The French parliament has called on the EU to formally label the Russian mercenary group Wagner as terrorists, as the UK reportedly prepares to do the same.
France’s parliament unanimously passed a non-binding resolution aimed at encouraging the 27 members of the EU to put Wagner on its official list of terrorist organisations.
“Wherever they work, Wagner members spread instability and violence,” MP Benjamin Haddad told parliament on Tuesday. “They kill and torture. They massacre and pillage. They intimidate and manipulate with almost total impunity.”
He said they were not simple mercenaries driven by an “appetite for money” but they “follow a broad strategy, from Mali to Ukraine, of supporting the aggressive policies of President [Vladimir] Putin’s regime towards our democracies”.
Being listed as a terrorist organisation means EU members could freeze assets of the Wagner group and its members, with European companies and citizens barred from dealing with the group.
Wagner mercenaries have spearheaded Russia’s months-long assault on Bakhmut in Ukraine’s industrial Donbas region. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, thanked the French parliament and urged other countries to follow suit.
“Every manifestation of terrorism must be destroyed, and every terrorist must be convicted,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Times newspaper reported that after two months of building a legal case, Britain would also formally list Wagner as a terrorist organisation to increase pressure on Russia.
Citing a government source, the Times said the blacklisting was “imminent” and likely to be enacted within weeks.
This would make it a criminal offence to belong to Wagner, attend its meetings, encourage support for it, or carry its logo in public, the Times said. It would impose financial sanctions on the group and there would be implications for Wagner’s ability to raise money if any funds went through British financial institutions.
Britain’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Wagner and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, have already been repeatedly sanctioned by the European Union and the UK.
Prigozhin had his assets in the European Union frozen in 2020 and was placed on a visa blacklist over the deployment of Wagner fighters to war-torn Libya, a decision he unsuccessfully appealed.
The French foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, conceded to lawmakers on Tuesday that legally the EU terrorist label would not have any “direct supplemental effect” on the group. But “we should not underestimate the symbolic importance of such a designation, nor the dissuasive effect that it could have on states tempted to turn” to Wagner.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed this report
Rishi Sunak flew to the south coast and back by helicopter to announce a new government health policy on Tuesday as he tried to calm Conservative jitters after a disastrous set of local election results.
In the latest example of the prime minister’s fondness for short-distance air travel, the prime minister visited Southampton to set out plans for pharmacists to provide prescriptions for millions of patients in England to help ease the GP crisis.
However, instead of getting the train from Waterloo station for the 160-mile round trip, which would have taken one hour 15 minutes and cost about £30 return, he opted to travel by air, at a cost to the taxpayer in the region of £6,000.
The visit, instead of reassuring Tory MPs that he was focused on getting on with the job after the Conservatives lost more than 950 seats in last week’s local elections, unintentionally underlined the fears of some that he is seen by voters as out of touch.
“Is it unfair to say that the weekend was about a powerful unelected individual who is unfeasibly wealthy and lacks the common touch … and King Charles III?” one Tory MP even joked darkly.
“To go backwards from our results in 2019 when we lost 1,300 seats is a damning indictment of the public view of the government. To outperform our own very low expectations is appalling.”
Sunak told reporters in Southampton that the local elections results were “obviously disappointing” but insisted his priorities were right for the country and he would “keep working” to deliver them.
His official spokesperson claimed that he had travelled by helicopter in part because he had “a series of meetings” in the afternoon that he needed to attend, with No 10 insiders insisting he was determined to stick with his plan.
Yet when his MPs returned to Westminster after the coronation weekend many were despondent. One former cabinet minister told the Guardian that Sunak’s allies were in “fantasy land” if they thought his plan could bring about the Tories returning to power next year.
“I think we can still deny Labour a majority, but I can’t see a path to us actually winning the election. Rishi has clearly decided his best bet is to stick to the path that he’s on, but I don’t think that will be enough.”
There are also concerns that voters do not see Sunak’s priorities as the right ones for the country – or at least don’t believe they’re deliverable. “If his five pledges were really the people’s priorities then they would presumably have voted for them,” one MP said.
Others have criticised party’s local election campaign, with Justin Tomlinson, the North Swindon MP, saying the Conservatives had gone into the local election lacking “a coherent message” and did not even hold a proper launch event.
“The results were devastating,” he told Times Radio. “It’s frankly insane for anybody to try and spin it otherwise … This was off the scale. We lost some very good councillors, not just in Swindon but in many parts of the country. It has to be a wake up call for the party at all levels. There’s no getting away from that.”
One former minister told the Guardian that beyond the sheer scale of losses last Thursday, the way it happened pointed towards more fundamental worries for the Conservatives.
“Obviously, a lot of it was because of where we are politically, but one thing I really noticed in my area this time is that we just don’t have the ground operation any more.
“There is a real lack of volunteers, and this is a long-term problem. We’re an ageing party. We’re a shrinking party. And every time we lose 1,000 councillors the problem gets worse. It’s going to be a real issue in the general election.”
However, one backbench MP insisted that despite the opposition gains, there was still a route for Sunak to lead the biggest party after a general election.
“Yes, some of the results were pretty grim, but voters like to give the government a kicking in local elections,” they said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they will do the same in a general election.
“Rishi has really stabilised things since Boris and Liz, and in my area people are gradually starting to notice. We’re certainly in a much better place. There was a time when Liz was PM that I worried our election loss would be so bad there was an outside chance I’d end up as opposition leader.”
Downing Street will, no doubt, take some solace from the lack of appetite from MPs for yet another Tory leadership contest – or bringing back Boris Johnson. One MP admits: “Colleagues have run out of puff, but they’re not feeling rebellious. Though I think that’s probably the worst of all worlds for the party.”
teenage drill rapper who murdered 14-year-old Jermaine Cools in a brutal street attack with a machete has been jailed for life in a landmark televised court hearing.
Marques Walker, 17, stabbed Jermaine seven times in a “senseless attack of extreme ferocity” during a fight near to West Croydon station in November 2021.
Chilling CCTV captured the moment Walker pulled the large machete out of his coat and plunged it into Jermaine’s chest repeatedly as the boy lay on the ground, squirming in a desparate bid to save himself.
Police release CCTV of Marques Walker attacking Jermaine Cools
In a victim impact statement, Jermaine’s mother Lorraine Dudek said they have had to “endure a rap song made and posted online by (Walker’s) fellow gang members, goading and taunting us about Jermaine’s murder”.
She said: “I will never forgive the defendant for taking my baby away from me, robbing me of the opportunity to watch him turn from a boy into a man and ruining our family’s lives.”
Ms Dudek described being left with a “sad and empty home filled with three people suffering pain and mental torment.”
She added: “Now I fear living into old age having to endure this constant pain.”
Jermaine’s father Julius Cools asked Walker: “Why did you do that, to my innocent child who never had a problem with anybody?”
He added that Walker’s fellow gang members “have his blood on your hands”.
Marques Walker murdered Jermaine Cools in a knife attack in West Croydon
/ MPS
Walker, a ‘county lines’ drug dealer linked to the ‘Shrublands’ gang in south London, was on bail for possession of a knife at the time of the murder, and wrote drill rap lyrics behind bars boasting about the killing.
At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Judge Sarah Munro KC sentenced Walker to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years.
“This is yet another case involving the senseless murder of a young teenager, committed for reasons no mature adult could fathom”, she said.
“Jermaine Cools was only 14 when you killed him, he was the youngest victim of fatal knife crime in London in 2021.
“There have been many further murders of young teenagers since Jermaine’s death.
“Nothing seems to deter the likes of you from going on to the streets of London and elsewhere armed with lethal weapons easily acquired on the Internet, intent on serious violence without any thought for the consequences to the victims, their innocent loved ones, nor for the consequences to themselves.
“In the words of your own counsel, this was an appalling act of senseless violence.”
Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC said CCTV footage and a video shot by a passerby showed that “Jermaine Cools did not stand a chance”.
“He could offer no resistance. He was unarmed, he was on the floor, and he was totally vulnerable”, she said.
“He was stabbed a total of seven times by Marques Walker in a senseless attack of extreme ferocity.”
Jermaine was the 27th fatal victim of knife crime that year, and the youngest victim to die on London’s streets in 2021.
Jermaine Cools was killed in Croydon, south London (Met Police/PA)
/ PA Wire
The court heard a fight had broken out with Jermaine and his brothers on one side and Walker and friends on the other.
“Jermaine stumbled but regained his footing only to fall over onto the pavement possibly as a result of another member of Marques Walker’s group pushing him”, said Ms Carberry.
“It is at this point, while Jermaine was on the pavement, that Marques Walker removed the large knife which he had concealed down the front of his jacket.
“He quickly approached Jermaine who was still on the ground and the stabbed him multiple times in quick succession as Jermaine rolled around the pavement in an attempt to avoid the blows.”
Jermaine was rushed to hospital by members of the public but he died from the stab wounds inflicted by Walker.
The killer was on bail at the time of the murder, the court heard, and he went on to carry out another attack while on remand in prison.
He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to a fellow inmate, 17, which has left the victim with severe brain damage.
The court heard Walker initiated the attack and was heard shouting “finish him off”. Afterwards he stated “that’s what snitches get” and asked a prison officer: “Is he dead?”
Also in prison, Walker wrote rap lyrics about the murder of Jermaine which were discovered by one of the guards.
“I had young stardawg doing roley poley but den I had to duck from police on me cah I left him deceased and I don high knees”, he wrote.
The court heard Walker was convicted of possession of a knife in February 2020, while a year 7 pupil at Meridian High School in Croydon.
He had been caught by the headteacher with a large ‘Rambo’ knife in his rucksack.
In April 2021, Walker dropped a knife in a police chase when he was being monitored in a ‘County Lines’ drug operation. However a prosecution for possession of a knife was dropped the following March on the grounds that Walker was a victim of modern slavery.
Six weeks before Jermaine’s murder, on October 6, 2021, Walker was caught with a fearsome Zombie knife on a bus through Croydon.
After the murder, Walker went back to his family home in Bromley. His mother found messages on his Snapchat account from friends, advising him to get rid of his clothes and phone and suggesting he may get away with murder.
Walker went on the run, and was arrested six weeks later by pure chance when police turned up at an address in Upper Norwood to arrest a different person.
Walker was described as a “habitual knife carrier”, and told officers when challenged about his behaviour: “If you guys grew up when I grew up, me stepping out of my house without a knife, I literally feel like I’m walking to my death.”
Judge Munro KC agreed that Walker could be named despite being under the age of 18, and ruled that her sentencing remarks could be filmed and broadcast as a “deterrent to others”.
“The welfare of this defendant does not outweigh the public interest in open justice and a reporting restriction is no longer necessary”, said the judge.
“The serious nature and increasing prevalence of knife crime, knife-related homicide and violent crime…; the consequent need for deterrence; the promotion of public confidence that the criminal justice system is addressing the problem; and the proximity of the defendant’s 18th birthday… all outweigh any minimal impact upon the welfare of defendant.”
This is the first televised sentencing hearing for a defendant under the age of 18 who has murdered a youth victim.
Judge Munro was forced to restart her sentencing remarks when she was interrupted by a woman shouting “he started the fight” from the public gallery, aiming her remarks at a man sitting watching.
Walker, from Bromley, Kent, pleaded guilty to murder, possession of an offensive weapon, and causing grievous bodily harm.
The head of the Metropolitan Police has defended the policing of the Coronation after six anti-monarchy protesters were arrested, detained for hours and then released without charge.
Sir Mark Rowley said it was unfortunate those arrested could not protest, but he supported the officers' actions.
He said there had been a "concerning" threat to the Coronation.
People purporting to be stewards had white paint they wanted to throw to disrupt the procession, he said.
Sir Mark also said the Met had had growing concerns that protesters would use rape alarms, possible lock-on devices, loud hailers and vandalise monuments during the procession.
A group of six anti-monarchy protesters, including the chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic, Graham Smith, was arrested on the day of King Charles III's coronation under a controversial new law, the Public Order Act 2023.
They were held for almost 16 hours, later bailed and told on Monday that no further action would be taken against them.
Addressing the arrests in his newspaper article, Sir Mark said: "While it is unfortunate that the six people affected by this were unable to join the hundreds of peaceful protestors, I support the officers' actions in this unique fast-moving operational context."
Mr Smith has said he is considering legal action over the arrests, which he said followed four months of conversations with the Met about Republic's protest plans.
In total, 64 people were arrested in London during the Coronation policing operation. Police said 52 of these related to concerns people were going to disrupt the event. Four people have so far been charged.
Recent changes to the Public Order Act, passed just days before the Coronation week, make it illegal to prepare to lock-on - when a person attaches themselves to an object so they cannot be moved.
The Met expressed "regret" on Sunday evening after it found there had been no proof the six protesters with Republic had been planning to use "lock on" devices (equipment to attach themselves to objects), as had been claimed.
It said the six had had their bail cancelled and no further action would be taken.
Matt Turnbull of Republic, who was one of those held, said: "It is a concerning thing for everyone for the police to be able to determine that you may be about to commit a crime when there is no evidence of that to be had."
Former cabinet minister David Davis - who had been the only Conservative MP to vote against the changes to the law - told the Today programme the new law was "too crude and too broadly defined".
Speaking later in the House of Commons, Mr Davis pointed out that "within one week of the Public Order Bill entering the law", the Met had had to "apologise" over arrests.
SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who tabled an urgent question on the policing of protests at the Coronation, called for further investigation into the arrests and asked whether political pressure had brought to bear on the police.
In response, Policing Minister Chris Philp defended the police's actions, telling the Commons that "at the point the arrest was made, the police reasonably believed there were grounds to do so".
Mr Philp said hundreds of people had peacefully protested against the monarchy, adding that anyone unhappy with their arrest could make a complaint.
Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, who chairs the Home Affairs Committee, said the committee would "no doubt" want to look at the use of the new law in the policing of Coronation protests.
The 2023 Public Order Act is the government's second major piece of legislation changing protest laws in under two years.
In 2022 MPs voted to place greater restrictions on public processions if they are too noisy.
The new act goes further:
• Protesters who interfere with "key national infrastructure" including roads and railways can face 12 months in jail.
• Anyone who fixes themselves to an object or building to create an immovable obstacle, a tactic known as "locking on", could be jailed for six months.
• The law bans protesters from committing acts of "serious disruption" - meaning demonstrations which prevent people going about their day-to-day activities.
• Other new offences include up to three years in jail for tunnelling as part of a protest. Police will also have new powers to search people for super-glues and padlocks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the new legislation, telling broadcasters: "What the government has done is give the police the powers that they need to tackle instances of serious disruption to people's lives.
"I think that is the right thing to do and the police will make decisions on when they use those powers."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said arrests at protests were a "difficult judgment call" for police but that "we need to protect legitimate protests".
However, Sir Keir refused to say that his party would scrap the Public Order Act, telling the BBC the law had not "bedded in yet" and that it was important to balance protecting peaceful protest with the need to police disruptive action.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he has requested "further clarity" from Scotland Yard, saying the right to peaceful protest is an integral part of democracy.
Liberty, a campaign group which defends civil liberties, said the government had "rushed through" the Public Order Act ahead of the Coronation.
Sam Grant, advocacy director at the organisation, called for the Public Order Act to be repealed.
He said the police had been "overzealous" in using their "broad and poorly defined" powers - "with serious consequences for people's freedom of expression."
He added: "We should all be very worried about the impact this will have on our right to make our voices heard on the issues that matter to us."
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By Sean Seddon
BBC News
The Metropolitan Police has expressed "regret" over the arrests of six anti-monarchy protesters on Coronation day.
Republic chief executive Graham Smith, who was among the group, said he has now received a personal apology from police officers.
He said he did not accept the apology and would take legal action after no charges were brought against him.
The Met also confirmed it had used a controversial new law to detain the group.
Mr Smith said a chief inspector and two other officers visited his Reading home on Monday evening to issue the apology.
He told PA news agency: "They seemed rather embarrassed to be honest.
"I said for the record I won't accept the apology. We have a lot of questions to answer and we will be taking action."
Mr Smith, who is from Bristol, earlier said he wanted a "full inquiry" into the "disgraceful episode".
The Met said a review found there was no proof the six protesters, who were detained when their vehicle was stopped near the procession route, were planning to "lock on", a protesting tactic which is now banned.
Recent changes to the law, passed last week, make it illegal for protesters to use equipment to secure themselves to things like railings.
The Met said the group of six were detained after items were found in a vehicle which officers "had reasonable grounds to believe could be used as lock on devices".
But the force said it was "unable to prove intent to use them to lock on and disrupt the event".
One man in the group was also arrested for possession of a knife or pointed article.
The Met said it was "not clear at the time" to the arresting officers that "at least one of the group stopped had been engaging with police" about holding a lawful protest prior to the Coronation.
"We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route," a statement continued.
Now it has said all six people have had their bail cancelled and confirmed no further action will be taken.
Mr Smith said earlier on Monday that he had spent months consulting with officers about his group's protest plans, and said in a statement on Twitter that his group would be "speaking to lawyers about taking legal action".
He said he had been held for 16 hours on the morning of the Coronation after being stopped by officers who suspected him and group members of carrying "lock on" devices to tie themselves to inanimate objects.
"They also said they had intelligence, which is untrue," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"If they did have intelligence their intelligence officers are either lying or incompetent because there was never any discussion, thought, email, message, anything that suggested any intent to do anything disruptive."
Mr Smith added that, after months of discussions with the Met, the force had "repeatedly said, right up until Friday, that they had no concerns about our protest plans, that they were well aware of what we were going to do and they would engage with us and not disrupt us".
He continued: "So they've repeatedly lied about their intentions, and I believe they had every intention of arresting us prior to doing so."
Mr Smith also rejected suggestions his arrest, along with other protesters, was necessary to limit disruption to the Coronation.
Former cabinet minister David Davis was the only Conservative MP to vote against the changes to the Public Order Bill, which criminalised protesters using lock-on measures.
He said that the legislation should be scrutinised by the Home Affairs Select Committee to ensure it is understood and implemented fairly.
He told the Today programme: "There's too many elements of the law that are too crude and too broadly defined.
"What the government said was that it expects the police to come up with standards of behaviour. That's very woolly. If we're going to do that, we should do it properly, do it centrally, with the same level of democracy in the whole country.
"No-one wants a day ruined, but the right to put up placards is virtually absolute in British democracy."
Former Greater Manchester police chief Sir Peter Fahy said he gave evidence in parliament expressing his concern that the new law was "poorly defined and far too broad".
"We see the consequences of that, particularly for the poor police officers who have to make sense of legislation that was only passed a few days ago," he told the Today programme.
"This law could affect all sorts of protests in your local community, and this legislation could be used against you, and the police would be under pressure.
"The government have actually reduced the amount of discretion the police have in getting the balance right."
Shadow housing minister Lisa Nandy said "clearly something has gone wrong" in the handling of Mr Smith's case, and expressed her support for a review into the matter, which has been requested by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
However, she said Labour was not committing to "wholesale repeal" of the new law introduced by the Conservatives last week, which has been criticised for clamping down on the rights of peaceful protesters.
She told BBC Breakfast: "One of the questions we have is 'why was it that this group were clearly in contact with the Met, had informed them about their plans, and yet still ended up arrested up and prevented from protesting?'.
"If there is a problem with the legislation, of course we'll rectify that in government, but we're not into wholesale repeal of legislation without understanding what the actual problem is first."
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Earlier, Met Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said officers "police without fear or favour," insisting the force had done "an incredible job" policing the Coronation.
He told the Today programme: "We have to take into consideration everything that at that moment is put in front of us. If individuals intend to cause an incident which will affect others near them or around them... then we take action to deal with it.
"Protesting can take place in this country, but it's to the level of which you perform that protesting that we have to balance and deal with."
A giant barge which will be used to house asylum seekers off the Dorset coast has arrived in UK waters.
The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge will stop in Falmouth, Cornwall, where it will undergo inspection and refitting.
The 222-bedroom, three-storey vessel, will house around 500 single male asylum seekers when it is in position in Portland Port, off the Dorsetcoastal town of Weymouth.
It will be ready for use this summer and will be operational for at least 18 months.
Image:The barge will stop in Falmouth, Cornwall, to be refurbished
Image:The 222-bedroom will be positioned in Portland Port, off the coastal town of Weymouth
Image:The Bibby Stockholm will be ready for use this summer, according to officials
The Home Office said the accommodation will be "basic" with healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security, at a reported cost of £20,000 a day.
It did not say how much the lease agreement cost but insisted it is "significantly cheaper than hotels".
However, the plan has faced criticism from Tory-run Dorset Council and local Conservative MP Richard Drax.
Image:Facilities on board the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge. Pic: Bibby Marine Ltd
Image:Dining facilities on board the Bibby Stockholm. Pic: Bibby Marine Ltd
Mr Drax threatened legal action over the 'floatel', sparking fears of fresh tensions in the Conservative Party.
The South Dorset MP, who has previously backed rigorous measures to cut the UK's level of immigration, said the barge was "dumped on our door" without consultation by the Home Office and urged Home Secretary Suella Braverman to scrap the idea.
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In April, Mr Drax described the Portland Port site as a "very, very restricted area" and raised concerns about keeping hundreds of vulnerable people there, which he said would place pressure on the port's "very small" police force.
He told Sky News those being accommodated on the barge would be bussed in from the port to nearby Portland Harbour, which is a "summer resort dependent almost entirely on visitors and tourists" with busy beaches not far away.
The government is also facing criticism from charities and human rights campaigners who said the accommodation is not appropriate for people fleeing war.
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2:31
Why do migrants cross the Channel?
Liverpool-based operator Bibby Marine Limited said last month that the barge had been refurbished since it was described as an "oppressive environment" used for asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
Portland Port chief executive Bill Reeves said: "We encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously said the barge would save taxpayers' money, with the government currently spending around £6m a day housing asylum seekers in hotels.
The Times previously reported that the vessel would cost £15,000 a day to charter, while the cost of berthing it in Portland would be more than £4,500 a day.
Additional costs would be required for services, including security and catering.
However, Labour said the barge is in addition to, not instead of, hotel accommodation.
Last year 45,755 people crossed the Channel in small boats, while more than 6,000 have arrived so far this year.
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Buckingham Palace this evening released portraits marking the crowning of Charles III and Queen Camilla, as the King thanked the nation for making the coronation “such a special occasion”.
King Charles III is pictured in full regalia in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, London
He said: “As the coronation weekend draws to a close, my wife and I just wanted to share our most sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped to make this such a special occasion.
“We pay particular tribute to the countless people who have given their time and dedication to ensuring that the celebrations in London, Windsor and further afield were as happy, safe and enjoyable as possible.
“To those who joined in the celebrations - whether at home, at street parties and lunches, or by volunteering in communities - we thank you, each and every one,” the King continued.
“To know that we have your support and encouragement, and to witness your kindness expressed in so many different ways, has been the greatest possible coronation gift, as we now rededicate our lives to serving the people of the United Kingdom, the realms and Commonwealth.”
Charles III and Camilla are pictured with members of the working royal family: (left to right) the Duke of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Gloucester, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, the Duke of Edinburgh
Camilla was pictured alongside the King, and also in a solo portrait, wearing Queen Mary’s Crown, with the train of her lengthy embroidered Robe of Estate spread in front of her.
The working royal family - the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Edinburghs, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Kent, the Gloucesters and Princess Alexandra - were also photographed stood with the King and Queen in the images by Hugo Burnand.
It comes after new figures show the Coronation Concert on Sunday night was watched by an average of 10.1 million, overnight figures from the BBC show. The event had a peak audience of 12.3 million, the corporation said.
The royal couple in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace
Kate Phillips, BBC Director of Unscripted, said: “Last night’s Coronation Concert was an unforgettable evening of spectacular performances that brought us all together in celebration.
“Against the stunning backdrop of Windsor Castle, the concert reflected many of the King’s passions and highlighted the outstanding talent we have in the UK and beyond.”
At the star-studded event on Sunday evening, Prince William paid tribute to the King’s coronation “pledge of service” as the newly crowned monarch’s life was celebrated.
The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and the Prince of Wales, in the Royal Box at the Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle
(Getty Images)
William took to the stage during the Coronation Concert to speak about the pride he felt for his father, highlight Charles’ recognition of “people of all faiths, all backgrounds” and fondly remember his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
During a night of music staged in the grounds of Windsor Castle, actors, singers and entertainers came forward to praise the nation’s King - and Kermit the Frog managed to gatecrash the royal box.
William told the 20,000 spectators: “Pa, we are all so proud of you.” When he took to the stage he delighted his daughter Princess Charlotte, who could be seen pointing out her father to brother Prince George.
The future King made a poignant reference to his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, adding: “I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us.” He told Charles: “She would be a very proud mother.”
Prince Louis of Wales and his mother Kate toast marshmallows as they take part in the Big Help Out
(Getty Images)
On Monday, William’s son Louis stole the show as he got stuck into a spot of painting, digging and decorating when he volunteered with his family helping renovate a Scout hut site in Slough, Berkshire, as part of the Big Help Out.
The five-year-old royal tried his hand at archery, making hand prints on a mural, and ended the day splashed with paint but got his reward - a smore, a marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between two biscuits.
Kensington Palace said it was the youngster’s first royal engagement.
Although Louis has been at numerous big royal events from Trooping the Colour to the coronation, it is thought to be the first time he has actively participated in an official visit face to face with the public.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen had a quiet day away from the public eye after Sunday evening’s concert.
