[Animals] Dogs take the lead in parade on street named after King Charles

[[~OMAR~]]

 

Around 150 fluffy eared, doe-eyed namesakes of Charles' ancestor, Charles II, paraded down London's King's Road to celebrate the country's newest monarch on Saturday.

 

Soggy but largely undeterred by the rain, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, some wearing tiaras and others red royal cloaks, turned out in force with their owners in Chelsea, one of the capital's poshest neighborhoods.

 

“I just thought this is a no-brainer,” said Jenny Matthews, who owns a pet grooming service, cafe and boutique on the King’s Road and who came up with the idea for the parade.

 

“It’s our King Charles III’s coronation day," Matthews, 53, told NBC News. "What more can we do for him than to gather as many King Charles Spaniel dogs as possible and parade down his road? It’s the King’s Road.”

 

She added that the Cavaliers of London group of owners had reached out to their 5,000 members to garner interest and she had been inundated with demand.

 

Sophie Bradley and her dog Amber, from the nearby neighborhood of Hammersmith were among those selected to take part.

And despite the downpour, she said they'd had a great time.

 

“Forget the British weather,” Bradley, 51, said. “It’s once in a lifetime, it’s history making … to celebrate the king and his coronation. I can’t think of a better way to spend the day, to be honest with you.”

 

The event took place after King Charles III was crowned in a ceremony at London's historic Westminster Abbey. His wife, Queen Camilla, was also crowned, before a parade of thousands of Britain's armed forces, decked out in colorful dress uniforms, escorted them back to Buckingham Palace. There, they made a traditional appearance on the balcony alongside other members of the royal family in front of cheering crowds.

 

[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/king-charles-spaniel-dog-parade-coronation-chelsea-london-celebration-rcna83195]