King Charles’ Coronation 2023: The most popular souvenirs revealed

From wind-up miniature King Charles dolls to “royal blend” teas and coffees. See what coronation memorabilia is selling fast.

The cost-of-living crisis hasn’t dented sales of royal memorabilia for the Coronation.

Among the most popular items for stalls in central Piccadilly are Union Jack banners, giant chocolate coins, royal books and miniature King Charles dolls.

“Those dolls are selling like hot cakes, people can’t get enough of them, in two days, I’ve sold more than one hundred, boxes of them,” said stallholder John Morecombe, 65.

Bookshop Hatchard’s has seen sales for its royal reads jump 282 per cent in a week from a collective $5650 to $21,600.

A commemorative Union Jack King Charles III Coronation flag is displayed for sale at a souvenir shop in London, England. Picture: Getty Images

Its limited edition Paddington At the Palace children’s book sold 1400 copies at the weekend and commemorative look at the new reign Charles III: A King and His Queen by Chris Jackson sold 70 copies in four hours on Monday.

You can even get King Charles III Coronation English breakfast Tea! Picture: Getty Images

Royal superfan Joseph Afrane is planning a Union Jack suit and matching Converse trainers baring the King’s portrait for when he picks his spot in the crowd along the Mall on Saturday.

“Everything, absolutely, everything I‘ll be wearing will be royal on the day, I’ll be in a Union Jack suit and my underpants will have the flag strategically placed on it,” he laughed.

Royal superfan Joseph Afrane wearing patriotic footwear. Picture: David Dyson

“I‘m a die hard royalist, I loved the Queen and I love the green King and everything he has done for the environment,” said the enthused security guard, 59, from London.

“Charles is continuing the legacy of the Queen. We’re in the coronation groove, it’ll be a great day for everyone around the world.”

Royal superfan Joseph Afrane in the Mall in central London ahead of the Coronation. Picture: David Dyson

California tourist Shannon McElyea, 67, said she felt the city was more “buzzy” for the King than when she visited for the Platinum Jubilee last June.

“More roads are closed off, the city feels like there’s more security and more people, it seems a lot more full on,” she said.

Commemorative memorabilia for sale at the Buckingham Palace shop ahead of the coronation of King Charles III. Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images

FIRST LOOK AT CORONATION STAGE

It will be the biggest stage ever built in the UK – and it’s fit for a King.

The stage for King Charles’ coronation will form a huge Union Jack and will be covered by a crown-shaped roof.

The 95m stage will be lit up in red, white and blue as music royalty perform in front of Windsor Castle as the UK – and the world – marks King Charles’ big moment.

The newly crowned King Charles and Queen Camilla will watch the concert alongside 20,000 people on the grounds of Windsor Castle, while hundreds of millions of others around the world watch on television.

The first photos of the epic setting have been released, as more royal fans arrived to camp in The Mall by Buckingham Palace.

A representation of the stage for the Kings Coronation Concert. Supplied

It is the biggest stage ever built in Britain. Supplied

The stage will resemble a huge Union Jack. Supplied

Meanwhile, UK security forces are preparing for everything from lone wolves to “eco-loons” and terror groups to antimonarchy mob threats to the Coronation.

Amid speculated rising costs of up to $280m for the security aspect alone, police and military chiefs are planning for every eventuality and with all resources to ensure the big day is not disrupted.

Along the Coronation route itself, armed police and thousands of officers drafted in from all around the country will be on patrol, as rooftop snipers and law enforcement drones keep watch from on high.

A temporary no-fly zone for aircraft will be imposed by aviation authorities over the city’s heart, while unauthorised drones will be kept out of the way by squads using radar and jamming devices to block signals between any rogue devices and their controllers on the ground.

Special forces and helicopter crews will be on standby; as will chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear units.

People walk along The Mall, towards Buckingham Palace, ahead of the coronation ceremony of Charles III and his wife, Camilla. Picture: AFP

Ahead of and during proceedings, the 2.1km route and surrounding areas will be swept for hidden explosives, chemicals and other sinister items, while covert plainclothes police mingle with the dense crowds of spectators, expected to be in the millions.

Some are camping out already to reserve a spot. The many Household Guards and other soldiers on ceremonial duty do not carry live ammunition, although they do have bayonets.

While security is always tight for royal events, with the Queen’s funeral and platinum jubilee the most recent grand-scale examples, security insiders say the Coronation – dubbed Operation Golden Orb – and its associated happenings, such as concerts and garden parties, bring a new level of challenge.

In addition to the standing threat from established terror groups like jihadists and neo-Nazis, a new surge of activity from dissident Irish Republicans, plus obsessed stalkers and fanatics operating alone, police now have to contend with calls from radical protesters, championing diverse causes, to disrupt proceedings.

Many of those avoided protesting last year’s funeral for fear of scoring a PR “own goal”, but groups such as antimonarchy organisation Republic have been out in force chanting “Not my king” at recent appearances by King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Republic has promised “peaceful and meaningful” protests in London on Saturday, calling out the Coronation and monarchy as a waste of money. ”This is the moment we make our objection loud, visible and impossible to ignore”, it said.

A full tri-service and Commonwealth rehearsal took place for the Armed Forces involvement in the second procession that accompanies Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Picture: AFP

And with so many crowds expected emergency services have to allow for standard risks, from opportunist crimes like theft and assault, to accidents and illness: extra ambulances and fire squads will also be on standby.

The security element of the Coronation could push the total cost of Golden Orb into the realms of $475m, according to the Sunday Mirror – despite the King’s wishes to keep the expense down. Total costs will not be officially revealed until after the event.

“The work that goes into an event like this is monstrous,” Mark Scoular, a security expert and tactical commander at the weddings of Prince William and Prince Harry, told the newspaper.

“But the view is, if you don’t do it properly, it costs more in the long run. A successful disruption – or worse, an attack – during an event like this affects how the UK is seen on a global level.”

The announcement of the Coronation date months in advance gave troublemakers a substantial time frame to prepare, but at the same time it means intelligence and security agencies have had longer to monitor and counter any plots; and initial planning for the event will have begun years ago.

Britain's King Charles III receives the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle ahead of his coronation ceremony as King. Picture: AFP

People walk beneath Union flags and Coronation Emblem flags in central London. Picture: AFP

With myriad levels of potential threat, there are multiple potential targets beyond the crowds and the royals themselves: in particular the Crown Jewels and associated prestige items and properties; and the many dignitaries flying in to be part of the 2000-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey.

Air traffic controllers have a specific schedule for VIP guests, many of whom will come into RAF bases around the country. Even that brings fears that climate change protesters could target the private jet arrivals.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said yesterday he was fed up with extremist protesters whose stunts ruin things for others.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, which branded Just Stop Oil radicals “eco-loons”, Mr Sunak said: “The public wants us to put a stop to selfish saboteurs disrupting their lives – and so do I … They deserve to see law-abiding citizens protected against a minority trying to make their lives miserable.”

The PM was commenting amid a political row in the UK over the criminalisation of “slow- walking” – one of the tactics protesters may try to use to interrupt proceedings.

Among the animal-loving British public, there is also concern over threats by some thugs to throw rape alarms at police horses. With horse-drawn carriages and the Household Cavalry on parade this weekend, any such stunt could become chaotic.

Originally published as King Charles’ Coronation 2023: The most popular souvenirs revealed