A staunch monarchist who boasts a £200,000 collection of royal memorabilia has hit out at the plans for King Charles’ coronation next month – saying it is an “absolute disgrace” that the viewing areas along the procession route will not open until 6am the day of.
Anita Atkinson, 66, has been all set for the 6 May coronation, with a train pre-booked to take her to London a week before on 29 April, and plans to secure the perfect spot to watch proceedings, armed with a wearable sleeping bag and tent.
Anita, who lives in County Durham, had even planned to bring her granddaughters along for the spectacle, but says her plans have been left in tatters after news that the procession viewing areas won’t be accessible until the morning of the coronation.
“It’s absolutely shocking and an absolute disgrace,” Anita told Jam Press.
“I, and many thousands of others I imagine, had planned everything – booking transport, hotels, sorting out tents – and now the government will block us from the viewing area until 6am.
“It’s going to be a nightmare.
“People will be camping nearby in the capital and it’ll be absolute carnage.
“I was going to bring my granddaughters but I can’t risk it now – it won’t feel safe.
“I have no idea the sort of crush it will be at 6am.
“I can’t get my head around it.
“This is the people’s coronation, it is for us to see, but it feels like we are being dissuaded from being there in person.
“What are the government trying to do – make the King think no one is interested?
“This is nothing to do with the King. It’s the government’s job to organise the people around the processional route.
“Now they’re taking away our freedom to watch our king’s procession.
“But they won’t stop me.”
Anita is adamant she will still attend, though not with her grandchildren as planned, but has been desperately trying to reorganise her plans since hearing the news.
She said: “I spent all night looking on Google Maps.
“I had this all planned. My husband bought me a wearable sleeping bag for Valentine’s Day because he knew I’d camp out for this.
“I bought a tent for my granddaughters but there’s no way they can come now.
“I wanted my grandchildren to be able to look back in 60 years time and say they were there.
“I don’t want to just watch it on a big screen in Hyde Park – I want to be there and go where I always go.”
Anita previously travelled almost 300 miles to London to mourn the late Queen Elizabeth II in person, and spent four nights camping out in the capital for the 2011 royal wedding.
But with the new security restrictions in place, she has been left furious.
She added: “I was deliberately going to London a week early to find the best place to stand.
“I think this is an absolute disgrace.
“I know people say it’s a security risk but there’s a security risk every day of the week.”
Anita has previously made headlines thanks to her impressive collection of royal memorabilia, which she started back in 1976.
She has now accrued 13,300 items ranging from paintings to tea pots, which are collectively worth an estimated £200,000.
