Whether or not you like or agree with the British monarchy, King Charles III is Canada’s official head of state and as one of the 15 Commonwealth realms, our country will play an important role in his coronation and reign.
“We have a long, long history of being present at key royal events,” University of Toronto royal history professor Carolyn Harris told CP24 this week ahead of Saturday’s coronation. “It’s a very unique event we’re going to see happen.”
Before becoming King, Charles visited Canada on 19 occasions as Prince of Wales, including six trips to Toronto, the first of which took place in 1979.
Harris said tomorrow’s coronation, which will be televised on CP24, is important because it will offer some hints or insights about the tone of the new monarch’s reign, which she said will inevitably impact Canada.
She also noted that people should care about this once-in a generation event because of its great historical and political, not to mention, cultural significance.
Back in 1953 when Elizabeth II was crowned the Queen of England, the coronation of a British monarch was televised for the first time ever and the 277 million people who tuned in will never forget what they were doing at that time, Harris said.
Ahead of the coronation CP24.com spoke with some Torontonians about how they plan to mark the occasion and why they will be watching.
Here is what they said:
David Dunkley (Toronto-based milliner)
Dunkley has crafted hats and fascinators for countless royal events over the years and is in London for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.
He travelled across the pond last Saturday to work as well as enjoy the festivities leading up to the big event.
He’ll also be taking some private lessons with award-winning milliner Ian Bennett, who designed several hats for Queen Elizabeth II, including the one she wore at her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
“For me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. … I felt that I just wanted to be there for this occasion,” said Dunkley, who is holding a special private party on Friday night in London for his clients.
The official milliner of the annual King’s Plate, Canada's oldest and most prestigious thoroughbred race, Dunkley said Canadians should care about the monarchy because the King is our constitutional monarch.
“The head of state changing, politics aside, is part of who we are as a nation,” he said, adding the coronation is a perfect opportunity for everyone to do something “fun and fancy.”
“I think everyone should wear a hat and have fun,” he said.
“We all survived the pandemic. Let’s have a party.”
Christina Bothwell (Windsor Arms Hotel Marketing Manager)
The Windsor Arms Hotel, which has welcomed several royals over the years, will be holding a special high tea on Saturday afternoon to mark the occasion and Bothwell said that the event will be “fit for a king.”
“It’s been more than 70 years since the last British coronation,” she said, adding its important for Canadians to remember that we are part of the Commonwealth and that our country has strong British roots. “This is a momentous occasion and we’ve got the royal treatment.”
Aside from offering a royal-themed spread, the hotel will be airing footage from the coronation on a big screen in its Courtyard ballroom. It will also be setting up a photo booth with British backdrops and sending guests home with a commemorative gift.
Bothwell said the coronation is a “chance to partake in a moment of history,” one that everyone should celebrate.
“We wanted to offer a way for Canadians to honour and enjoy this occasion,” she said.
Hilary Donaldson (Choral conductor at St. Andrew's United Church)
Donaldson has put together a “festival of singing and choral music” to mark the coronation.
The Friday night concert, titled With Heart and Voice: Singing Coronation in Postcolonial Canada, will feature both well-known coronation anthems as well as songs that “get people reflecting on different themes that stem from the monarch,” Donaldson said.
A musicologist and English music scholar, the Toronto resident said she assembled a program of music that aims to get those in attendance pondering how we experience a coronation in post-colonial Canada, how our country’s relationship has changed since the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, “how might our song change in the new Carolean era,” and how does the “emerging conversation of de-coloniality inflect our song.”
“My hope is that the music speaks volumes. … I hope it gets people thinking and contemplating their role in the monarchy,” said Donaldson.
“The King is Canada’s head of state and we should pay attention as it will affect a lot of people.”
Here in the GTA, anyone wanting to partake in the coronation can attend a number of events, notably a day of free fun for the public on the lawn of Queen’s Park.
The festivities will include a flag-raising ceremony, a 21-gun salute, and drum circle at 11:15 a.m. followed by carnival rides, free food, games and music from noon to 6 p.m.
The province is also sponsoring free admission to attractions like the AGO and Science Centre, as well as 39 provincial parks.
The City of Toronto will ark the occasion by raising the Canadian Coronation Flag and doing a ceremonial planting of an oak tree at Coronation Park, 711 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Toronto Archives has also launched an online archival exhibit titled “Toronto Remembers the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.”
Further, the city will also be lighting the Toronto Sign on Nathan Phillips Square, the Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place emerald green on May 6 and 7.
