As we count down the days to the Coronation, we look back on King Charles III’s recent visit to the county as Prince of Wales, and his meetings with the people and places enriching our local lives
Who would have thought, when the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of Kent in February 2022, we’d be celebrating the King’s Coronation a mere 15 months later? Certainly, that trip tells us something about the interests and energy levels of our new monarch and his consort, with the pair packing in seven visits, Prince Charles to Elmley National Nature Reserve, the Historic Dockyard and the Copper Rivet Distillery, both at Chatham Docks; the Duchess of Cornwall visiting The Guildhall Museum in Rochester, Rochester Airport and the Brands Hatch, Ashford, branch of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The pair began their day together with a visit to Sheppey Matters - the charity working for better health for the people of the area, and which won a Queen’s Award in recognition of its volunteers last summer. Says Rebecca Gebbie, Manager of the charity, ‘The royal couple’s visit was that sense of a much-needed light shining on us’.
With just three weeks’ notice before the visit, advance security to be arranged with the palace and the centre to be spruced up – yet all done in total secrecy - it was All Systems Go to have everything sorted in time. ‘On the day of the visit, though, everything went so well that in fact the pair insisted on spending an extra half hour with us,’ says Becky. Her colleague, Community Development Manager, Nicola Waghorne, adds, ‘We’d been told by the royal team that they prefer not to smell fresh paint - in other words, they want things to be as normal and relaxed as possible. Charles and Camilla had clearly been very well briefed and were so engaged and engaging. Whether hearing about our Men Matter project focusing on men’s mental health, our crafting clubs created to keep people busy and connected or our IT courses, the conversation just flowed – Camilla told us that she, too, sometimes finds technology challenging and has to get her grandchildren to help her with things like her phone, and when someone tried to get Charles to take away a doggie bag of food, Charles replied that, much as he’d have liked to have accepted it, he didn’t think Camilla would let him!”
Based on their experience, what kind of King do they think Charles will make? ‘A good, understanding, and very grounded one,’ says Becky. ‘A people’s king,’ adds Nicola.
On his own at Elmley, the then Prince of Wales – known for his love of the outdoors – was clearly in his element. Estate manager Gareth Fulton recalls, ‘It was an absolute honour to welcome His Royal Highness to Elmley. With his deep interests in wildlife, and in particular, his passion for wading birds such as the lapwing and curlew, we were delighted to have the chance to speak to him about our conservation work and future projects, and to introduce him to our team.’
Garden of delights
Back in the summer of 2013, the then Prince of Wales, known as a keen plantsman, was accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall on a private visit to one of the Garden of England’s most unusual plots, The World Garden at Lullingstone Castle. The estate has a unique fabric-related link with royalty, which the royal visitors were keen to explore too. As Tom Hart Dyke, curator of the World Garden, explains, 'A family affair, the visit began with a house tour by my father, who spoke about the history of the silk farm started by my grandmother, Lady Zoe Hart Dyke. It was wonderful to see how The Prince of Wales’s eyes lit up as we shared artefacts and images of how the silk was created for his mother’s coronation robe.
'I then had the greatest pleasure of giving a tour of the garden, alongside our volunteers, who stood in every continent ready to impart their horticultural knowledge. The couple absolutely loved the garden and were genuinely delighted at the variety of plants, as well as being amazed at the story behind its creation. After I was kidnapped in Colombia in 2000 on a plant hunting mission for orchids, I never imagined my vision would be enjoyed by royalty! The entire day was truly memorable and everyone was so happy that the visitors left thoroughly enthused.
Here at Lullingstone Castle, we have chosen to celebrate the King’s coronation by planting a "White Mulberry Bush" (Morus alba), a fitting tribute to a fellow plantsman and our family legacy.'
The King and Lady Colgrain
As his representative within the county, Kent’s Lord-Lieutenant, the Lady Colgrain, shares her thoughts on the new King and her excitement about the upcoming Coronation
What stood out for you when the Prince of Wales, as he then was, came to Kent Last year?
He just can’t wait to get out there and meet everyone - he takes a real interest in everything. It doesn’t always show in the photographs, but he is very smiley and has a great sense of humour.
What attributes to you think he’ll bring to his role as King?
I have long been a great admirer of the things that the King achieved while he was Prince of Wales. The Prince’s Trust, for instance, which he started in the mid-1970s, has helped over a million young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop essential life skills, improve their self-confidence and support them into meaningful work or starting their own businesses. He’s also long been a passionate campaigner about protecting the environment. I think that he will bring this passion and thirst for innovation in tackling inequalities and creating positive networks in a sustainable environment to his role as King.
How do you feel about attending the Coronation?
Very excited! To be involved in one of the great historical events of my lifetime will be a huge honour and I will be taking in every last detail of this incredibly significant ceremony. I grew up with a large photograph of my grandfather wearing his Coronation Robes from the late Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1952. I don’t think that I will be wearing velvet and ermine as he was, but I will definitely be donning my best party clothes for the event!
Are you attending any other special events to mark the occasion in Kent over the long weekend?
Both our two magnificent Cathedrals are putting on special Services to mark the Coronation on the Sunday: Rochester Cathedral in the morning and Canterbury in the afternoon. I’ll be attending both, then hoping to be able to join our local village Street Party for lunch in between the two, geography permitting. Monday is the Big Help Out day and I have still to decide which charity I will support as a volunteer on the day. I really hope that the initiative will encourage more people to look out for opportunities for volunteering in their local communities, adding to the wonderful army of volunteers we have already. The great Kent Volunteers website, a Lieutenancy initiative, is a lively, one-stop shop for finding out about volunteering opportunities throughout the county.
kentvolunteers.org.uk, thebighelpout.org.uk
![The torchlit Wassail procession makes its way to the New Ash Green Community orchard [Photo courtesy of New Ash Green Woodlands Group]](/resources/images/128x89/1x/17558355.jpg)
![The torchlit Wassail procession makes its way to the New Ash Green Community orchard [Photo courtesy of New Ash Green Woodlands Group]](/resources/images/180x180/1x/17558355.jpg)
