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US First Lady Jill Biden has joined Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Downing Street for a big lunch to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
The pair laughed and joked as they greeted each other, giving each other a kiss on both cheeks. They chatted for a few minutes before taking their seats with the other guests which included volunteers, Ukrainian refugees and youth group members.
The celebration at No 10 is among the thousands of street parties being held across the country today as people gather together for the Coronation Big Lunch.
As the festivities continued this weekend to mark Charles’ reign, Buckingham Palace revealed the King and Queen were ‘deeply touched’ by the nation’s celebration of their historic coronation.
The Palace said newly-crowned Charles and Camilla are ‘profoundly grateful’ to those who helped make it such a ‘glorious occasion’.
US First Lady Jill Biden has joined Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Downing Street for a big lunch to mark the coronation of King Charles III
First Lady Jill Biden and Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty (right) speak to people attending the Big Lunch party at Downing Street today
The First Lady and Prime Minister laughed and joked as they greeted each other, giving each other a kiss on both cheeks
Mrs Biden, (left) wearing a long white embroidered coat, and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden were greeted by the Prime Minister’s wife, Akshata Murty (right)
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, his wife Akshata Murty and daughters Anoushka and Krishna attend the Big Lunch event on Downing Street
Mrs Biden, wearing a long white embroidered coat, and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden were greeted by the Prime Minister’s wife, Akshata Murty.
They spent a few moments chatting before Ms Murty guided Mrs Biden towards the tables, where they began meeting guests.
Mr Sunak arrived shortly before Mrs Biden, walking out of the famous Number 10 door with his family. He said: ‘Hello, how are you?’ to the gathered guests before starting to mingle.
Recipients of the Points of Light Award, given to ordinary people doing extraordinary things for their community, were among the invitees along with Ukrainians who have come to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme after Russia invaded their country, as well as their UK sponsors.
Other guests include young people from UK Youth and the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs.
Also present at the event were Mr Sunak’s two daughters and the family dog, Nova.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty (right), and her daughters Krishna Sunak (left) and Anoushka Sunak (centre) view preparations prior to Downing Street hosting a big lunch to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Finnegan Biden, Akshata Murty and Jill Biden spent a few moments chatting before taking their seats at the table
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds an oversized tea pot as he goes to pour a cup while sitting next to First Lady Jill Biden during the Big Lunch party on Downing Street
Jill Biden (right), her granddaughter Finnegan Biden (left) and Akshata Murty are seen smiling and laughing during the Big Lunch outside No 10
Jill Biden and Rishi Sunak are seen conversing outside No 10 before sitting down for lunch
Animated Rishi Sunak speaks with Jill Biden during a Coronation Big Lunch organised in Downing Street
Jill Biden (second from left) and granddaughter Finnegan Biden (left) speak with Rishi Sunak (right) and wife Akshata Murty (second from right) during a lunch at Downing Street
Many of the invited guests took photos before taking seats right in front of the Number 10 door.
The outside event saw two long tables covered in white linen, with vases of tulips and mugs saying King Charles III set up in front of the famous black No 10 door.
Guests were tucking into dishes including coronation quiches, coronation chicken, sausage rolls and smoked salmon.
The food has been sourced from across the UK, including beef from Gloucestershire, which is being served in Yorkshire puddings, Scottish Loch Duart salmon, Northern Irish soda bread and ice cream from Wales.
The crockery has been donated by Emma Bridgewater, a pottery with strong royal connections.
The street was bedecked in union flag bunting with music played by the RAF Northolt brass quintet.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty (right) greets First Lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden (left) before hosting a Coronation Big Lunch in Downing Street
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gestures as he attends the Big Lunch party at Downing Street to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a plate of sandwiches as US First Lady Jill Biden takes one with a British flag in it
A dog with a Union Jack themed neckerchief is seen during a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty at Downing Street
First Lady Jill Biden speaks with guests at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s coronation lunch
Street parties are taking place across the UK today as Britons are encouraged to come together to mark the coronation.
The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised fans in Windsor with a walkabout as a Coronation Big Lunch was underway. William and Kate made the unannounced appearance ahead of the star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle at 8pm tonight.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend a Big Lunch in Cranleigh, Surrey, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will be guests at a community street party in Swindon, Wiltshire, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will visit a Big Lunch in Windsor.
The celebrations come after tens of thousands of people turned out in central London yesterday to see the pomp and pageantry of the coronation, with Charles and Camilla processing through the streets in the Gold State Coach and taking to the Palace balcony in their glittering crowns.
More than 18 million people in the UK tuned in to watch the ceremony on TV, compared with 26.5 million for the late Queen’s funeral in September.
A Palace spokesman said: ‘Their Majesties were deeply touched by the events of yesterday and profoundly grateful both to all those who helped to make it such a glorious occasion – and to the very many who turned out to show their support in such numbers in London and further afield.’
Camilla meanwhile asked for her coronation bouquet of English spring flowers to be placed on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in the coronation church, Westminster Abbey.
The simple posy, including auriculas, the late Queen’s favourite lily of the valley, and one of Charles’s favourites hellebores, by the King and Queen’s go-to florist, Shane Connolly, was laid at the memorial.
Royal brides traditionally send their bouquets to be placed there the day after their weddings in a tradition started by the Queen Mother.
Camilla did not carry the flowers on Saturday as it was a wedding not a coronation, the Palace said.
In Windsor, royal fans – some draped in Union flags or wearing Union flag dresses – started arriving hours before the concert was due to begin at 8pm.
The show, hosted by Downton Abbey and Paddington actor Hugh Bonneville, will see Hollywood star Tom Cruise, Dynasty actress Dame Joan Collins, adventurer Bear Grylls and singer Sir Tom Jones appear via video message.
The series of pre-recorded sketches will reveal little-known facts about the monarch and will also include moments from beloved literary character Winnie the Pooh – seemingly echoing the famous moment Paddington Bear drank tea with the Queen during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
There will also be performances by Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, veteran rock guitarist Steve Winwood, and Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls.
Classical acts including Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel and Chinese pianist Lang Lang will perform too.
The Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal College of Music and the Royal College of Art will come together for the first time to create a one-off performance featuring Sex Education and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Olivier Award nominee Mei Mac.
Meanwhile, as part of the Coronation Concert, choreographed lasers, projections and drone displays will radiate over historic bridges and buildings.
Seven of the 10 locations involved in the event, Lighting Up The Nation, have been disclosed so far, including Blackpool seafront in Lancashire, where people can join a viewing party from Blackpool Tower.
Sheffield Town Hall will showcase a display in the Peace Gardens, while Newcastle’s Tyne Bridge and Gateshead’s Millennium Bridge lights will cast riverside reflections for an audience stretching between the quays.
A drone show will light up the sky above the Eden Project in Cornwall, and its biomes will become multicoloured for spectators invited from the local volunteer community.
Light shows will also brighten up Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff at various locations. The remaining three locations will be revealed during the concert.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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