The King and Queen have been “deeply touched” by the millions of Brits who came out to celebrate their historic coronation, Buckingham Palace has said.
A day after their crowning at Westminster Abbey, Charles and Camilla said today they were “profoundly grateful” to those who helped make it such a “glorious occasion”.
Hundreds of thousands turned out in central London, despite the damp weather, to witness the pomp and pageantry on full display.
Flanked by the largest ceremonial procession of the armed forces since Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, the new King and Queen processed through the streets in the Gold State Coach before being joined with the working royals on the iconic Palace balcony in their glittering crowns.
More than 18 million people in the UK tuned in to watch the ceremony on TV, compared with 26.5 million for the late Queen’s funeral in September, but industry experts said the number on international broadcasters and across social media would have “run into the tens of millions”.
After saying thank you to those gathered at the Queen Victoria Memorial and down The Mall, Charles and Camilla took off the heavy robes and glittering crowns to enjoy a post-coronation lunch with the royal family and Camilla’s nearest and dearest, including a host of royals, as well as Camilla’s relatives including, her sister and trusted confidante Annabel Elliot, her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her grandchildren, for the private celebration with their blended family.
A Palace spokesman said: “Their Majesties were deeply touched by the events and profoundly grateful both to all those who helped to make it such a glorious occasion - and to the very many who turned out to show their support in such numbers in London and further afield."
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also headed back to the palace, before being driven back to their Windsor home.
But in a telling moment, Charles 74 and Camilla 75, shunned their first night at Buckingham Palace after being crowned, preferring to escape to Charles’ Gloucestershire estate, Highgrove.
The royal couple’s police convoy was seen passing through Tetbury, less than two miles from his Highgrove Estate, hours after the ceremony.
Royal sources said the King and Queen “wanted to relax in their own, comfortable surroundings ” , following the glitz and glamour of coronation day.
Footage posted shortly after 6 pm to Facebook showed a cavalcade of police cars escorting the couple in the back of the maroon State Bentley back to Highgrove House.
Tetbury resident Claire Eugster, who was out walking her dog when she spotted the King and Queen, said: “I just popped out to walk my dog and saw the King and Queen and their convoy drive past. It was an amazing sight and I wasn’t expecting it all. Camilla’s hair looked beautiful.”
Charles’ favourite home was a key location in his secret relationship with Camilla during the period when he was still married to Princess Diana, as the now Queen lived nearby.
According to reports Camilla used to host dinners there for his friends while Diana was away.
Such was their secrecy that royal staff would circle shows in the Radio Times listing magazine so that when the princess arrived it looked like Charles had been in front of the television rather than seeing his mistress, according to the biography Diana: Her True Story.
A royal insider said: “Highgrove is where the King feels most at home.
“He certainly will stay at Windsor Castle on occasion and has been doing so more and more, and enjoys getting to see his grandchildren there.”
The King and Queen have remained staying at Clarence House, their home during the late Queen’s reign, owing to huge renovations taking place at Buckingham Palace.
As the sun set on a weekend of celebrations, the Dean of Canterbury revealed how King was “very pleased” with his coronation day and the rain “didn’t damp the spirits”.
He added: “It was very clear everyone was out to enjoy themselves."
