Group hosts tea party in honour of the King
SOUTHPORT u3a celebrated the Coronation with a sumptuous tea party at The Grand in Southport.
With live classical music, flags, Coronation poppers and a majestic quiz the occasion was a huge success but the highlight was a surprise visit from the royal couple themselves.
Southport ground to a standstill as Charles and Camilla arrived in a huge vintage 1934 Daimler Landaulette, which has appeared in Brideshead Revisited and is used as Moses’ car in Peaky Blinders.
Accompanied inside by their infantry of bodyguards they stopped to wave and chat to the crowd of onlookers, negotiated the paparazzi and to the amazement and delight of the 250 u3a party-goers finally arrived to join them for tea.
The lookalike from the u3a Drama Group Charles made a marvellous and hilarious speech, commending Southport and the u3a in general, and then the burley bodyguards Dr Andy Rushton and Ste Jones tasted the food, just to be on the safe side – and maybe more than absolutely necessary and everyone tucked in.
Later the imperial couple had a walkabout and enjoyed an informal chat with all the u3a members, next HRH readout the answers to the majestic quiz, padding out the answers with amusing insights into the everyday life of the Royals.
Camilla presented the medals and prizes to the winning table, then made an entertaining speech of her own and was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
Finally it was time for the noble pair to leave and jet back down to the capital to have their nails done and a good night’s sleep for the Coronation the following day.
Everyone waved their complimentary flags, popped the Coronation poppers and sang God Save the King and Land of Hope and Glory as they left. It really was a splendid occasion and one everyone will all remember for a long time.
Of course it wasn’t the real Charles and Camilla, just u3a members Pete Hoyle and Angela Pitcher hamming it up for entertainment value, but they were outstandingly excellent and very, very funny indeed.