From London, Ont., to London, England to see the coronation of the King
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There's one thing on Ellen Baumgarten's bucket list this Saturday.
"I'm hoping we're close enough on the Mall to see the procession," said the London, Ont., resident who flew to England with her husband, Carl, for King Charles III's coronation. "My hope is that I see the golden carriage."
"If I see that golden carriage. I'll die a happy woman."
A self-proclaimed monarchist with British heritage, Baumgarten wasn't about to lose an opportunity to see the King. "I really wanted to see the Queen before she passed away and I feel very disappointed that I never got to do that," she said. "This is a big deal for me."
Baumgarten is a long-time royal enthusiast, and recalls getting up in the middle of the night on more than one occasion to don a fascinator while glued to the TV to watch a royal wedding.
But this is better. In the short four days the couple has been in London, they've already had a brush with the royals. "We were standing by Clarence House where the King resides and as we were there, Camilla came out in the car," said Baumgarten.
"She looked right at me and waved at me. I started crying. I turned to Carl and said, 'I can't believe that just happened!'"
"To be honest I'm not a huge monarchist but I think it's really exciting," Baumgarten's husband said in a phone interview with CBC News. "It's exciting to see everything that's going on, the way everyone's preparing for it."
People already camped out
The Baumgartens plan to arrive on the Mall — the procession route outside Buckingham Palace — in the early morning hours on Saturday, in the hopes of clinching a prime spot to see the King.
"We're very near a tube station, s we're going to come down quite early," Baumgarten said. On advice from some police officers the couple has spoken to, they're also going to pack lots of snacks and water.
"Tthey said once it's over at 11 and they're back at the palace and everything's done, they said go to a pub and wait for the crowds to clear out."
Complicated relationship
Although the couple is excited for the coronation, they know the monarchy has had a complicated relationship with Indigenous people.
"I think King Charles is ascending to the throne at a very interesting period of time," said Cody Groat, assistant professor in the department of history and Indigenous studies at Western University. "There have always been calls throughout history that have questioned the role of a monarch but now it's really entering public discourse."
"I think this is really unique opportunity for us to revisit the relationship and governance model that we have in Canada in relation to Indigenous nations and the crown," said Groat, who is Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River.
"We're seeing other countries around the world transitioning to a republic status, and I think Charles is very aware that he needs to be adaptable leading into his monarchy in order to keep things relevant."
"I think this is really unique opportunity for us to revisit the relationship and governance model that we have in Canada in relation to Indigenous nations and the crown," said Groat, who is Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River.
"We're seeing other countries around the world transitioning to a republic status, and I think Charles is very aware that he needs to be adaptable leading into his monarchy in order to keep things relevant."
