The countdown to the coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort is now well and truly on – and Lancashire is marking the international celebration in style.
King Charles III, formerly known as The Prince of Wales, began his reign as monarch and Duke of Lancaster, opening a new Carolean age following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022.
He will be crowned in an historic ceremony at Westminster Abby on Saturday, May 6.
Lancashire County Council will be flying coronation flags atop County Hall and the mast outside Christchurch Precinct between Friday, May 5, and Tuesday 9, with the building being floodlit in the evenings over the bank holiday weekend.
The council's older people's care services team have organised a range of activities in care homes and day centres, from a street party at Cravenside Home for Older People in Barnoldswick, to afternoon tea at Milbanke Day Service.
Fosterfields Day Centre in Chorley has a day full of celebration planned on May 6 and has also invited residents from the Leyland Centre to join them for an indoor street party.
Laura Orrell, day time support manager at Fosterfields Day Centre, said: "The TV will be on so they can watch it live on telly.
"We're serving buffet food, finger food, waving the flags. We're holding a coronation bingo, there'll be some nice prizes and also a quiz about the Royal family on the day."
Meanwhile, the county's primary schools will be transformed into a sea of colour as children tuck into fabulous coronation-themed lunches on Thursday May 4 courtesy of the council's school catering service.
Later this month on May 19, pupils and teachers across the county will be invited to take part in Lancashire Walks to School Day to promote the benefits of walking over getting dropped off in the car.
The new event is also intended as a tribute to the King, who is a keen environmentalist.
Ormskirk Church of England Primary School is planning to mark the coronation of His Majesty the King with a series of eco projects.
Headteacher Giles Storch said: "We're going to focus outside the classroom, more on biodiversity and the environment, trying to tie in with the King's greatest passions.
"Every class is being given a large planting area," he added.
"Each planter for each class we're going to plant red, white and blue flowers, which should make the school look particularly vibrant just after the coronation."
Activities at the council's children and family wellbeing services will run from May 1 up until the coronation weekend, including pre-school children's dress up and story time sessions at the West Lancs service.
Libraries and museums are hosting activities from wild crown making at Leyland Library to coronation-themed plant pot painting at Queen Street Mill Museum in Burnley.
Scavenger hunts to find the King's Crowns are taking place this week at Tarleton Library.
To find out what events are taking on near you, visit the council's What's on page.
Chairman, County Councillor Peter Britcliffe, will host a reception to celebrate the coronation and work of environmental volunteers on May 10.
Cllr Britcliffe said: "Lancashire is proud to join the rest of the UK in celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort.
"Across the county, people young and old are preparing to come together to celebrate this historic moment, which comes around once in a lifetime for all but a few.
"To mark this special point in time, we'll be flying coronation flags atop County Hall and lighting up the building in red, white and blue."
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