Sunak hosts Coronation Big Lunch for community heroes

London, May 7

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty hosted a Coronation Big Lunch at Downing Street in London on Sunday for community heroes to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla as part of the country’s long celebratory weekend.

Among the invitees were US First Lady Jill Biden, British Sikh entrepreneur Navjot Singh Sawhney, who won the UK PM’s Points of Light Award earlier this year for his eco-friendly hand-cranked Washing Machine Project, which is benefitting over 1,000 families without access to an electric machine in underdeveloped countries or refugee camps.

Scotland Yard defends arrest of anti-monarchy protesters

• Scotland Yard has defended arrests made during coronation as its efforts to ensure protests did not become criminal or disruptive
• A total of 52 arrests were made during the coronation; the head of the country’s largest anti-monarchy group among those arrested

The event was one of an estimated 50,000 Big Lunches or street parties being organised up and down the United Kingdom to celebrate the Coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday. Also joined the Downing Street party were Ukrainians forced to flee the war-torn country amid its conflict with Russia.

“I am proud to welcome Ukrainian refugees and some incredible community heroes to Downing Street for our very own coronation lunch to celebrate this historic moment,” he said.