The Coronation of King Charles III was a historic moment for our country and a real opportunity for people across the UK to come together and mark the occasion. I really enjoyed being back home and watching the celebrations on TV with my family and would like to thank everyone in the Moorlands who organised and took part in the many events that took place locally as well as our emergency services and all those working over the weekend, keeping things going whilst the country celebrated.
As your MP, I was honoured to join members of both Houses of Parliament last week at a reception in Parliament with their Majesties The King and Queen Camilla. I sampled some Coronation quiche and was honoured to be able to shake the King’s hand as he stopped to speak to MPs.
The King has a profound love of nature and there have been a series of commemorations of the Coronation to mark this.
These include the creation of a new ‘King’s Series of National Nature Reserves’, with five major National Nature Reserves named every year for the next five years - 25 in total as well as renaming of the England Coast to the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’. This will be a 2,700-mile long National Trail around the whole of the English coast, passing through some of our finest countryside and some of England’s most stunning, dynamic and internationally famous coastal scenery.
Finally, to mark the Coronation, to celebrate the King’s love of nature, all state funded primary schools have been sent wildflower seeds that will empower children across the country to discover the joys of nature.
The Coronation marks the beginning of a new chapter in our national story and is something that we will all remember for years to come.
It was great to see the 17th century State Coach used by Speakers for ceremonial occasions on display in Westminster Hall to commemorate the crowning of King Charles III.
The Speaker’s State Coach is thought to have been made for King William III and Queen Mary II in the 1690s. William’s successor, Queen Anne, is thought to have presented it to the Speaker of the House of Commons – who used it for royal events, including Coronation and Jubilee processions, and the short journey from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey.
It is the oldest of three great ceremonial coaches in Britain – the others being the Gold State Coach and the Lord Mayor’s Coach.
Photo of King visiting Parliament: ©UK Parliament/Roger Harris.
