Coronation: 109-year-old care home resident tells King Charles to 'do good' during reign

  • Video report by Granada Reports journalist Lauren Ostridge

A 109-year-old care home resident says King Charles should strive to "do all the good he can, in all the ways he can", ahead of his Coronation.

Marjorie Hodnett, lovingly known to everyone as 'Aunty Margot', has lived in Formby Manor Care Centre for three years after moving from Devon to be closer to family.

She is said to be the oldest - and wisest - woman living on Merseyside, celebrating her 109th birthday on Saturday 1 April 2023.

The centenarian has lived through two World Wars, 22 prime ministers and now five monarchs, including His Majesty the King.

Mrs Hodnett was born in London in 1914. Credit: Family photo

Aunty Margot says, if her health allows it, she will be watching the Coronation on Saturday, 6 May, alongside other residents in her home.

She said: "No other country has got anything like it [coronations]. We can really do those well.

"I think he [The King] is going to be a good one and she [Queen Consort Camilla] will be good for him.

"I think they should've been married in the first place, but at that time they weren't allowed to meet anybody except royalty or aristocracy."

Born in Harlesden, London, in April 1914, Aunty Margot lived in Wembley before moving to Devon, where she was a teacher for more than two decades.

Aunty Margo married Stanley during the Second World War. But after he sadly died, she married his brother Haydn. Credit: Family photo

Mrs Hodnett married her first husband Stanley during the Second World War, but after he died in 1958, Margo married Stanley’s brother, Haydn.

Sadly, Haydn died shortly after they were married, leaving her widowed for the second time.

At the grand age of 109, Margot has received five birthday cards from the late Queen Elizabeth II and one card from King Charles.

However, she she was slightly disappointed in the King's card because of the picture the palace chose for the card. It features both King Charles and the Queen Consort.

"Well, I expected to have a photograph of the King - and it's not just him!", she laughed.

"I didn't want to live to 109 but then I changed my mind because I wanted a photograph of the King and instead of a photograph of the king, I got that one!"

Aunty Margo will be celebrating the King's coronation on 6 May at her care home in Formby. Credit: ITV News

Margot, who spends her free time writing poetry and watching quiz shows, said the King should strive to "do all the good he can".

She said: "Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the places you can, in all ways you can, as long as ever you can."

"I think everybody should do that - it would be a nice place wouldn't it," she added.

The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey in a service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The procession and ceremony will be broadcast live on ITV and ITVX on Saturday 6 May.

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