Charles III will be crowned king today in Britain's biggest ceremonial event in seven decades. King Charles became monarch of the UK and 14 other realms following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September last year. Thousands are expected to line the streets and millions will watch at home and across the globe.
For the historic outing, His Majesty will be accompanied by a security team, which he inherited from his mother. One member of the team, in particular, has attracted considerable attention on social media. The bearded bodyguard who has not officially been named, was first spotted around the time of the Queen's death on September 8, 2022, as per a Metro report.
A moment of appreciation for King Charles's super-cool white-bearded bodyguard with whom we have become acquainted through the media these days. pic.twitter.com/TLDAHiletd
— Nacho Morais😷💉🇪🇸🇬🇧🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@N4CM) September 18, 2022
Last year, the guard was seen pushing down the phone of a woman who was filming the King. There were also multiple occasions where the officer told the members of the public to ''put [their] phones down'' and ''enjoy the moment.''
Since then, the security guard has been accompanying the monarch on several of his social engagements. Of late, many videos of him walking in and out of Buckingham Palace with a fancy umbrella have also been making rounds on TikTok.
King Charles' personal bodyguard is back 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/LGlmtn96ZE
— UB1UB2 SOUTHALL (@UB1UB2) May 6, 2023
Many have compared him to Colin Firth's character, Harry Hart from Kingsman, and are referring to his umbrella as a 'gunbrella', after suspecting that he has a gun 'disguised' as an umbrella. While many believe that he is a man from the secret service, some complimented his good looks and slick appearance.
5. King Charles Ill
— STOIC (@Outofcontextpo9) September 26, 2022
The royal bodyguard, known for their spectacular marching performances, red uniforms, black helmets, and steadfast guard duty, is their most visible and famous line of defense, but in truth, these men are prepared to meet any challenge pic.twitter.com/uI7cFLJm5m
One user wrote, ''‘I love him he needs to be the next James Bond… such an amazing guy.'' Another commented, ''He's so handsome! Complete gent". A third wrote, ''Does he give beard maintenance tips?"
Meanwhile, the massive event's security is being rigorously monitored. A record 11,500 police officers will guard the coronation, according to a report by The Metro. Security forces have spent months preparing for the event, which about 100 heads of state will attend as well as huge crowds of spectators.
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