King Charles

[Boatbuilder]

My £5 Silver Proof Coronation Coin arrived today.

[Courtenay]

Ooh, very nice, John. I note the "heads" side shows Charles with a crown, which he doesn't have in the portrait that will be used on ordinary coins. I wonder when we'll start seeing him on those, and on stamps?

I've just checked online and found a recent announcement from the Reserve Bank of Australia that a new Australian $5 note is being designed — previously it had a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on it, which I remember was controversial even at the time it was introduced (1992), as the monarch doesn't appear on our other banknotes, only on coins. I had heard recently that future $5 notes wouldn't feature King Charles III, and this confirms it. They're still in the process of designing the new banknote, but it will be based on Australian Aboriginal art and culture, which is appropriate and I'll look forward to seeing it some time in the future.

[Katharine]

Glad it arrived ok.

I'm still on the hunt for a souvenir of the Coronation. I bought a lovely commemorative tin for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee which contained a selection of teas. The teas are slowly being consumed, and once the tin is empty, it will be useful to store little bits and pieces in. I'm hoping perhaps I can find something similar for the Coronation - I've seen some mugs which are nice, but I'd be too afraid of using it in case I broke it, and as space is now at a premium in my house, it seems silly to add something that I won't use.

I'm also hoping to get some kind of souvenir magazine/booklet. I spotted a couple before the ceremony, but thought I'd wait until after the event, partly because I thought it would be nice to have a record of the actual occasion, and also, because there was the possibility I would have been allocated a seat in the stand outside Buckingham Palace, which I think would have included some kind of programme.

I had mixed feelings when I heard we were unsuccessful, as obviously it would have been an amazing opportunity to be there, but on the other hand, we would have had to sit in the elements for several hours, just to see the processions going past. As the weather turned out to be less than perfect and I was nursing a sore throat, I must admit I was a little relieved I was watching everything from the comfort of my sofa!

[Boatbuilder]

There are stamps in circulation, Courtenay, but I suppose if you get them it depends on where you happen to buy them and the stock they have of the ones with the Queen on.

Katharine, there are still a couple of lower-priced (£11 & £14.50) coronation coins still available at the Royal Mint.

https://www.royalmint.com/shop/monarch/ ... ation/all/

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I thought that several of today's newspapers had souvenir sections

I bought coronations tins of shortbread from M&S, a gold one for me and a purple one for my mum

Nephews were more interested in the coronation size bar of chocolate from Cadbury's. I said we would open it once the crown was safely on the king's head, but sister (who I suspect has republican tendencies - or did until I showed her an article about the costs of Head of State elsewhere ) seemed to have other ideas

[Boatbuilder]

When Queen Elizabeth was crowned and I was in my first year at school, we were given a bar of Cadbury's chocolate in a commemorative tin and a commemorative mug. I still have the tin (minus chocoloate), somewhere, but the mug got broken many years ago.

[Courtenay]

Nephews were more interested in the coronation size bar of chocolate from Cadbury's. I said we would open it once the crown was safely on the king's head, but sister (who I suspect has republican tendencies - or did until I showed her an article about the costs of Head of State elsewhere ) seemed to have other ideas

Hee hee I didn't get hold of any coronation chocolate, but I have coronation jam from Waitrose (Bramley apple and mixed berries, but unfortunately it seems to consist mostly of blackcurrants ) and a coronation shower gel by Cussons, named "A Right Royal Wash"... (The scent of it is "English Pear and Royal Bouquet", whatever that actually includes — it's nice, anyway.)

My family in Oz all have republican tendencies (except maybe for Mum, who is a great Anglophile, rather ironically, as the only one of us with zero British ancestry) and even they watched the coronation, though I think more for the spectacle than anything else. I didn't discuss it with them too thoroughly, as I didn't want to get into any arguments over the relevance or irrelevance of the monarchy. Actually, as an Australian I completely agree that the monarchy has little or no relevance to most modern Australians, but the system works well as it is, and I'm pretty sure most of us wouldn't want it changed unless we could simply replace the monarch with some other symbolic figurehead (whoever that might be) and otherwise keep the same parliamentary system we already have (which is almost identical to Britain's). And yet also, as an adopted Brit, I think the monarchy, while not perfect, is definitely still relevant to the UK and we're better off having it than not.

And yes, it is interesting living in two different but not unconnected worlds!! But despite having lived in the UK for only just over a quarter of my time on this earth, I somehow feel most at home in England now and I'm happy to say "Long Live the King!"

[Katharine]

The shower gel sounds nice, but I still have lots of other 'flavours' I need to use up, so think I'll pass on that. I did buy some Coronation Chicken crisps from M & S, but not sure if I'll keep the packaging unless I can wash it thoroughly! The tin I bought for the Platinum Jubilee came from a gift shop in Bath when I had a few days holiday by myself last year, so has extra special memories attached to it. I did see the M & S tins, and considered them, but ideally I'd like something for the Coronation which is a bit 'different'.

The other Coronation coins sound interesting - I have a Silver Jubilee coin which my parents bought me, so maybe I'll consider adding to my collection.

Of course what I really need is a book by Enid Blyton.

[Courtenay]

I did buy some Coronation Chicken crisps from M & S, but not sure if I'll keep the packaging unless I can wash it thoroughly!

Hmmm, I bought some Coronation Chicken crisps by Tyrells and was decidedly unimpressed... apart from being vaguely savoury, they didn't really taste of anything in particular. I would never even have recognised that there was chicken in the flavouring (there was, according to the ingredients), let alone the traditional mild curry dressing!

[Boatbuilder]

I have a Silver Jubilee coin which my parents bought me, so maybe I'll consider adding to my collection.

I think you probably mean this coin, Katharine. I managed to buy this silver proof one from the Royal Mint earlier this year. I noticed when I got it that the 'proof quality' of the coins back then were not as brilliant as they are today. Standards have certainly improved.

[Boatbuilder]

The second of two coins I ordered commemorating the coronation arrive today - about a month earlier than I had expected it to. It is a £2 1-troy ounce (31.21 grams) Silver Proof struck in .999 Ag.

[Barnard]

King Charles has just had a winner at Royal Ascot.

[Moonraker]

Tyrell's Coronation Chicken crisps

Ingredients:

Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Maltodextrin, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Salt, Onion Powder, Dried Parsley, Ground Spices (Cumin, Black Pepper, Coriander, Ginger, Turmeric), Natural Flavourings, Garlic Powder, Dehydrated Cooked Chicken (Chicken, Salt), Colour (Paprika Extract)

Dehydrated cooked chicken comes way down the list.

[Lucky Star]

Dehydrated Cooked Chicken (Chicken, Salt), [/i][/b]

Dehydrated cooked chicken comes way down the list.

And even then it's mixed with salt!!

[Courtenay]

No wonder it didn't taste like chicken!