Rotorua royalists celebrated together before the coronation. From left anti-clockwise: Christine Donoghue, Barry Jenkins, Neila Blackmore and Donald Blackmore. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua royalists celebrated together before the coronation. From left anti-clockwise: Christine Donoghue, Barry Jenkins, Neila Blackmore and Donald Blackmore. Photo / Andrew Warner
One Rotorua royalist was “on a bit of a high” after watching the “colour, the pomp, and the pageantry” of King Charles III’s coronation ceremony.
Barry Jenkins celebrated the coronation at a dinner party in Rotorua with a group of royalists overnight on Saturday.
Despite staying up until 1.30am, Jenkins said he was not tired and had been “on a bit of a high” since.
“I just think it’s such a wonderful thing to watch. The colour, the pomp and the pageantry.
“I had my little crown on and threw a flag around my shoulders.”
Jenkins said the group was particularly impressed with Queen Consort Camilla, saying she appeared “elegant, poised and relaxed” at the service despite the pressure she was under.
The “modern touches” were also appreciated which included “slightly different music” to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
Jenkins told the Rotorua Daily Post it was also “so nice” to watch something positive for a change.
“I am all for it. It just brings countries together - it certainly brings the Commonwealth together.”
Jenkins, who had been a royalist since childhood, said he still had a copy of the Queen’s coronation on DVD.
“I may put it on one day to see the comparisons.”
The ceremony means the longtime Crown Prince is now formally King of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms, including New Zealand, as well as being head of the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations.
Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla look at each other as they stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation. Photo / AP
Meanwhile, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council marked the new monarch’s coronation by planting native trees in reserves across the three wards.
It was part of a national initiative organised by the Department of Internal Affairs - with more than 45 plantings taking place over the weekend.
Western Bay mayor James Denyer, who led all three plantings, said the trees would stand as a “permanent” reminder of the “historic occasion”.
“It speaks to the long-lived nature of these trees...we can go back in future years to see how they have grown.”
About 30 people gathered in Te Puke’s Jubilee Park at 9.30am where a tītoki tree was planted. Later that morning, a pūriri tree was planted in Gerald Crapp Reserve in Ōmokoroa, followed by a kauri tree planted in Katikati’s Diggelmann Park.
Denyer said the day’s events went “very smoothly” with community members pitching in to help.
“They were quite big trees so there was quite a lot of soil to move back in.”
It was also “very fitting” as the King had long been an advocate of sustainability and conservation, he said.
Speaking on Sunday, Denyer said he stayed up till about 2am watching the “awe-inspiring” coronation.
“I have never seen anything like that - the way it all sort of came together. It was pretty special.”
Tauranga City Council also took part in the initiative on Saturday morning planting a kauri tree at The Historic Village overlooking the village green.
