King Charles marks 76th birthday at ‘surplus food festival’ | CNN
On Thursday, King Charles III celebrated his 76th birthday by inaugurating two food distribution centers. This initiative is part of his Coronation Food Project, which he started a year ago with the aim of addressing food poverty and reducing food waste.
Charles made a trip to a fresh food hub in south London that's holding a "surplus food festival," featuring dishes prepared from ingredients that could have potentially been wasted. He was also set to launch the second Coronation Food Hub in Merseyside, located in northwest England, during an online event.
While visiting, the King was accompanied by London Mayor Sadiq Khan as they explored the new facility. Afterwards, they met with individuals who benefit from the services, as well as representatives from food banks, schools, and community organizations.
Alongside the development of a network of centers, the King’s Coronation Food Project is expanding warehouse capabilities, enhancing cold storage options, and providing financial support for transportation and drivers to improve distribution efforts. So far, £15 million (close to $19 million) has been collected to plan, construct, and operate a system of up to 10 hubs throughout the UK.
Since its inception, the food initiative has partnered with local organizations like FareShare and the Felix Project, successfully rescuing 940 tons of surplus food, which translates to about 2.2 million meals. Additionally, it has provided £715,000 (almost $1 million) in food grants to support 33 organizations across the UK.
Buckingham Palace has shared a new photo of the King to celebrate his special day.
In a photo posted on the Royal Family's official X account, the King is seen grinning for the camera while dressed in a stylish blue suit, a white shirt, and a blue tie with a matching pocket square. The caption with the image says, "Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King on this special day."
The Prince and Princess of Wales extended their heartfelt birthday wishes through a social media post, saying, "A very Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King!" The post featured a photo of King Charles taken during his recent trip to Samoa, marking his first visit to the country as the leader of the Commonwealth.
The military's customary festivities marking the monarch's birthday will include gun salutes performed by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park and by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London. Additionally, the bells of Westminster Abbey will chime starting at 1 p.m. (8 a.m. ET).
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King Charles considers his real birthday in November to be just another regular workday. However, the perk of being the king is that he celebrates two birthdays.
The custom is thought to have begun with King George II, who loved a good celebration, in 1748. Similar to Charles, he was born in November, a month when the British weather is usually not at its best.
The official birthday of the monarch is celebrated in the summer when the Trooping the Colour ceremony takes place. This event features 1,400 military officers and soldiers marching through the streets of London from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, with spectators gathered along the route.
Trooping the Colour used to be an independent event, but it was officially transformed into a birthday celebration when George III ascended to the throne in 1760.
Rob Picheta from CNN played a role in developing this article.
