Lionel Gougelot (special envoy on site), editing by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: Finnbarr Webster / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP 18:42 p.m., May 06, 2023

Despite the rain and the hours, sometimes the days of waiting, thousands of people attended the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Arranged around the route of the procession, these spectators shouted their joy at the time of the passage of the carriage. Europe 1 met some of them who will keep this historic day in memory.

Millions of people were behind their screens this Saturday around the world to follow the coronation of Charles III and Camilla in the United Kingdom. On site, they were several thousand to have camped near Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey for several days to live this historic event, in communion and emotion.

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Howls of joy close to hysteria

After hours of waiting in the rain, along the route of the royal procession between Buckingham and Westminster, the passage of Charles and Camilla's carriage triggered howls of joy sometimes close to hysteria.

A moment of emotion for this couple posted on the outskirts of Trafalgar Square, and that Europe 1 met. "It's just amazing to be there in this special moment! It's in these types of moments that you feel really British. We love it," says the first. "It's just great!" adds his girlfriend. "It's history in the making and we love Charles and Camilla."

British people confident in their new king

If the moment was furtive, the feeling of living a unique moment is real for the worshippers of the monarchy. A fervor shared by thousands of tourists like Pauline and Sylvie, two French fans of the royal family. "Moving, very moving", concedes the first at the microphone of Europe 1. "We were already at the jubilee (in 2022, Editor's note), we came for the coronation. It was really superb," Pauline continues. For Sylvie, it was "frankly, a great experience. It was really touching, great memories of London."

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At the end of the procession, Andrew, a British citizen who attended the event, spotted Charles and his family in the distance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. This coronation will go down in history, according to him. "I think the first steps of this new king will remain engraved. It gives a new, more modern direction. He is attentive to what people think, the way the world is going... Charles is really sensitive to all of that, so I think it's a good thing."

The only false note of this day will remain the demonstration of anti-monarchy activists, chanting their slogans "Not my king". Their leader was arrested by the police, and the crowd responded with boos and God Save the King.