King Charles Coronation: Screams, selfies on King’s surprise walkabout as Princess Mary steals show

The Australian ex-pat brought glitz and glamour the reception as she was welcomed by the Monarch and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

She was joined at the Buckingham Palace reception for foreign royals and world leaders, including Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Letizia of Spain, Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia, and Ukraine First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

Princess Catherine changed into a royal blue outfit for the evening reception and was seen smiling and chatting to Mary and Crown Prince Frederik.

Jill Biden was among the global leaders representing the US delegation on behalf of her husband, President Joe Biden, who had sent a message weeks back to say he could not attend.

SCREAMS AND SELFIES ON KING’S SURPRISE WALKABOUT

The royal A-Team delighted fans camped out on the Mall in London at lunchtime (local time) Friday with an impromptu walkabout.

King Charles, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, came out into the weak sunshine to shake hands, chat and exchange jokes with thousands of well-wishers.

Screams of the sort reserved for pop stars rang out as people – many of whom have been camped out for days – realised what was happening.

The King went to one side of The Mall while William and Kate went to another to greet well-wishers.

One woman told Charles “Love you Charlie” while others passed on their congratulations to him.

Kate and William posed for selfies with fans, while Kate even appeared to join a fan in a video call before also speaking on another fan’s phone before handing it back.

At one point, Kate appeared to join a fan in a video call before also speaking on another fan’s phone then handing it back.

Alison Cowburn was among those to shake the King’s hand.

The 62-year-old, who had travelled to London from Derby, said: “I said it was very nice to meet him and he said ‘have you been camping?’

“I said no we are just down for the day and he said ‘nothing so rash as that then’.”

On how she felt after the encounter, she said: “Brilliant, so delighted. Absolutely ecstatic.”

The King laughed when asked by a man if he was “nervous for tomorrow” and was heard joking to some children, “No school? You’ve done very well!”

William told one woman “I love your hair bow”, while Kate told another person that the occasion “is a great moment for celebration”.

Just as they did on a similar walkabout during the late Queen’s lying-in-state period, the trio – subtly shadowed by close protection officers – took time to listen, pose for photos and generally delight their thrilled subjects.

Unlike last year’s period of mourning, however, half of those present were in “royal” and Union Jack paraphernalia – hats, outfits, T-shirts and more- which added to the carnival air.

After about 15 minutes, the King headed back to the Palace on foot, while William and Kate were driven away a few minutes later, doubtless all to prepare for the next events: a meeting of Commonwealth leaders in the afternoon then a glittering Coronation-eve reception.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who attended a luncheon held for ‘Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers’ at Buckingham Palace, said it was a networking opportunity to informally meet with other leaders, former leaders and royalty including Princess of Wales Catherine.

“Australia of course we don’t share land borders with anyone else, so you have to take every opportunity at events such as this to develop relationships,” he said.

AUSTRALIA HONOURS PRINCE PHILIP IN KING’S OFFICIAL CORONATION GIFT

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially presented King Charles III with a Coronation gift on behalf of the Australian people – a $10,000 donation to protect the Western Ground Parrot saved from the brink of extinction by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edingburgh.

A noisy scrub bird from Western Australia, there are only an estimated 150 remaining of the endangered species.

Buckingham Palace is said to have approved the donation, which was officially handed to the nature-loving King at a luncheon on Friday.

“[King Charles] was delighted with the gift,” a palace source said.

King Charles’s late father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, heralded the noisy scrub-bird when it was rediscovered at Two Peoples Bay, near Albany, shortly before the duke attended the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth.

The area was earmarked for a township, but the Duke’s personal petition to the premier of the day, David Bland, helped see it declared a nature reserve in 1967.

The charity group, the Friends of Western Ground Parrot, were said to be “chuffed” at receiving the contribution towards the conservation of the critically endangered birds found in the remote Cape Arid National Park and Nuytsland Nature Reserve.

The shy, green bird spends most of its time on the ground in low dense heathland.

It is estimated less than 200 Western Ground Parrots remain after bushfires destroyed their habitat threatening the last wild population.

Past contributions to mark significant Royal occasions have supported the conservation of the Bilby, Mountain Pygmy Possum, Numbat and Koala.

KING’S FINAL CHECKS BEFORE ‘JAW DROPPING’ CORONATION

The King and Queen Consort arrived at Westminster Abbey on Friday morning local time for a final rehearsal ahead of the coronation.

King Charles waved from the car window as he arrived.

Police outriders on motorcycles arrived ahead of the royal motorcade.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered at a metal barrier outside the Abbey in drizzling rain to catch a glimpse of Charles and Camilla.

King Charles has waited more than 70 years for this moment, but today he will be officially crowned monarch in what is promising to be a “jaw dropping” show.

Following several dress rehearsals, which have been declared a success, the stage is set for one of the most significant historical events of the century.

The King’s Coronation is a scaled-back version of the one the late Queen Elizabeth had in 1953, but will still include plenty of pomp and ceremony, as well as some new elements to reflect a modern and diverse Britain.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, who did a full dress rehearsal with the royals at Westminster Abbey, will handle the Coronation crown on the day and has been practising the manoeuvre to ensure when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby puts it on the King’s head, its facing the right way.

The dean described the ceremonial dress and Crown Jewels being used as “extraordinary” and the music, which includes a new “hummable” piece composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, as “spine-tingling”.

“I’m used to ceremony on a national level,” the dean told Sky News. “Even I think this is pretty jaw-dropping.”

Australian violin virtuoso Madeleine Easton, who will be performing, said the King confessed to her several years ago he listens to her music “to stay sane” when the pressures of his life become too much.

She will play to 2300 guests at Westminster Abbey — including royals, world leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and ordinary people, who have done extraordinary things — as well as the 300-million fans watching on TVs around the world.

Mr Albanese earlier met many of the 14 “outstanding” Australians who will accompany him at the Coronation.

Future king George, nine, has the duty of being one of his grandfather’s pages of honour.

The Prince of Wales will kneel before his father and vow to be his “liege man of life and limb” in the only homage of royal blood of the ceremony.

Those watching and listening at home or elsewhere will be invited to also pledge their allegiance from their sofas or in the pub, with publicans expecting a bonanza weekend.

The King and his wife Queen Camilla, who will also be crowned today, will travel to and from the abbey in carriages and will be cheered by crowds along the route.

To the nearly 1.2-million people taking public transport to line the procession route, Charles and the Queen recorded an announcement to be played at every railway station across the UK and all Tube stations.

In the message, the King tells passengers: “My wife and I wish you and your families a wonderful coronation weekend … and remember, please mind the gap.”

Ahead of the big day, the monarch held a luncheon for ‘Realm Governors General and Prime Ministers’ at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Albanese, who attended, earlier met many of the 14 “outstanding” Australians who will accompany him at the Coronation.

Professor Merryn Voysey, who helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, said she couldn’t believe “little old me” had been invited and would Facetime her proud mother-in-law Vivienne in Brisbane before the ceremony.

“Vivienne was a little girl at the time in the streets watching the Queen’s coronation and she cannot believe I’ve actually got a golden ticket to Westminster Abbey to see the King get crowned close up on the day,” said Ms Voysey.

“I’m humbled and very grateful to be going. Yes, I helped develop the vaccine, but it’s just little old me from Sydney. I never dreamed I’d ever get the call to go to something this big.”

Comedian, presenter, writer and disability rights advocate Adam Hills MBE said he “won’t be star struck”.

“I’ll be fangirling everyone, I’ve met these guys before, I’ve met Prince Harry twice before, when I see him, I’ll give him a wink, and Charles knows me, he’s a very funny man himself,” said the host of British comedy show The Last Leg.

“I’ll be the one whispering in the Abbey, ‘look there’s Macron, oh look, there’s Lionel Richie’.”

Mr Albanese, who has twice this week committed to getting rid of the monarchy, also met Prince William at Kensington Palace, regifting him a box of lamingtons he had been given at a London restaurant an hour earlier.

He extended an open invitation to the Prince and members of the royal family to visit Australia.

Earlier, the Wales’ took the tube to visit the Dog and Duck in Soho, where William poured a “perfect pint’.

Princess Catherine, who was wearing patriotic colours of red, white and blue, chatted happily to people in the crowd, saying Prince George was “excited”.

Thousands of members of our armed forces, taking part in the largest military ceremonial operation for 70 years, are also excited.

“I’m looking forward to marching down the Mall, in particular,” 33-year RAAF veteran Warrant Officer Ivan Petrovic, of Bathurst, NSW, said, after a final rehearsal.

“Then at the end there when we’re in Buckingham Palace, in the grounds and behind the palace, we will give three cheers to the King and Queen. And that will be nice and loud.”

One aspect of the day that is in jeopardy because of the expected cloudy and wet weather, is the fly-past.

More than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – including the Red Arrows – are scheduled to fly over The Mall and Buckingham Palace after the service.

Across the city, pictures of the King and crowns have appeared on buildings, shop windows have been decorated to mark the occasion and even post boxes have been covered in royal-themed decorations thanks to busy crocheters.