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North Shore monarchists are celebrating the coronation of King Charles III by tuning in to the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony, which takes place on Saturday morning.
West Vancouver’s Roddy Mackenzie, a life member of the Monarchist League of Canada, said he’ll be getting up in the wee hours of the morning – between 2 and 3 a.m. Vancouver time - to watch the coronation live.
“There’s something really powerful about watching it live as it’s happening,” he said.
MacKenzie said he appreciates the tradition involved in the over 1,000-year-old coronation ritual, dating back to William the Conqueror in 1066.
Deep tradition
Charles will be “the 40th (king of England) to have a coronation,” said MacKenzie. “The tradition is so deeply entrenched in our constitutional monarchy.”
MacKenzie first became fascinated with the monarchy in 1959 when as a child he watched the young Queen Elizabeth make a stop in Moosomin, Saskatchewan during a Canadian tour across the country.
MacKenzie said he’d hoped to be in London for the coronation - as he was to pay his final respects to the Queen in the days before her funeral - but health issues forced the cancellation of his trip.
Instead, he’ll be taking in events from the procession to the anointing of the new king on TV at home.
Although the late Queen is still synonymous with the British monarchy for most Canadians, King Charles isn’t exactly an unknown quantity, said MacKenzie.
“We’ve already had 70 years of getting to know Charles,” he said.
King's focus on environment, Indigenous rights
MacKenzie said King Charles has been voicing concern about the environment and expressing support for Indigenous rights for many decades – long before most people were interested.
“He’s very interested and committed to things that have become quite fashionable,” he said.
Canadian Indigenous leaders, including First Nations, Innuit and Metis leaders, had a historic meeting with King Charles on Thursday, two days before his coronation.
MacKenzie added he appreciates the separation of the government and the state that a constitutional monarchy represents.
“You can be furious at the government but still respectful of the state,” he said.
MacKenzie added in a recent survey of the “10 happiest countries” in the world, eight were constitutional monarchies.
Marny Peirson of West Vancouver will also be tuning in to the coronation on Saturday – although she plans to record the event and watch it at a more sensible hour of the day.
Peirson, who helped the late Carolanne Reynolds put on the annual summer Royal Tea-by-the-Sea celebration in West Vancouver for many years, said she’d also hoped to be in London this weekend, but family health issues intervened.
Instead, Peirson said she plans to get together with some fellow royal-watchers and celebrate on Saturday.
Historic occasion
“It’s a historic occasion,” she said.
Peirson said she’s looking forward to the music of the ceremony – including both traditional and new pieces.
(As a singer, Peirson was once chosen during one the Queen’s official visits to sing “God Save the Queen” on TV and covered herself in Union Jacks for a royal walkabout at UBC.)
Peirson said she thinks King Charles is doing a good job so far.
Charles’ decision to cut back on some of the coronation excess given the tough economic times is the right one, she added.
Jessie Scales, one of the managers of the Oasis car wash in North Vancouver will be taking the day off on Saturday, in order to get up and watch the coronation live.
Scales – who has been watching royal weddings, jubilees, funerals and Christmas messages for many years and has also joined the Monarchist League - said he’ll be getting out his collection of royal teacups to get in the mood.
“It’s part of history,” he said.
Scales said while people were initially lukewarm to King Charles, “I think he’s really grown on people.”
