I’m incredibly proud of Kingston’s unique place in history as England’s oldest royal borough and the site of the crowning of the first King of England.
It was an honour to welcome King Charles III in November to celebrate this bond and meet the Korean community in New Malden, ahead of the Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to the UK.
During a tour of New Malden Methodist Church the King met local people, community, faith and cultural groups and was given a flavour of Korean culture through music, dance performances and food.
He also saw part of a new exhibition marking the 140th anniversary of UK-Korea diplomatic relations organised by the Korean British Cultural Exchange. New Malden’s Korean community is one of the largest in Europe.
It was wonderful to see him greeting schoolchildren and families, before visiting New Malden War Memorial where he met members of the Royal British Legion branch and two Korean Veterans. The King’s visit came just ahead of International Kimchi Day on November 22.
Earlier this year the Royal Borough of Kingston became the first place in Europe to declare it would be joining the international celebrations to mark this special connection annually.
Community events took place during November, including a Kimchi Festival at Kingston University organised by the Korean Restaurants and Supermarkets Association. There was also a Kimchi-making and tasting event at the Ancient Market House in Kingston town centre organised by the Korean British Cultural Exchange.
We are immensely proud of the rich diversity of the communities that make up the Royal Borough.
The King’s visit was a chance to celebrate this vibrancy and this is something we will look to do even more as we look ahead to ‘Kingston 2025’.
As we head into the New Year, you will be hearing a lot more about our plans for ‘Kingston 2025’, our cultural celebration marking the 1,100th anniversary of the crowning of King Athlestan in Kingston. I’m really excited about this opportunity to celebrate Kingston’s past, present and future together and tell a fresh, contemporary story that reflects the full diversity of our borough.
The six-month programme of cultural events and activities will launch in Spring 2025 and will be created in collaboration with local communities. We really want to hear your ideas about the activities and opportunities you would like to see included in the programme.
This is a great opportunity to reflect on the people, places and stories that made Kingston, the changes that have taken place and our hopes for the future. The borough is home to many different nationalities and communities that bring an extraordinary richness to our heritage and cultural life. Let’s make 2025 a year to remember.
Athelstan (895-939AD) was the first king of all of England who reigned for 14 years, grandson of Alfred the Great of Wessex and 31st great-grand uncle to our present King Charles III. He was crowned on September 4, 925AD.
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