King Charles III celebrates 76th birthday with launch of Coronation Food Hub in South London to address food waste and hunger in the UK

Today marks King Charles III’s 76th birthday, and the monarch celebrated with a meaningful gesture: unveiling a new Coronation Food Hub in Deptford, South London.

The hub is part of his Coronation Food Project, an initiative launched to address food insecurity and reduce food waste across the UK.

Accompanied by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Charles toured the new hub and attended a food festival focused on surplus food.

This event also marks the one-year anniversary of his project, which he established to tackle the food crisis intensified by the rising cost of living.

A Solo Engagement as Queen Camilla Recovers

Originally expected to attend alongside her husband, Queen Camilla was unable to join due to a chest infection.

King Charles proceeded with the visit alone and later in the day attended a virtual launch of a second Coronation Food Hub in Knowsley, Merseyside.

More hubs are planned to open throughout the coming year, aiming to build a national network that bridges food need and waste.

Royal Family and Public Birthday Tributes

The Royal Family marked Charles’s birthday with a formal portrait shared on social media, capturing the King in Buckingham Palace’s White Drawing Room.

Prince William and Princess Kate also shared a recent photo of Charles, taken in Samoa last month, where he wore sunglasses and a garland.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer extended birthday wishes on Twitter, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opted for a private acknowledgment, honoring the family’s tradition of reserving public messages for milestone birthdays.

A Day of Tradition and Military Salutes

Despite treating the day as a working occasion, the King’s birthday still included the traditional gun salutes fired in Green Park and at the Tower of London.

Bells at Westminster Abbey, where Charles’s coronation took place, also rang in celebration.

King Charles’s Dual Birthdays and the Trooping the Colour Tradition

Like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles has both an actual birthday on November 14 and an official one celebrated in June, known as Trooping the Colour.

This tradition allows for better weather, ensuring a grand outdoor ceremony.

Dating back to Edward VII, who moved his November birthday celebration to spring for similar reasons, the custom has been honored by each subsequent monarch.

Reflecting on a Challenging Year and Health Updates

This year has been particularly challenging for King Charles, with personal health issues including an undisclosed form of cancer, first discovered during hospital treatment in January.

After stepping away from public duties temporarily, he resumed activities in April and has since engaged in a busy schedule that included international visits, state receptions, and ceremonial events.

Coronation Food Project’s Success and Future Plans

The Coronation Food Project has made remarkable strides in its first year, saving 940 tonnes of surplus food—equivalent to over two million meals.

In partnership with The Felix Project and FareShare, the initiative has raised over £15 million and aims to establish up to 10 food hubs across the UK.

These hubs work to minimize food waste, enhance food distribution, and provide grants to charities focused on food insecurity.

Industry Collaboration and Support for Food Banks

Major UK food suppliers, including M&S and Asda, have pledged their support to the project, contributing to initiatives that transform surplus ingredients into ready meals.

The Trussell Trust, a beneficiary of the King Charles III Charitable Fund, received substantial grants, allowing its 1,300 food banks to distribute over 3.1 million emergency food parcels last year, a record number.

Looking Ahead

As the Coronation Food Project continues to grow, it will aim to broaden its impact by launching more hubs and securing further partnerships to combat food waste.

The project’s first-year impact report underlines a significant achievement, but with 25% of the UK’s food still being wasted, King Charles’s vision for a sustainable, food-secure nation remains a work in progress.