The British Embassy has sent invitations to the famous dabbawalas of Mumbai to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles on May 6.
The Dabbawalas were on Tuesday seen buying gifts for the 74-year-old king. According to Mumbai Dabbawalas Spokesperson Vishnu Kaldoke, they received invitations from the British Consulate and the British Embassy.
Mumbai's Dabbawalas, known worldwide for their lunchbox delivery and return system, will present Puneri Pagadi and a shawl of the Warkari community to the King.
The Puneri Pagadi is a unique style of turban, granted the Geographical Indication status in 2009, and is considered a symbol of pride and honour in Pune.
On May 6, Westminster Abbey in London will be the venue for the formal Coronation of King Charles as the monarch.
"Mumbai Dabbawalas have had good relations with British royalty. Two Dabbawalas were invited to his wedding. It was an honour for us. He is about to become the King. So, we want to present King Charles with Puneri Pagadi and a shawl of the Warkari community," Kaldoke said, while speaking to ANI.
Charles III had met the Dabbawalas at Mumbai's Churchgate station during his visit to the city in 2003. Later in 2005, two Dabbawalas attended the royal wedding of Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022, the Mumbai Dabbawala Association expressed their sorrow. “The Mumbai Dabbawala Association has had a very close relationship with the British Royal Family ever since Prince Charles visited India. We are very sad to hear about the death of Queen Elizabeth II and all Dabbawalas pray that her soul rests in peace,” Chairman of the association Subhash Talekar had said.
The festive celebration planned by Buckingham Palace will last for three days. The celebration will include a concert featuring famous celebrities at Windsor Castle, a series of street parties across the country, and a volunteering campaign called "The Big Help Out".
Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor will also perform a spoken word at the ceremony on May 7. Alongside other celebrities from around the world, including Joan Collins, Tom Jones, Bear Grylls, and Oti Mabuse, Kapoor will participate in pre-recorded video segments to commemorate the King's Coronation.
The exact details of her performance have not yet been revealed.
News channels such as ABC, Sky News and Fox News will live stream the event on their YouTube channels while that of BBC iPlayer and ITVX will provide live-streaming coverage of the Coronation. The ceremony will start at 11:00 AM (4:30 PM in India).