Following the pomp and pageantry of the Coronation ceremony, the public will be able to keep the celebrations going, but in a much more relaxed atmosphere, by taking part in one of the thousands of Big Lunches that are expected to take place all around the UK.
Several members of the Royal Family have announced that they will take part in the celebrations as well, sitting down with members of local communities on Sunday, 7th May.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will travel to Cranleigh, in Surrey, where they will have lunch with the local representatives from the Royal British Legion, the Scouts and the Guides. Before that, they will meet with the organising committee of this particular lunch, before visiting Cranleigh Village Hall and its Coronation Craft Market. Following the meal, Their Royal Highnesses will meet with members of the public on the Common. Cranleigh is said to be the biggest village in England.
The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence have plans in the Cotswolds where they will join another celebration.
There will also be a joint appearance by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, who will be joining a Coronation Big Lunch in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. This event has been organised by representatives of many charities, including All Together Community, which was born during the pandemic as a way of bringing food to the most vulnerable members of the local community. The two Princesses will also enjoy some live music and see a table dressing competition, which will, of course, be Coronation themed.
Plans for further members of the Royal Family are expected to be announced in the coming days.
The Big Lunch is an initiative that was born in 2009 with the aim of bringing together local communities and encouraging charity volunteer work. Results have always been phenomenal: after last year’s edition, more than 11 million people have said that it helped them feel less lonely, 92% of organisers remarked a positive impact on their communities, and close to two thirds of participants expressed an increased drive to perform volunteer work.
The idea was created by the Eden Project and sponsored by the National Lottery; it has been under the Patronage of The Queen Consort since 2013.
