Coronation street parties bring communities together

Nick Cave, bouncy castles and Victoria sponges form part of London’s celebrations

Residents of the Kirby estate in Bermondsey enjoy a party with a BBQ, drinks and a bouncy castle to celebrate the coronation. Getty Images

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Kensington resident Sarah Jane Pearce was tired but pleased as she walked along the long banqueting table that lined Holland Street.

Sitting at the table were neighbours of all ages — from babies a few weeks old to some of the area’s oldest residents.

“It’s been amazing. People came out this morning to volunteer. It’s been so nice to have the community together,” said Ms Pearce, who organised the street party. “People are talking, and meeting their neighbours.”

This is one of thousands of street parties happening across London to mark the coronation. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosted the US President's wife Jill Biden for a lunch along with Ukrainian refugees, volunteers and youth groups.

The lunch is a communal effort, with residents bringing home-made dishes and cakes, or chipping in to the barbecue that served hundreds of people. A jazz and rock band, paid for by one of the residents, played live music. At the end of the street was a bouncy castle.

Preparations for the street party began in January, said Ms Pearce, who fundraised with other volunteers and helped secure permission from the local council. In the past few days she has baked more than 100 cakes — including Victoria sponges — to be served on the day.

But she took a break from baking to watch the coronation procession and service. “I feel so lucky to have witnessed this coronation,” she said, “Not everyone agrees with the royals, but it’s a chance to celebrate our history.”

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea may be known for its oligarchs and town houses with private spas, but it is also home to an artistic and literary community.

Musician Nick Cave — another local resident — was spotted walking past the home of 19th century artist Walter Crane, a leader of the British Arts and Crafts movement.

One former resident recalled the orange juice stand set up by the National Health Service in the 1960s, outside one of Holland Street’s heritage Victorian-era homes.

In polyglot Kensington, smatterings of French, German, Russian and other languages could be heard — and one family at the party divides its time between Lagos and London.

But Brenda Newman is one of the few residents whose family has lived in West London for generations. She moved to Holland Street 36 years ago, having raised her children in the suburbs of London.

“Once they fled the nest we exchanged a house in the suburbs for a flat in the city,” she said, “Its great to be close to everything. We thought it would be too noisy but this street is actually really quiet.” She wore a large British flag as a cape around her neck. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet the people who live around here, who I wouldn’t otherwise meet”, she said.

The festive weekend also attracted tourists. Max Buergdoerfer, a musician living in Berlin, has come to London especially for the coronation weekend. He was tired after standing for eight hours in the rain close to Buckingham Palace the day before, to watch the coronation procession and service.

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Street parties like this, he said, are unusual in Germany due to the country’s fraught history. “We have neighbourhood parties, but not quite like this. We wouldn’t celebrate national events, and you wouldn’t see German flags on the street — unless we’ve won the World Cup,” he said.

Mr Buergdoerfer hopes that the new king will help maintain the connections to Europe that were hit by Brexit. “[King] Charles has kept his family and the nation’s connection to Europe. He is really aware of the history, and is very much a European in the traditional sense,” he said.

It is also a day for community awareness. The local fire brigade arrived with the area’s only fire engine, to give demonstrations to children and hand out leaflets to parents about fire safety at home.

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But across London, there are reminders of those who will celebrate with a sense of loss. A 15-minute walk away, at the Ukrainian Social Club, a children’s choir from St Mary’s Ukrainian School in West London held a concert, organised by the charity KarmaBank.

Liza, nine, came to the UK from Ukraine in the summer of last year under the Homes for Ukrainians resettlement scheme. “I’ve made lots of friends, and I get to speak Ukrainian,” she said, adding: “I loved the music at the coronation.”

“We wanted to do something a little bit different, but inspired by Charles’s desire to be more inclusive and environmentally conscious,” said KarmaBank's chief executive and founder Andrew Standon-Raz.

Omar Sleiman, a young Syrian who fled the outskirts of Damascus and came to the UK two years ago, has come to volunteer at the Ukrainian Social Club. “Our struggle is the same as the people of Ukraine,” he said.

He too stood outside in the rain to watch Saturday’s coronation. “This is our new home, we wanted to take part in the celebrations, and learn about the country’s traditions and history.”