LONDON – Prince William previously poured a pint of ale and rode on the Tube with his wife Kate as part of a royal foray into central London Coronation of King Charles III.
Only two days until then coronation on Saturday Ceremony at Westminster Abbey, William and Kate took time out to chat with royal fans, tourists and Londoners in the British capital’s bustling entertainment district of Soho on Thursday.
The couple made their first trip on the Elizabeth Line, which is named after her Queen Elizabeth the second and the newest line in London’s busy train network. They then stopped at the historic Dog and Duck pub, where William went behind the bar and poured himself a pint of Kingmaker, a pale ale brewed to celebrate the coronation.
William joked that he needs to watch how much he drinks and “get back into work mode.”
Hundreds of royal fans – some from China, Canada and the United States – lined the streets of Soho hoping for a glimpse of the couple, a handshake or a quick chat.
Kate told well-wishers that her eldest child, Prince George, was “excited” about the coronation. The 9-year-old king, who is second in line to the throne after his father, is expected to wear Charles’ robe as one of the king’s four honorable members on Saturday.
George and his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attended a rehearsal for the ceremony along with other members of the royal family on Wednesday.
Thursday’s royal visit came as London prepared for the UK’s first coronation since Elizabeth II was crowned 70 years ago.
Union Jack bunting and crown decorations have appeared across the capital, while Big Ben was lit up red around midnight on Wednesday as part of the night’s dress rehearsals.
Around 100 heads of state, representatives from 200 countries and hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to attend this historic event in London. Many die-hard Royal fans are already camping near Buckingham Palace to secure the best vantage point.
“We’ve always been big fans of the royal family. I was also there for the (Queen’s) Jubilee, so we’ll come by for any big moments we can,” said Luisa Rawes of Portugal. “It’s a massive occasion.”
Thousands of police officers are on duty across London for one of the most complex security operations in UK history to prepare for disruptions and Anti-monarchy protests.
At Tuesday evening, Officers arrested a man who threw shotgun shells into the grounds of Buckingham Palace and blew up a suspicious man’s bag. Police say the man was searched and a lock knife was found.
Authorities said Thursday the 59-year-old suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested under mental health laws and taken to a hospital. No one was injured and Charles and Camilla, the Queen consort, were not at the palace at the time.
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