Former Royal butler shares top tips for hosting the perfect Coronation street party

A former Royal butler and etiquette expert has shared some top tips for hosting the perfect street party ahead of King Charles III’s coronation this weekend.

The coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6 and celebrations are expected to take place up and down the country.

For those of you planning a royal knees up, former Royal butler Grant Harrold has shared some advice for nailing the perfect community gathering.

Here’s everything you need to know when it comes to hosting the patriotic soirée.

Think about the logistics

“The first thing when planning a street party is to notify people ahead of the Coronation,” said Harrold.

“You’ve got to put together a plan and let neighbours know.

“I would always give them notice - two or three weeks is ideal and the perfect amount of time.

“You’ve also got to think of the logistics, where you’re going to host the party, which area of the street, whether people will be able to access it, and parking.

“What you don’t want is the street being filled with cars outside of the party.”

Dress code

“Once you’ve sent out notifications and you’ve decided on the logistics, then there’s obviously the dress code to think about, which you can have a bit of fun with.

“With a street party, you may not want to turn up in black tie.

“In my opinion, it could be a good idea to have people dressed up as their favourite Royal, like the King or Queen.

“But if you turn up in a pullover and a pair of jeans, that’s equally just as fine.

“That’s the thing with street parties, unless there is a specific dress code, then you can go however you like.

“However, if you are looking to have a certain dress code, make sure to notify guests in the invitation.

“You could do a Coronation theme and have something as simple as a Union Jack t-shirt or bunting.”

Invitations

“It’s also really important to ensure all guests are given an invitation ahead of the event. Whether you want to do that as a formal invitation, where it’s posted through the letterbox on some nice card, or whether you want to go informal over text.

“All of those are now acceptable. I would say that all invitations must include the dress code, time and location.

“You could also have a bit of fun with the invitations and address them from King Charles and Camilla.

“The thing about a street party is that you’ve got to invite everyone.

“It doesn’t mean to say that everyone will turn up, but you have got to invite the street, regardless if you get along with them or not.

“You’ve got to be very diplomatic when it comes to this sort of gathering, as it’s very different to a private dinner party, event or reception.”

Planning and decoration

“It would be beneficial to have a planning committee for any street party.

“I think the person whose idea it is to have the party needs to get together with a few friends, who are willing to support and organise the party.

“It’s also good to have a little group to bounce ideas off and delegate, when it comes to food, decorations and the logistics.

“In your group you may want to decide the theme of the party, for example how you will be setting up the tables.

“Are you going to bring kitchen tables out into the street or will you hire them?

“Remember to keep the theme as patriotic as she can.

“You may want to decorate the tables with a white cloth and Union Jack napkins, but remember that it doesn’t need to be expensive. It’s all about having fun, rather than being too over the top!”

Cater for everyone

“With food and drink, you’re going to have to cater for a lot of people.

“Rather than asking for dietary requirements from everyone, which would be a nightmare, have a wide range of food and drink.

“A good selection means that you’re catering for everyone - vegetarians, vegans and those with a gluten intolerance.

“If you know there are some vegans on the street, you could ask if they want to bring something along, which I don’t think would be unreasonable.

“People often bring their own food to street parties, so make sure you know what everyone is supplying ahead of the day.

“Planning is everything and if you don’t plan it properly, it could turn out to be a disaster!”

Difficult conversations

“At a street party you may find yourself sitting next to someone who you either don’t like or clash with.

“However, there are a couple of options to work around this.

“If you find them really unbearable, I think you need to make it clear that you want to steer clear of that particular individual ahead of the party. But if you feel that you can get on with it, try to be civil with the person.

“The other thing not to do is not to make it obvious by ignoring the person. Involve them in the conversation as much as you can. Who knows, you might become best friends by the end of it!

“When it comes to conversation etiquette, you shouldn’t speak to people over the table. You should speak to the person on your right at the beginning, before moving over to the person on the left at the end. Also remember to stay away from the talk of sex, politics and gossip!”

Grant Harrold shared his advice with gaming site Slingo.