As the world watches the new King and the new Queen Consort be crowned in England, some of Canadian Forces Base Borden’s finest will be front and centre along the route to Buckingham Palace.
Eight months after the death of the long-serving Queen Elizabeth II, her son, now King Charles III, will publicly accept that role in a pomp-and-circumstance-filled coronation.
Coverage for the event begins on most Canadian media outlets at 4 a.m. ET, with the actual ceremony predicted to begin around 10 a.m.
With many of the Commonwealth’s military, politicians and dignitaries set to be involved and/or invited, a local aspect will be interesting to some.
Capt. Broderick Smith is the operations officer at Base Borden’s Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering and is currently in England, preparing to be a big part of Saturday’s celebrations.
Smith is helping lead an escort of King Charles III and the Queen Consort to the Gold State Coach, which is what the new regal couple will ride in on their way to Buckingham Palace after the coronation.
Smith said the honour to do so didn’t hit him until recently.
“It honestly didn’t sink in until we did an overnight, full-dress rehearsal a few nights ago in London and they actually had the coach in the rehearsal,” he said. “We marched beside it down the mile to Buckingham Palace, and that was simply surreal.”
The Gold State Coach was built in 1762 and has been used in every coronation since that of William IV in 1831. It is made of wood but coated in gold leaf, and Smith said while he is positioned to ride beside it, seeing it out of the corner of his eye made him realize how “incredible” it is.
While rehearsal was about a 15-hour day, Smith said it was needed with so many elements involved in making the event go off without a hitch.
“The procession itself is only about 30 minutes long, but it is all the preparation that is taking most of the time right now,” he said. “It’s quite amazing to be walking down streets that are made completely empty for us to prepare but would normally be heavily driven on and busy.”
Smith was asked if he’ll have time in the moment to take in what he is involved with.
“It’s going to be a very proud moment for myself and the rest of the Canadian contingent. Personally, I have ties to the U.K. as my mom was born in England, her brother and both parents were in the Royal Air Force, with my granddad receiving a British Empire Medal,” he said. “Also, my nanny (grandmother), as a child, attended the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. (She) and her mother spent the night on the corner of Hyde Park to be able to get a good seat to watch the procession.”
Smith, 29, said he was amazed he was chosen, and he will never forget it.
“There are 45 members of the marching contingent from all across Canada and every branch of the military who were chosen by merit, of all ages and ranks, so it really does represent the best that the Canadian Armed Forces has to offer,” he said.
He hasn’t been able to sight-see, but he said he noticed some people on Thursday already setting up along the route to save a spot.
“I can’t tell what the vibe is in the city, though it seems positive all around. People have been grabbing some spots already, so it’s definitely cared about,” he said.
