
RNLI looks back on His Majesty King Charles III visits ahead of Coronation
As the nation prepares for the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are sharing archived images as they look back at His Majesty’s visits throughout the years.
Among them are photos of His Majesty’s 2021 visit, as the then Prince of Wales, to the charity’s college in Poole, Dorset to see where the RNLI’s extraordinary lifesavers from around the UK and Ireland are trained.
His Majesty was given a tour of the All-weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) as staff presented the facility where the production and refit of the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats takes place.
During his time at the ALC, His Majesty was able to view the progress of the Shannon-class lifeboat that is named in honour of his father, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
In a further nod to his father’s naval career, His Majesty attached a magpie engraved waterline plate to the transom of the lifeboat to honour The Duke of Edinburgh’s very first sea-going command in the Royal Navy when he assumed command of HMS Magpie in 1950. The lifeboat is now on service at Wells-next-the-Sea.
But this wasn’t His Majesty’s first encounter with the RNLI.
During his time as The Prince of Wales, His Majesty visited many lifeboats stations across the UK.
In July 2013, Their Majesties visited Whitstable Lifeboat Station as part of a trip to the town’s Oyster Festival.
After meeting local fishing families, tasting oysters and briefly performing with a local samba band, the couple were invited to the station to see the lifeboat and meet the crew before having a short break.
Mark Sidders, volunteer Launch Vehicle Operator (LVO), was making some last-minute preparations upstairs in the boathouse as they arrived.
Remembering the day 10 years ago, he said: 'After showing them the upstairs of the boathouse, we started to head back downstairs to meet the crew.
'The stairway has a large glass window so you could see there were huge crowds of people outside who started to cheer once they saw Their Majesties, who both started to wave back.
'I panicked for an awkward moment and decided to start waving back with them, as if I was on the Royal balcony!
‘I haven’t lived it down since and 10 years later, I’m still called the Buckingham Palace Liaison Officer by the crew.’
In August 2005, The King and Queen Camilla received a tour of the most northerly lifeboat station in the British Mainland, Thurso.
In full highland dress, His Majesty was shown the ropes of the station’s Severn class lifeboat The Taylors by coxswain William Munro. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla received a tour of the wheelhouse and engine room from mechanic William Miller.
The volunteers at Rock Lifeboat Station received a visit from His Majesty in June 1997, just four days after the new boathouse was opened.
As the lifeboat station lies within the Duchy of Cornwall, His Majesty took great interest in the planning of the station over the three years it was in development.
The volunteer crew chatted to His Majesty about their volunteering work and their everyday occupations during a truly memorable visit that was a great start to the life of the new boathouse.
As part of the Coronation celebrations, the RNLI will be supporting The Big Help Out volunteering campaign to raise awareness of all the great volunteering opportunities available, both at the RNLI and our partner charities throughout the UK.
The charity has also released a series of Coronation products on our online shop where all proceeds will help us continue to save lives at sea.
Portishead RNLI volunteers who form the shanty band The 85ers will be performing at the Coronation Concert this weekend as part of the Community Choir that was formed to celebrate the crowning of His Majesty King Charles III.
Additionally, on Wednesday 3 May, volunteers from across the RNLI joined diplomats and charity workers for The King's first Buckingham Palace Garden Party, where singer Lionel Richie was in attendance. Another group of seven RNLI volunteers will attend the next lawn party on Tuesday 9 May.
Notes to editor:
- Press release images and others are available for download here: https://source.rnli.org.uk/share/1CE6C1FB-DC7D-4BDA-AE13D4AB421BDC10/?viewType=grid
- Shop the RNLI’s Coronation products online here: https://shop.rnli.org/collections/king-charles-coronation-gifts
- Find out more about the 85ers here: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2023/may/04/portishead-rnli-sea-shanty-band-to-perform-at-coronation-concert
- More information on Duke of Edinburgh Shannon class lifeboat can found here: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2021/september/02/rnli-names-lifeboat-in-honour-of-the-duke-of-edinburgh
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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