King Charles III coronation: Meet the Kiwi camped out for days for the big event

Mo from Christchurch has camped out on The Mall in London. Photo / NZ Herald

She’s travelled 18,964km from Christchurch to London and according to Kiwi royal fanatic Mo, it’s all been well worth it for a front-row seat to a historic event 70 years in the making.

Speaking to the Herald outside at London’s iconic The Mall, Mo, her husband and her $19 Kmart tent are proudly parked behind a New Zealand silver fern flag - making her easier to spot among the masses of Union Jacks.

So what made the Kiwi make the massive journey over here? According to Mo, she had such a good time the last time she did it - for the Queen’s funeral in September 2022 - she simply felt like she had to do it all over again.

“I’ve always been a bit of a royalist all my life and we were here last year for the Queen’s funeral coincidentally and we camped out then, and we had such a good time. It was an amazing spectacle that we thought we’d come back for the coronation,” she says.

She’s not afraid of roughing it either, in fact, she’s been camped out since Wednesday (local time) in preparation for the event on midday Saturday and it’s certainly paid off. She’s already nabbed a wave from Prince William and spotted a driveby from King Charles and Queen Camilla, who later went on a walkabout at The Mall.

Prince William greets wellwishers during a walkabout on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace ahead of his father's coronation. Photo / Getty

And while an up-close-and-personal encounter with a royal is the cherry on top, Mo’s top priority is having a good time - and she’s got the supplies ready to ensure that happens.

“We’ve got our Kmart tent - $19, sleeping bags, alcohol, food, wet wipes.”

But Mo hasn’t snuck over a sneaky New Zealand sav, instead, she’s opted for bubbles ready to toast the new King and Queen.

Mo is ready with her $19 Kmart tent and bottle of bubbles. Photo / NZ Herald

So what does she think about the King that she’s camping out to celebrate? According to Mo, all the waiting has left Charles in a good spot to take on the job.

“He’s mellowed quite a lot, I think. And he’s quite progressive with his views on climate change and environmental issues and stuff like that. So I think he’ll come into his own. I mean, he’s a long time waiting.”

And sure, she could have raised a glass at home in the South Island and ordered coronation merch online, but Mo knows that nothing really compares to being there in the flesh and experiencing a historic moment in person.

“I love all things royal and just all the pomp and ceremony and the pageantry. And, yeah, nobody does it as good as the Brits.”