Diane Jiles was up and ready at 4:15 a.m. Saturday to attend the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
She watched the coverage on PBS and recorded the coverage from other channels so she could watch it later. Jiles is one of many villagers with British roots and one of many who marked the coronation. After watching the ceremony, she attended a special brunch with fellow British American Club members at Havana Country Club. The Brits N US Social Club also held a special coronation event on Saturday, the first since that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Jiles’ mother was born in Spalding, England.
My mother raised me loving the monarchy, said Jiles, of Village Rio Grande. She loved the queen, and he is now the king, and I will honor him as the king. People may have personal opinions of him, but for me, I’m very proud of the British people today. They did an excellent job.
The British American Club meets for brunch on the first Saturday of the month and this weekend was coronation themed. Today, a member of the club plans to follow the brunch with another celebration.
For brunch, around 20 members, including Jiles, sat outside the country club wearing cute dresses and clothes, as well as outfits with the Union Jack on them.
A few women also wore a fascinator hat or headband for the festivities, and there was a Welsh flag and a half-American, half-British flag. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II made from a puzzle was also on display.
Many of the Brits Jiles knows in England have enjoyed several street parties, and Jiles also wanted to throw a party in The Villages.
It’s just a day of celebration, said Jiles.
At Lake Sumter Landing, Danny McKay, president of the Brits N US Social Club, threw a special party for the club to mark the occasion. The club decorated a covered area near the square by Lake Sumter with Union Jack banners and a sign reading Congratulations to King Charles III.
McKay, who was born in Scotland, remembers seeing the last coronation when he was six years old.
When he lived in Glasgow, the area only had one television and everyone took turns watching the event. He only saw a few moments and in black and white, which was a stark difference from Saturday’s ceremony.
It’s pretty amazing, said McKay, of the Village of Liberty Park. I’ll probably never see another one.
Several members and performers were present, including a performer from the Sounds of Scotland who played God Save the King on the bagpipes while everyone sang. Attendees also sang other traditional British songs while enjoying food and drink.
Those present were dressed to celebrate. Many wore crowns and wore red, white and blue clothing to represent the Union Jack, as well as kilts. A few people wore clothes with the Union Jack on them and one woman wore Minnie Mouse ears with a Union Jack bow.
King Charles III also made an appearance, or at least someone trying to impersonate him. Paul McEvoy of Village De La Vista wore a king’s mask and crown. His wife, Annabel Wright, was dressed as Princess Diana and wore a crown and jewelry.
Both are from England. Wright thought the event was a nice way to celebrate the coronation, she said.
Even though we live here in America mostly because we chose to live in this country, it’s still nice to honor traditions because they often go away, Wright said.
The couple recorded the coronation to watch it in its entirety.
I remember when I was a six-year-old boy seeing Queen Elizabeth II being crowned queen, McEvoy said. TV was black and white back then, so it’s pretty amazing to think I lived long enough to see the next coronation.
Senior Writer Summer Jarro can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5404, or [email protected].
