The Coronation of King Charles III will take place this Saturday, May 6, in Westminster Abbey. Camilla, the Queen Consort, will take her place alongside The King, and will too be crowned.

Tonight, I will be – as I did for Her Late Majesty's Platinum Jubilee – lighting the beacon at Hargrave and Huxley, which a splendid barbecue will accompany from 7pm.

I am delighted that local community groups, organisations, and charities – including parish councils, Scout groups, the Royal Voluntary Service, and the National Trust – have planned hundreds of activities.
Locally, we have on offer:

  • Chester Cathedral: there will be a live stream of the Coronation service (Saturday, May 6)
  • Malpas: a parade down the high street culminating in a celebration on the recreation ground (Sunday, May 7, at 12.30pm)
  • Tarporley: a high street party (Sunday, May 7)
  • Winsford: a flower festival to celebrate the coronation at St John’s Church, Over, (starting Sunday, May 7, at 10.30am)
  • Ashton Hayes: a 'Big Lunch', barbecue, hot and cold drinks, ice cream, cakes, and more Beacon Lighting – all at the recreation ground (Sunday, May 7)
  • Malpas: a fun run (£5 entry), treasure hunt and afternoon tea (Monday, May 8)

Check your parish council website for more information about what's happening in your local area. You can find your parish council online at bit.ly/parishcouncils.

The Coronation will be the first for almost 70 years – the last being for Quen Elizabeth II in June 1953 – and the first held on a Saturday since the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902.

Buckingham Palace has indicated that the ceremony will combine both the ancient and the modern – saying it will be 'rooted in longstanding traditions' but 'reflect the monarch's role today, and look towards the future'.

As the invitations to the Coronation have shown, The Queen Consort will be referred to as Queen Camilla in future, following a longstanding precedent in British history that the wife of a reigning monarch is referred to as 'Queen'.

In the aftermath of the sad death of Elizabeth II of blessed memory, it was apt to refer to Camilla as 'Queen Consort', so that she was easily distinguishable from our former Sovereign Lady.

Now that time has passed, it makes sense that the Queen Consort should become Queen.

The Prime Minister has also announced that there will be an additional bank holiday for the whole of the UK on Monday, May 8, to mark this historic occasion, creating an opportunity for families and communities across the country to come together to celebrate – including our local events above.

I enjoyed meeting The King when he was Prince of Wales at Clarence House. He took a great interest in fostering and adoption – my primary policy interest, which was encouraged by my parents' prolific fostering of disadvantaged children.

We must also not forget that the Prince and Princess of Wales are also the Earl and Countess of Chester – and that in 1215 the Earl granted the Shire of Chester its own Magna Carta, as the more famous document did not apply in our county!

King Charles was also Colonel-in-Chief of our former local army regiment, the Cheshire Regiment.

Regardless of the often-perceived remoteness of monarchy, this is a King who is very much across the detail of public policy and the needs of society. Indeed, so much so that one of the newly-released Royal Mail Coronation first-class stamps is themed 'diversity and community'.

We can be proud when we see him crowned this Saturday. God save The King.