What a Coronation! There were lots of loos, Emma Thompson saved a choirboy – and I stole Lionel Richie’s seat
Our new king is a Shakespeare buff, so quite familiar with the famous line spoken by Francisco on the ramparts at Elsinore at the beginning of Hamlet: ‘For this relief, much thanks.’ This line was repeated by quite a few of us oldies lucky enough to be invited to the Coronation as we arrived at Westminster Abbey and found the ancient building almost surrounded by portaloos. There had been a rumour that ‘facilities’ would be in short supply at the royal peculiar. People were upping the pre-crowning bladder panic by repeating apocryphal tales of ‘accidents’ that had occurred at the last Coronation in 1953. The Daily Mail called me to ask if I would contribute a feature they were hoping to headline ‘The Royal Wee’. I declined, and how wise I was. Every aspect of the Coronation was brilliantly organised. The Dean and his ever good-humoured and consistently courteous team...
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