Twin sister owners of British Tea Garden to celebrate King Charles III, Camilla coronation

TECUMSEH — Twin sisters Alice Williams and Gemma Riddle, the owners of the British Tea Garden in downtown Tecumseh, are looking forward to celebrating the coronation of King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as queen consort Saturday with customers by offering a special high tea tiers, integrating some of Charles’ favorites.

Charles III, formerly known as the Prince of Wales, and Camilla are being crowned as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms at 11 a.m. British time — 6 a.m. Michigan time — at Westminster Abbey in London. Charles acceded to the throne Sept. 8, 2022, upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. This royal ceremony is the first coronation in 70 years.

The British Tea Garden at 112 E. Chicago Blvd. in Tecumseh will be serving from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be showing the event on video. The tea garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Williams and Riddle have owned the British Tea Garden for almost five years now.

“Alice worked there for a long period of time after moving to Michigan from the U.K.,” Riddle said. “We are born and raised in Britain, and it was a perfect endeavor for us.”

The sisters moved to Michigan in fall 1998. Their mother was born and raised in Clinton, and their father in Oxfordshire, England. The sisters have family in both countries.

The traditions they brought with them to Tecumseh are simple things such as mince pies and brandy butter and popping Christmas crackers with their U.S.-born spouses and children. They say it has been fun to share these traditions from their childhood with them.

“We went to visit for Christmas, and we surprised our dad on Christmas morning. After a 10-year gap between visits, we definitely focused on very much needed family time and of course a lot of various sights and yummy food,” Riddle said.

The coronation is very special to Williams and Riddle.

“It is a true feeling of keeping tradition,” Riddle said. “He has had much time in training for his inherited role. I would think he will follow in his mother’s footsteps well.”

The sisters say what they like best about Britain’s Royal Family is their commitment to public service for the people of their country. In the States, they see appreciation for the British monarch and say that they see that most people find it very intriguing.

The sisters say that with the Royal Family’s commitment to lives in public service and charity work, they play an important role in the British people's lives. Their favorite Royal is little Prince Louie.

“I think Kate Middleton has made quite an impression on the British people,” Williams said. “We are excited to celebrate this long-awaited milestone, one of which some have never seen or may never see again.” 

“Their importance to us would be that the monarchy will continue for generations to come and to continue to actively help others with their charity work,” Riddle said. 

Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is attending, but Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is remaining at their home in California with the couple’s children, Prince Archie, who turns 4 on Saturday, and Princess Lilibet, 1.

The event will start with Charles and Camilla traveling to Westminster Abbey in a procession that will start at about 5 a.m. EDT. In one break with tradition, Charles and Camilla will roll out of Buckingham Palace in the horse-drawn gilded black Diamond Jubilee State Coach built for Elizabeth's 60th anniversary. It has heat, air conditioning, power windows and a suspension system that will provide a comfier ride than his mother's accommodations for her enthronement.

The 1.3-mile route is a bit shorter than the one Elizabeth took to the royal church. The procession will go through Admiralty Arch; past Trafalgar Square and a statue of Charles I, the monarch beheaded in 1649; and by the houses of Parliament before arriving for the 11 a.m. religious service.

The Associated Press will livestream the procession beginning at 5 a.m. Eastern and provide ongoing coverage throughout the day on www.apnews.com. USA TODAY will provide coverage at www.usatoday.com/entertainment/celebrities.

Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC as well as cable channels CNN and Fox News all plan live coverage starting at 5 a.m. EDT. The outlets will also feature coverage on their digital platforms and streaming like Hulu+ Live TV.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: British Tea Garden to celebrate King Charles III, Camilla coronation