John Loughrey, 68-year-old retiree, is going to throw himself ten days sleeping rough, on a stretcher, in front of Westminster Abbey. With a lot of morals, with his own ‘crown’ (pins and goldsmith’s plates) and with the ‘Union Jack’ always on top, flag for raincoat at times, before the persistent London rain.

“All for the king and for the Homeland‘says this self-proclaimed retiree’superfan of the British Royal House. John is officially the first to queue over there. Between cheers and cheers to the king and queen, he confesses that he is anxious for the historic event of the coronation of Carlos III to arrive. And for not missing a detail, just as he didn’t miss his mother’s funeral.

“When he comes out, recently crowned, he will pass right by here. We will do the wave with the flags,” he explains from that privileged position.

While the time comes, today it is himself and his ‘camping’ companions who have become attraction for tourists and media Communication. Surely John will be one of those to join the mass oath that from the Abbey it is proposed to the British: “I swear true loyalty to his majesty, to his heirs and successors according to the law; with the help of God” they are encouraged to proclaim in unison.

The thousands of troops of the Armed Forces who will parade on Saturday are also finalizing their own demonstration of loyalty, in a general rehearsal.

Rancid ancestry also the one on the throne (seven centuries old) in which the new king will sit during the ceremony. His ‘cushion’: the call stone of sconea block of sandstone that Edward II rapture to the Scots in the XIV, after defeating them, and it was only returned in 1996… on condition of using it in coronations. She arrived in London on Saturday from Edinburgh, where she is normally exhibited at the Castle. So that I can be at this ceremony, they have left a exact replica in Scotland.

All set too, in true British tradition, in pub and shops of souvenirs: with commemorative beers, ‘cookies’, tea cups, pennants, stamps, jewels…

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