May 6th, long awaited day for the British.
But also long.
Very long.
At six in the morning the doors were opened for all those who wanted to enter The Mall, the wide avenue where several hundred British (and some clueless tourists) had camped for almost a week before.
At seven it was packed.
At 0930, the accesses from the adjacent streets or from Trafalgar were already closed to stragglers who wanted to see something of the procession that would take Charles III of England and his wife, Camilla, from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
There they would become, eight months minus two days after their proclamation, crowned kings of the United Kingdom.
Just like what happened to his mother, Isabel II, on that June 6, 1953, in which she made the same journey (although on a much longer journey) on her golden carriage, the rain has been Carlos's companion.
Also of the thousands of compatriots who have taken to the streets to see the festivities, especially on the screens placed in various parks in the city, such as Saint James, next to the palace.
There they have taken out their picnic blankets, first, and their raincoats with the colors of the flag later, to survive a day in which there have been intense downpours combined with moments of softer water, but since before the king came out from the palace towards his big day and until he returned he hasn't stopped for practically a moment.
A young couple gave their two children tea from a large black thermos.
"Mommy, it's just that I don't see anything at all," complained the eldest, who barely raised a meter off the ground.
“Don't worry, the important thing is not to see them;
It is the environment, the people, everything, ”his mother answered.
"And that you will remember this day all your life", a third woman replied to the little boy, who looked with wide eyes, not understanding anything while his mother nodded in agreement.
Babies and children were regulars on the lawns of London parks, as were large groups of friends wearing plastic or crocheted crowns, couples sheltering from the rain, families toasting with bottles of champagne in cardboard cups emblazoned with the flag of the Kingdom. United... All combinations were possible, the case was to celebrate.
People walk past a giant screen in central London showing an image of Britain's King Charles III during a coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Saturday, May 6, 2023. Emilio Morenatti (AP)
As the ceremony progressed, the air became more and more humid, and the parks emptied, but those who remained were clear that they wanted to be there.
If the first
God Save the King
(God save the king) were rather shy among those present, when the Archbishop of Canterbury has placed the crown of Saint Edward on the head of King Charles, the meadow of Saint James has broken in cheers for their monarch.
The public has also applauded the moments in which Guillermo, his eldest son, has paid homage to him as a gentleman, kneeling before him, as well as the appearance in the foreground of his heir, Jorge, who has aroused a resounding sigh.
Camila, both at her entrance to the abbey and especially when the crown of Queen Mary of Teck has rested on her, has been the other star of the day.
Those who have not aroused any kind of animosity, neither for better nor for worse, have been Enrique and Andrés, Carlos's son and brother, absolutely discreet at the ceremony and among the public.
The coronation is not a normal party.
To begin with, because the last one took place exactly seventy years minus one month ago, and few lived through it.
To continue, because it has a festive component, yes, but above all state, political and religious that goes beyond a Jubilee, which are the last celebrations that the British are used to.
Hence, the two hours of the liturgy have also been serene for those gathered who, in general, have stood up for the most solemn moments, and who crossed themselves or released an "amen" for the shirt collar.
But when the crown arrived, the departure from Westminster and the procession back, it was all joy.
The rain, which had already drenched everyone, from security employees to journalists, was just one more.
It was May and it was becoming August.
The Union Jack is present everywhere, in hundreds of unofficial
souvenir
shops with their banners and mugs of Carlos and the rest of the Windsors (even Diana).
In the official store, located on the side of Buckingham Palace, key rings are sold for seven euros, cups for 34 and even a bottle of sparkling white wine for 51 (whoever wants to accompany it with two glasses of fine crystal will have to add other 170 euros).
One of the managers of the Buckingham store confirms it: everything destroys.
Also the four young Spanish women who sell the hand program around The Mall for 10 pounds (11.3 euros): "It's incredible how it sells."
Nothing is cheap, but no one goes home empty-handed.
A sea of umbrellas streams down London's The Mall, following the coronation of Charles III, as citizens await greetings from the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on May 6, 2023.Dan Mullan (Getty Images)
Since three in the morning, Helios Gala, his wife and two other colleagues have been selling breakfasts in the Saint James park with their
food truck
Pabellón, of Venezuelan food.
It wasn't even 8.20 when they had to close.
Gala affirms that she has felt overwhelmed: "They wanted to lynch me."
They have had 200 clients, with about two or three meals per client;
so many that have died of success.
“We expected it, but we lacked a bit of practice because we don't do breakfast.
We were going to start giving meals at eleven in the morning, but we started at nine”.
They've been in business for seven years, have a market stall on the Southbank every weekend “and this little toy going around London,” he proudly says about the caravan.
They expected to give almost a thousand meals, but the rain has tarnished a business that was going to help them, and a lot, to round off the box for the month.
The day has been long.
And, of course, it has ended up in the around 3,500 pubs that are spread throughout the city and that this long weekend (with Monday also a holiday), which expect to serve the not inconsiderable amount of 62 million pints of beer and that They have permission to open until eleven at night.
Mary Hersey and Tracey Ball, from South West London, watched the coronation from The Old Star, just 500 meters from London.
They chat with Bea, a Brazilian tourist, about whether it's a good idea for Meghan Markle to stay in California.
They have already lost count of how many pints they have while chatting with the patrons and buying chips.
They pretend to be one of those who lower the blind at eleven.
They are in no hurry.
The day has definitely been long.
Very long.
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