Brett Thoms
Bristol May 6, 2023
Marking the crowning of Canada’s new head of state, King Charles III, the aptly named Coronation Hall in Bristol held a coronation party last Saturday.
Charles III is the third monarch to be honoured at Coronation Hall, with the venue also historically holding occasions marking the accessions of George VI in 1937 and Elizabeth II in 1953.
Greg Graham, host of the event, said that while the crown does hold a lot of civic importance for Canada, ultimately the coronation makes for a good excuse to have a party.
“The monarchy represents our system of government, this ancient democracy of ours,” explained Graham. “We think Canada is only 150 years old, but our way of doing things goes back centuries. We’ve worked out this constitutional monarchy where we have the crown and its recognized authority, and yet, as a democracy, we make our own decisions. It’s just a lovely way of going things. Not revolution, but evolution.”
Graham also noted the significance of the coronation being a transnational celebration, with people in the UK, New Zealand and Australia all marking the same event in similar ways.
The event included dinner, live music, a video of previous coronations and select moments from Charles’s coronation from earlier last week. The guests sang songs like O’Canada, God Save the King and The Maple Leaf Forever.
The group also recited a loyalty oath to the new king, which goes as follows: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”
Beyond that, coronation served as a chance for Coronation Hall to open for the summer season, which included the unveiling of an exhibition on the history of Coronation Hall and Bristol.
