Harlow Vlaardingerbroek, 10, and sister Nova, 8, with a photo of Harlow’s encounter with the future King Charles III during a visit to Paihia in 2019,
When Northland 7-year-old Harlow Vlaardingerbroek met the then Prince Charles in 2019 she was struck by just how nice a man he was.
Now 10, Harlow will join thousands of Northlanders at the weekend to watch the coronation of the now King Charles III.
The historic occasion - it’s the first coronation in 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II’s crowning on June 2, 1953 - will be screened live around the world.
Harlow met then Prince Charles in Paihia in November 2019 when he and Lady Camilla were visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and she will be watching the coronation this weekend to see the man she met crowned as King.
Harlow recalls having a bit of a wait on the street with mum Nicola while she was hoping Prince Charles would go past. However, the Prince stopped to shake her hand and ask about her homework. She didn’t expect him to go over to her, but she was very excited when he did.
‘’He asked me about my homework and wanted to make certain I was doing it. He was a very nice person,’’ Harlow said.
She said some of her friends did not believe her when she later told them she’d met the future king, until the photographic evidence taken by the Northern Advocate was produced.
Harlow said she is proud to have met the future king as not many people she knew would be able to say that.
‘’I hope he will be a fair King for the country,’’ she said.
Nicola Vlaardingerbroek said she took Harlow along that day as it was something exciting happening in town.
‘’We’re not really big royal followers, but it was something major happening in town that may not happen again so we went along,’’ she said.
And she’s so glad they did as Harlow now has unique, lifelong memories.
Watching the coronation could mean a late night for those tuning in from Northland, with the ceremony starting at 10pm on Saturday, NZ time, at Westminster Abbey. But that’s not deterring some, as while there are no public events planned, plenty of people across the region will be tuning in.
Another Northlander looking forward to the coronation is Mori Rapana (Ngāti Toro, Te Kohatutaka, Ngāpuhi) who as the the Treaty Grounds’ pou tikanga Māori, welcomed and escorted Prince Charles and Lady Camilla on to Waitangi in 2019.
Rapana said that was a memorable occasion for he, his whanau, hapū and iwi as the royal couple were not supposed to visit Waitangi on that occasion.
He said the Waitangi National Trust and local manuwhenua worked hard to get the couple to visit, and after much work - and meeting some intricate and strict royal protocol - the visit was arranged and Rapana was the man to welcome them on to Waitangi, along with Kahungunu elder Piri Sciascia.
Given the strict criteria that had to be met to get the visit, Rapana said he thought the future king would be very formal, but nothing could be further from the truth.
‘’I was really excited, but a bit nervous about that [how approachable the prince would be] but he was so approachable and warm. He was genuinely interested in me, my whānau, our iwi and Māori culture. I treated them the same as any manuhiri, or visitor, to the Treaty Grounds, but there was lot more interest in this visit.
‘’But as we walked on it was then that it hit me that this was our future king, but he was very respectful and I found Prince Charles to be such a lovely gentleman. He was asking some very good questions and wanted to know as much as he could. He also likes a lot of what some people might say is chit chat, but that was so important too and shows what sort of person he is - genuine and warm.’’
Rapana said he thinks Charles will make a good king, who cares for people and will have a commitment to honouring the Treaty of Waitangi. He said Charles and Camilla also met his wife Rohario Waretini and daughter Tangimanawa, which provided them all with lifelong memories.
Like millions around the globe, Rapana will be watching the coronation this weekend, proud that he has met the new king.
The residents at Jane Mander Retirement Village in Whangārei will be screening the ceremony live from 9.30pm in the village and many other rest homes and retirement villages across the region will also be screening the event.
One of the biggest fans of the royal family in Northland is Onerahi resident Bev Long, with her home serving as a tribute to the royals. Long will be tuning in and then having a high tea at home from 1.30pm on Sunday to celebrate.
‘’I’m really looking forward to it, it will be a remarkable occasion to welcome our new King, and my excitement is building as it gets closer,’’ she said.
‘’I think this signals a new beginning for the royal family.’’
For the past decades Queen Elizabeth II has taken pride of place in Long’s home, but she’ll shift things around a bit to give the new King his appropriate spot.
None of the region’s three district councils - Whangārei, Far North and Kaipara - have any public events planned to mark the coronation.
In the Far North residents can mark the coronation of King Charles III by adding congratulatory messages to commemorative books located at the council’s main service centres.
The commemorative books will be available for two weeks at the council headquarters in Kaikohe, at the Kerikeri Service Centre, and at the service centre in Te Ahu, Kaitāia.
Anyone wishing to add a message to the commemorative books but are unable to visit the three service centres, can instead leave messages for the new King with Far North library staff. They will ensure messages collected are added to the books. The last chance to contribute to the books will be on May 12, after which they will be sent to the Governor-General’s office and passed on to King Charles.
Dargaville Lions are hosting a free Royal High Tea at Dargaville Museum from 1.30pm on Sunday. It’s a ticketed event for NZ GoldCard holders but is already sold out.
When is the coronation?
Charles’ coronation service will start at 11am on Saturday, May 6 (10pm on Saturday NZT).
The coronation at Westminster Abbey in London will be a symbolic religious ceremony during which Charles will be crowned King alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort. The crown to be placed on King Charles’ head during the ceremony will be the same one used for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation but has been refitted for her son.
A weekend of celebrations will follow, including a concert, a Coronation Big Lunch and a day of volunteering.
Where can we watch the coronation in NZ?
For the most up-to-the-minute coverage, you can follow the NZ Herald coverage at www.nzherald.co.nz for live updates from the coronation, as our Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor Jenni Mortimer reports live from London.
The King’s coronation will be televised all around the world. Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 was the first ever to be shown on TV, by her own request. Around 27 million people in the UK watched the ceremony, with 11 million listening on radio.
Kiwis can tune in to watch the ceremony on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.
Charles’ coronation could also mark the first time the anointing of a British monarch is broadcast. The moment when the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the monarch on the hands, head and chest is traditionally the most sacred part of the proceedings and has until now always been hidden from public view with a canopy.
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