and clapped as a 21-gun salute was fired from the castle at the king’s coronation.

‌Among those who decided to join Archbishop of Canterbury taking the oath of allegiance were Billy Raeside, 63, a maintenance man, and wife Norma, 55, a civil servant.

“It was fantastic, I just put all my flags in,” Mr Raeside said. “It’s amazing how the ceremony hasn’t changed or changed very little over the years. First we were ready for the national anthem. We didn’t know the words for the oath, we just copied them when they were read out loud.

“Britain is a monarchy and the monarchy is Britain. Scotland doesn’t care. That’s why we’re here.”