Students in Soumiya Thiyagarajah’s kindergarten class at Coronation School in Montreal were looking very regal Wednesday morning.
Each of Thiyagarajah’s pupils was wearing a special crown they’d crafted themselves and were hard at work designing their very own coat of arms.
“It’s to show who I am,” explained five-year-old Rawan Yagoub, showing off her work.
The school was named Coronation in 1953 when King Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, was crowned.
And with a name like Coronation, the preschool teachers felt it made sense to include an activity to highlight King Charles’ own coronation happening this Saturday.
School Principal Rania Delis said the idea fit perfectly with the school’s curriculum in addition to meshing with the children’s interests in castles, queens, kings and fairytales.
“Preschool is art and learning through play — so they did an art activity and made their own crowns,” she said. “They were very excited.”
Older students at the school were also involved in the festivities by helping out the little ones and some also admitted to having a certain interest in the monarchy.
“I used to (watch) videos on YouTube when I was younger about how the queen becomes the queen and stuff like that,” said 12-year-old Jaheal Murray.
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He says he might watch the ceremony to “see what the whole news” is about.
For her part, Aleeyah Mc Intyre said she’s very excited for the big event on Saturday. The 10-year-old found out about it from her great-grandmother.
“She told me that Queen Elizabeth died, sadly, but she had her son that is going to get crowned on Saturday,” Mc Intyre said, “… with an orb and a scepter.”
Mc Intyre went on to describe King Charles’ Crown and agreed it must be a heavy weight to carry on one’s head.
“I could imagine it weighs down your head. Like I can just feel like my head’s dropping and melting,” she said.
Mc Intyre said she plans on tuning in to the early morning ceremony even if it means having to go to bed early on Friday.
“I have to go to bed very early, like before seven o’clock and wake up at three o’clock,” she said.
It’s not something she wants to miss.
“I’m so excited ..it’s not like every day there’s going to be a new King. It’s once in a lifetime,” Mc Intyre said.
But just in case, Mc Intyre has a backup plan.
“Maybe I can record it and go back to bed, you know?”
Paul Desbaillets, co-owner of the Burgundy Lion Pub, agrees a coronation is a big deal.
“If you’re a monarchist or not, it’s a historic moment that we’re living,” he said.
The popular English pub is hosting coronation viewing party on Saturday with the doors opening to guests at 5 a.m.
“We’re very excited cause along with the British High Commission, we’ve put together a high tea,” Desbaillets said.
Everything is made from scratch and on the menu is a special surprise — coronation quiche.
“We’re going to be using the same quiche recipe as King Charles III,” Desbaillets said.
There will also be a raffle benefitting two organizations including Goal Initiatives Foundation, dedicated to supporting wellness and health in youth sports in Montreal.
“The other one is an environmental group because King Charles is very much into the environment.”
— With files from Global News’ Phil Carpenter
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