Royal family join Big Help Out in bid to create lasting legacy in King Charles's name

Princes, princesses and Prime Minister take part in community volunteering activities

Prince George of Wales tries his hand at archery at the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut, in Slough, near London. Getty

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The young royals kept up their starring roles in the celebrations for King Charles's coronation with an appearance at the Big Help Out, a UK-wide volunteering event that aims to create a lasting legacy in honour of the monarch.

Prince Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte joined their parents, Prince William and Kate, assisting in the renovation and improvement of the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, near London.

Prince George was seen using a drill, while Princess Charlotte painted doors, and Prince Louis helped with interior decorating under the guidance of the Princess of Wales.

The young royals also enjoyed toasting marshmallows over a barbecue and tried their hand at archery.

There were 52,000 registered Big Help Out events and six million people were expected to take part.

The king and queen did not take part in the final day of activities.

A Buckingham Palace representative said: “While wholly supportive of the Big Help Out initiatives taking place right across Britain on Monday May 7, [the king and queen] will not be attending any events in person. These will instead be attended by other members of the royal family.”

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh visited a Guide Dogs charity in Berkshire, participating in training exercises with Labrador retrievers.

At the pop-up Coronation Cafe, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie attempted to put branded harnesses on the dogs and helped train the puppies to resist distractions, such as treats displayed on a union-flagged, cardboard London bus.

Prince Edward successfully guided a dog named Sunny away from the treats, earning praise from one of the trainers.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited the Coptic Orthodox Church in London, where young volunteers were holding a coronation street party.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who crowned King Charles III, participated in the Big Help Out by serving lunch at Catching Lives, a homeless charity in Canterbury.

Wearing a denim Bon Jovi apron, the Most Rev Justin Welby and his wife, Caroline, handed out plates of cottage pie during the national volunteering drive.

A Lambeth Palace representative expressed delight at the enthusiasm and support for the coronation, as well as the positive impact of the Big Lunch and Big Help Out events on communities.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, joined volunteers at a Hertfordshire community centre as part of the day's events.

The couple helped prepare and serve lunch at a club for the elderly, chopping strawberries and parsnips for the meal.

Mr Sunak jokingly took responsibility for any dip in lunch quality, telling attendees: “If the lunch today isn't as good as it normally is, you know whose fault that is.”

The Together Coalition, in partnership with the Scout Association, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups organised the Big Help Out day.

The event seeks to demonstrate the positive impact of volunteering on communities and inspire individuals to engage in volunteering efforts.

Members of the public were encouraged to take up hundreds of thousands of volunteering roles during the extra bank holiday, with more than 1,500 charities involved.

An app was developed to help people find volunteering opportunities in areas such as elderly care, environmental conservation and animal welfare.

The extra bank holiday concluded a long weekend of celebrations.

On Sunday night, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle featuring actors, singers and entertainers, and with a surprise appearance by Kermit the Frog.

The concert celebrated King Charles's life, from his service in the Armed Forces to his passion for the arts and his charitable work.

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to his father before the 20,000-strong audience, saying: “Pa, we are all so proud of you.”

The king's lifelong connection to aviation was also celebrated on Sunday at the King and Country Air Show in Bedford.

A De Havilland Chipmunk WP903 in which the King learnt to fly in 1969 took part in the event, alongside various other vintage military aeroplanes.