It was Wednesday the 26th of April 2023 when The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas began their journey towards Longmoor barracks for the preparation of His Majesty King Charles III coronation.
There was a special instruction that everyone had to march at a tempo of 108 beats per minute which is very much slower than we are used to. The Band held their own rehearsals and then moved to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for the first rehearsal with other Corps, Regiments and other military bands.
The five-day rehearsal programme was very challenging and tiring. This was followed by a nighttime full rehearsal along the route in central London the 2nd and 3rd of May. After all the preparations the day finally came on the 6th of May. We had an early start at 0340hrs in the morning and we arrived at Waterloo Station, London and marched the troops from station to Wellington barracks. At 1125hrs, we left Wellington Barracks to march down to Whitehall where we set up for the Coronation parade back from Whitehall back to Buckingham Palace troops and King Charles III in the coronation carriage. When everyone reached at the Buckingham Palace Gardens, King Charles came to thank everyone and that’s when a sound of hurray…. was heard from everyone for His Majesty King Charles III.
By Lance Corporal Amar Magar, The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas
