Royal superfan camps overnight after travelling from Cardiff to get first glimpse of Coronation

The coronation of King Charles III will take place on 6 May Credit: ITV Wales

A royal super fan camped overnight after travelling from her home in Cardiff to get a first glimpse of the Coronation.

Former air hostess Anne Daley arrived in London at 6am yesterday morning, saying "it means a lot".

"I wish to honour my dad for his role in the late Queen Elizabeth when she was crowned Queen, my dad was here, it's incredible really," she said.

Camping overnight, she witnessed the rehearsal of the coronation: "We didn't get a wink of sleep. 11 o'clock it started and it went on until 5am."

Anne Daley arrived at 6am yesterday morning

"The pageantry that people are going to see, we saw the gold state coach, we saw the new coach, we saw the carriages which Catherine and William and the children will be in, and maybe Prince Harry.

"The timing, the precision, the beat, the music, the rhythm. I think when they see this on Saturday, they're never going to see anything like it for 70 years."

She added: "The people have just been so incredible, they've been bringing us drinks, sandwiches, food, checking on us we've got everything we need and absolutely loving the cardboard cutouts."

Anne explained that the Coronation is important to her because her father was part of Elizabeth II Coronation.

"My father was in the Irish Guards and interestingly enough, he did the Coronation," she said.

She continued: "He's 90 now and he was on Elizabeth II Coronation, so it's unbelievable really, and now here I am up here today getting ready for the coronation of King Charles, former Prince of Wales."

Ben Gwalchmai, co-founded Labour for an Independent Wales, believes this setup is unfair

But not everyone in Wales is in favour of the Royal event.

An ITV Wales You Gov poll relieved that 78% are in favour of the Royals mostly paying for it, whilst 9% agreed that it should be - as it is - mostly paid for by the UK Government, as it is seen as a state event.

Ben Gwalchmai, co-founded Labour for an Independent Wales, believes this setup is unfair.

“The state should pay only for the upkeep of the state," he said.

"Not what essentially comes down to a parade of riches for rich people - rich people should pay for rich people’s stuff."

How do you think the Coronation should be mainly funded?

  • Funded by the Monarchy 78%

  • By the government through taxation 9%

  • Charitable donations 2%

  • None of these 3%

  • Don’t know 8%

Source: ITV Wales You Gov Poll, February 2023, sample size 1,081 adults 

Cost of a Coronation

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 was said to have cost £20.5 million in today’s money, whilst unconfirmed predictions suggest King Charles III’s coronation could cost between £50 - 100 million.

The UK Government will not be drawn on how much it’s costing, but have previously insisted that themselves and the King are “mindful of ensuring that there is value for the taxpayer”. 

The Archbishop of Wales will be in attendance at the Coronation on Saturday.

The Coronation Ceremony

On May 6th 2023 King Charles III will become the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned.

These ceremonies have historically taken place at Westminster Abbey, with the first documented Coronation there of William the Conqueror in 1066. 

The Archbishop of Wales will be in attendance on Saturday. He says a coronation is necessary because it’s important for the whole nation to see the King make public promises before God, to the Nation and the Commonwealth. 

He said: "(The King) needs to represent those of all faiths and non of course, he needs to blend in his own life."