King Charles kicked off his 78th birthday celebrations with a visit to Croydon, South London. The monarch received a warm welcome from crowds at a historic street market. He also met renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and enjoyed an early birthday cake.
King Charles cuts birthday cake in Croydon and meets Andrew Lloyd Webber
According to People, Charles visited Croydon on November 13, a day before his 78th birthday. He stopped at Surrey Street Market, which is celebrating its 750th anniversary. The monarch also met Lloyd Webber at the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology.
The market visit included an early birthday celebration. Charles cut a cake decorated with the words “Happy Birthday, Your Majesty,” alongside images of a crown and Union Jack flags. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday,” prompting the monarch to wave and respond, “Thank you.”
Hello! magazine shared an Instagram post showing Charles receiving an enthusiastic welcome in Croydon. The caption read, “Charles mania is real! The King received quite the welcome in Croydon today, with crowds cheering and screaming as he greeted well-wishers during a walkabout! The royal outing came as he visited the BRIT School and Surrey Street Market, which is celebrating its 750th anniversary. And with his 78th birthday tomorrow, there was even more reason to celebrate!”
Surrey Street Market traces its history to a royal charter granted in 1276 by King Edward I, an ancestor of Charles. According to Inside Croydon, Charles’ visit was the first by a reigning monarch to the borough since Queen Elizabeth II‘s Golden Jubilee tour in July 2002.
Charles also visited the BRIT School, where he watched a student dance performance and met staff and pupils. He spoke with Lloyd Webber, the celebrated composer behind Cats, Evita, and The Phantom of the Opera. Lloyd Webber composed the coronation anthem “Make a Joyful Noise,” performed during Charles’ coronation at Westminster Abbey in May 2023.
