Stéphane Place (special envoy to London) / photo credit: JASPER JACOBS / Belga / AFP 22:15 p.m., May 05, 2023

The United Kingdom and part of the world are abuzz on the eve of the coronation of Charles III. Hundreds of tourists are expected in the streets of London this Saturday, including many French, who came by the Eurostar. Europe 1 met some of them at St. Pancras station.

On this Friday evening, a very festive atmosphere reigns in the lobby of London's St. Pancras station. On the eve of the coronation of King Charles III, many tourists flocked, some from France. The Eurostar company had also distributed to its travelers crowns, similar to those found in the galettes des rois. Crowned tourists arrive on British soil, smiling from ear to ear and visibly eager to reach the outskirts of Buckingham Palace.

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For Marine, 22, a pharmacist from Namur in Belgium, it was "folklore" and "tradition" that pushed her to attend the event. "We tell ourselves that we will surely only see it once in our lives. Even if Charles' age is a little advanced," smiled the young woman.

"We are super happy and very excited"

His comrade Cassandra evokes for his part his "disappointment" about the absence of Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, who will not attend the coronation of Charles III. "That's the bad news. There will be no children either, we are very disappointed but there is always the atmosphere. We're super happy and very excited to go," she said.

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In King's Cross, the district where the station is located, Belgian and French travellers are present in very large numbers with, in hand, a map or a magazine entirely devoted to the ceremony. We exchange tips on the metro line to take or on the address to be preferred to buy goodies, the famous mugs souvenirs of the coronation, for example. We also meet families who make the trip with their children to show them what a monarchy is and share a historical and unforgettable moment.