Poplar present at the Coronation

If some faces seemed to look familiar marching alongside the carriage of TM King Charles III and Queen Camilla last Saturday you were not mistaken. Our Club is honoured to count amongst their ranks several Royal Watermen who took part in the Coronation Procession after the King and Queen had been crowned.

Until the middle of the nineteenth century the Sovereign regularly travelled on the River Thames for state occasions and the men who rowed the Royal Barges were known as the Royal Watermen.

King Charles still retains 24 Royal Watermen under the command of The King’s Bargemaster. They are chosen from the ranks of the Thames Watermen whose business is manning tugs, lighters and launches, therefore earning their employment on the river. These men have not only spent their life working on the river but also, in several cases, have gone on to have distinguished rowing careers and continue to row and coach at Poplar.

Here are some pictures of them looking absolutely regal in those splendid uniforms. How many of them do you recognise?