THE big moment is just three days away and many of us will be off to a street party this weekend.
Fun food and celebration drinks are on the menu, of course, with royal fans competing to stage the best bashes.
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But what are the dos and don’ts of hosting?
Etiquette coach William Hanson tells Abigail Wilson how to get it right.
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CURATE GUEST LIST
Small talk is what British do best. It’s an Olympic sport as far as we are concerned and Coronation parties are a fantastic opportunity for just that.
You must invite your neighbours to your party, whether you want to or not. That’s par for the course of being British. But be sensible.
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There’s no ideal number of guests to have at your party, as it depends on space.
If you have got a tiny microwave and no oven, you need to cater within your means.
Similarly, if you’re having an indoor event and have a table that sits six, don’t invite ten people.
And don’t let the stress of it drive you into an early grave.
CALL IT A DAY AT 5PM
Have your party as a daytime thing.
Start at 1pm and make it clear in advance that you are only hosting for a couple of hours — then have everyone gone and get it all cleared up by 5pm.
If socialising with neighbours, you don’t want to be with them for so long that rows break out.
It’s about quality, not quantity — and remember, do not engage in debate about the monarchy.
PUT THE BARBECUE AWAY
It really depends on what time of day you are having your party, as to what food you should serve.
If you are having lunch, you will probably want more than high tea, so opt for good old British produce the King would approve of — cottage pie, shepherd’s pie, chilli, those sorts of thing.
If your event is in the mid to late afternoon, having Coronation quiche, sandwiches, scones, cakes and so on is probably better.
Homemade food is better if you can make it. Otherwise, buy a quiche from the supermarket, it’s no problem.
But I can’t stress this enough — avoid all American food. This is a British event. Don’t have hotdogs and burgers.
STICK TO CLASSY BOOZE
When it comes to alcohol, know your limits.
If you are aware that after three gin and tonics you are going to be anybody’s, stick to two or switch over to a non-alcoholic alternative.
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No event is ever worth the feeling of shame the next day.
To host the best soiree, serve champagne or sparkling wine.
The King likes a martini and Queen Camilla a bit of claret, so you could drink these to be authentic. For non-drinkers, try good sparkling iced tea.
And remember, nothing turns a sophisticated event trashy more than shots. You’re not in a nightclub, you don’t need flaming sambucas.
B.Y.O. CHAIRS
When it comes to chairs, it’s better to tell people: Bring your own.
Don’t waste money hiring them.
Your bottom is going to get numb after about half an hour sitting on a plastic chair, as they are usually like those you get at a Year Six disco.
Even though we live in an Instagram age where, in theory, certain people think everything needs to match and co-ordinate, sometimes it’s really smart to have things that don’t quite go together.
So don’t worry yourself about having mis-matched chairs.
AVOID A FLAG FAUX PAS
I would expect flags and bunting at Coronation events.
They are patriotic and this is a national occasion, after all. But Union Jack flags are preferable to just English ones.
And if you are going to display them, get them the right way round. In the top left corner, the wider white stripe should be on top.
A flag that is upside down shows that the country is in distress, and we want to be celebrating our country.
For extra decoration, pick some flowers from your garden.
This is a nice and sustainable way to go. But it’s a firm no to faux flowers.
BRING OUT THE CHINA
We know the King has been passionate about the environment for longer than most people — so ditch the plastic in his honour.
Proper china plates, and silver or stainless-steel cutlery, are always going to be preferable to disposable plastic.
They are also much easier to use and to eat your Coronation quiche with.
So, ditch the plastic but do paper plates if you must.
NO ROYALS ALLOWED
When it comes to decorations, lifesize cardboard cut-outs of the royals that you can buy on Amazon are tacky. I’m not a fan.
I certainly wouldn’t have them. They’re going to blow over, anyway, and it’s a terrible waste of £30, and paper.
You get amusement out of them for about 20 seconds then nobody cares. And avoid face masks with royals’ faces on, they’re also a waste of resources and money.
People wear them for two minutes and then realise it is really uncomfortable having a piece of paper strapped to their face.
You can’t eat and can’t really talk with them on.
They are tacky and pointless.
RUNNERS AWAY
If you are wondering how to decorate your table, just know I hate table runners. They are awful.
They are a runway of bad taste and are downmarket.
It’s a tablecloth or it’s not — a runner looks like a tablecloth you have shrunk in the wash.
Royals always dine with a tablecloth, be it linen, damask or cotton. This is always going to be more sophisticated.
TURN THE MUSIC DOWN
When it comes to the music, keep your playlist family friendly.
We do not want any songs with rude words, or any overly sexualised songs — Charles would just hate that.
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Have British classics blaring out, and start and end with God Save The King.
The King has a broad taste in music, so create a playlist of artists performing at the Coronation concert at Windsor, with songs by Lionel Richie, Take That and Katy Perry.
But I don’t think the royal household are big into rapping or twerking, and we definitely don’t want a mosh pit. Make sure, too, to avoid anything with anti-royal sentiment.
The key with any music is that it is there to underscore the conversation, so don’t have it so loud that people can hear it four streets away.
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