Canadians were joining the crush of jubilant royal fans who were converging on London on Friday, ahead of the first coronation to take place in the United Kingdom in 70 years.

Flag-draped tents were lined three deep along the road to Buckingham Palace as royal fans from all over the world donned fancy hats and plastic crowns, sipped champagne and took photos with cardboard cutouts of King Charles.

Over a dozen members of the Monarchist League of Canada gathered in front of a statue of King George VI B次元官网网址� the first reigning monarch to visit Canada B次元官网网址� where they unfurled a huge Canadian flag. They then laid bouquets of red and white flowers at the base of the monument and sang B次元官网网址淥 Canada.B次元官网网址�

Sally Harris, from Ottawa, said it was important for her to witness the moment in history. She said the monarchists are hoping to watch the coronation procession under a big Canadian flag and wave at the King and Queen Consort as they go by.

B次元官网网址淜ing Charles is the King of Canada and it was very important for me to be here because I think that in my lifetime this is the only coronation IB次元官网网址檒l ever see, so I wanted to be a part of it,B次元官网网址� she said.

She said the scene outside the palace was B次元官网网址渓ike a party,B次元官网网址� with a safe and celebratory feel.

Security was heavy near the palace, where workers were setting up giant screens to show the coronation, as well as medical tents, bathrooms and designated quiet spaces.

The occasional thundershower didnB次元官网网址檛 dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, although it didnB次元官网网址檛 do much to improve the appearance of the cardboard cutouts of King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort.

A big cheer went up from the crowd when they were rewarded with a glimpse of the real thing, as King Charles and his wife were seen leaving the palace in a motorcade.

Several of the tents lining the Mall B次元官网网址� the route to the palace B次元官网网址� were festooned with maple leaf flags. A mini Canadian camping section was formed by royalists from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, who met at the queenB次元官网网址檚 funeral last year.

Futher down, Lynne Paterson had also draped her small tent with flags. The Toronto resident said sheB次元官网网址檇 gotten her love of the royals from her mother, B次元官网网址渨ho must have owned 60 booksB次元官网网址� about the family.

B次元官网网址淚 think (the royal family) give stability, and I think because I lived in Britain itB次元官网网址檚 different, theyB次元官网网址檙e just such a part of the fabric,B次元官网网址� said Paterson, who spent several years in London. B次元官网网址淎nd obviously the Queen worked so hard and I really admired that.B次元官网网址�

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 official delegation to SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 coronation includes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor General Mary Simon, as well as several Indigenous leaders, two astronauts, and several representatives of youth organizations.

Outside of that delegation, there will also be other attendees from Canada, including musicians from the Regina Symphony, who will play in a coronation orchestra.

There will also be 21-year-old Jay Patel, who was able to get a job as a cook at the CN tower through the Canadian arm of the KingB次元官网网址檚 charity, the PrinceB次元官网网址檚 Trust. Patel said he was stunned at the invite.

B次元官网网址淭here was no chance in the world I (had thought) I would wake up and get a call from the CEO saying, B次元官网网址榓re you interested in going to a coronation,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Patel, who came to Canada in 2021 as an international student from India.

The Indigenous members of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 delegation include the leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the M茅tis National Council, who were granted a rare audience with the King on Thursday.

Chief Perry Bellegarde, the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations and honorary president of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, said itB次元官网网址檚 important for Indigenous people to witness the coronation due to their treaty relationship with the Crown.

More recently, he said King Charles, then Prince of Wales, was given a traditional name in 2001, in Saskatchewan, which translates to B次元官网网址淭he sun watches over him in a good wayB次元官网网址� in Cree.

Bellegarde, who has worked with the monarch, believes that King Charles B次元官网网址渉as showed and demonstrated a willingness to listen, but as well to open doors and convene and bring parties together to have difficult conversations.B次元官网网址�

While reconciliation is a long process that is far from complete, he believes the King has earned his Indigenous name, due in part to his commitment to the environment and willingness to tackle climate change.

B次元官网网址淲hat better person to head up the Commonwealth than somebody whoB次元官网网址檚 already doing that?B次元官网网址� he said in an interview near Buckingham Palace. B次元官网网址淭o me, thatB次元官网网址檚 hope for the future.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擬organ Lowrie, The Canadian Press

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