President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva flew to London on a regular flight to attend the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday. This will be the first time that the Czech Republic will be represented at a British coronation. The coronation of the new British monarch and Queen Camilla will occur at Westminster Abbey. They will be attended by around 2,000 people, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, and US First Lady Jill Biden.
The Czech Republic’s presence at this year’s coronation demonstrates its commitment to maintaining strong diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom. It also notes that at the previous coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Czechoslovakia was represented by an ambassador as President Edvard Beneš was not invited.
Te President and his wife’s choice to fly on a regular commercial flight instead of a private plane sends a message of practicality and cost-effectiveness. This move shows that the President is aware of the public perception of government spending and is willing to take steps to appear more frugal and responsible.