Royal fans from the Orchards Village retirement home tell of their encounters with the Royal family, plus reveal their plans for King Charles III’s coronation. Video / Claudia Tarrant / Mike Scott / AP
For many, King Charles’ coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime event but for a very lucky few, it’s their second time seeing the historic moment a new monarch is crowned.
Sitting down with the Herald, The Orchards Village residents take the historic moment to reflect on the many years of royal history sharing their thoughts on how Charles and Camilla will bode as monarchs, the impact of Harry and Meghan’s departure and one resident even reveals the royal gift he is hoping to receive in the coming weeks.
Our story starts with the very lively and personable 104-year-old resident Bruce Powell, who reminisces about how times have changed since he saw Queen Elizabeth crowned in 1953.
Then in his mid 30′s, Powell recalls, “We had this five-inch television set and we invited all the neighbours to come. It was green, with different shades of green. So about 50 people sat in our front room watching this tiny five-inch tube.”
Powell says he has every intention of watching King Charles’ coronation in the same way – only this time on a slightly larger television.
He also hopes that once he turns 105 on May 26, he will be able to place a very special - and rare - letter from Charles beside the one he received from Elizabeth when he turned 100.
“I believe it’s in train,” he says smiling. “I think the family have suggested that it might be appropriate, but I believe it’s a double photograph with the King and the Queen will be on it very. That’s my understanding.”
The Orchards Village residents Frances Phillips and Bruce Powell recall royal encounters in the lead up to the coronation of King Charles. Photo / New Zealand Herald photograph by Mike Scott
Elsewhere, fellow resident Frances Phillips, takes the moment to reflect on how the late Princess Diana would have fared as Queen, “She would have been very caring, she’d be more people orientated I think,” she says adding, “but I don’t think she would’ve wanted to be Queen.”
For resident Robyn Colley, she is using the coronation, which will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, to reminisce about the moment she was effectively breathing the same air as the Royal family.
Explaining how she was working as a florist while on her OE in London, Colley recalls the day her boss told her and four other women they would be working in Buckingham Palace.
Hoping to meet the Queen and her corgis, Colley was left disappointed when after working away all day, the women were asked to go into another room while Her Majesty viewed the flowers.
A month later, her boss asked her to return to the Palace for another day of flower arranging and Colley had a surprise reaction, “I said, ‘no, I don’t want to go. I’ll stay in the shop and work in the shop and workroom because I said I can’t talk to anyone.” She says laughing.
Resident Nanette Smith also shares one of her many royal encounters, with this particular one seeing Elizabeth take her big sister duties rather seriously.
The Orchards Village residents Robyn Colley and Nanette Smith recall royal encounters in the lead-up to the coronation of King Charles. Photo / New Zealand Herald photograph by Mike Scott
Smith says she saw then Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret when they attended the 1938 Glasgow Empire Exhibition, and recalls the funny moment the princesses got out of the car.
“Elizabeth got out and Margaret got out of the car and she turned to her and she said to Margaret, pull your socks up, Margaret.”
The village residents also shared their thoughts on Prince Harry’s decision to resign from royal duties and appear to share one common outlook. He is a “silly boy”.
Smith says she believes he will regret the decision “as he gets older and thinks more deeply”, while Powell thinks Harry is “just a lost soul”.
Overall, the residents are rather looking forward to the coronation celebrations this weekend and will be sitting down, gathered around a television with a glass of bubbles in hand to admire all their favourite royals like Prince Edward, the “lovely” Sophie, Princess Anne and of course, Charles and Camilla.
