The final day of coronation celebrations saw Prince Louis and Prince George, along with Princess Charlotte, join volunteers around the country for the Big Help Out, a volunteering event to mark the crowning of the King. The Prince and Princess of Wales helped with renovations at a scout hut in Slough, with Princes Louis and George using wheelbarrows and drilling walls. This was thought to be Prince Louis’ first official royal engagement. Prince William operated a digger, while Princess Charlotte supervised the efforts. The children played archery and later made s’mores around the fire pit with the scouts.
Many members of the Royal Family attended various events, but the King and Queen stayed out of the public eye, opting for other members of the royal family to attend instead. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester hosted a coronation street party at the Coptic Orthodox Church in London, while the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a puppy class at a guide dog centre in Reading. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak helped prepare food for elderly people in Rickmansworth, and defended arrests made by police on the day of the coronation.
Queen Camilla is patron of the Royal Voluntary Service and the Big Lunch Initiative, with the royals hoping the extra bank holiday today will encourage the public to volunteer. Hundreds of thousands of volunteering roles were available, spanning 1,500 charities across the UK. Those wanting to get involved could use an app to find opportunities nearby.
Volunteers planted flowers and plants at Green Park, one of the Royal Parks in London, with more than 180 volunteers signing up for the event. Bryony Cross, Royal Parks volunteers and programmes manager, said that improving biodiversity in the parks is important and “doing our part to get people to give to the environment” is something that is “close to the King’s heart”.
Residents of Albert Square joined in the final day of festivities, with BBC soap EastEnders hosting a street party in the evening. The coronation celebrations in the UK concluded after Saturday’s main event at Westminster Abbey, as well as Sunday’s street parties and star-studded concert.
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