London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 10, 2025

Prince Louis drives a digger as he joins volunteering efforts

Prince Louis drives a digger as he joins volunteering efforts

Prince Louis has been driving a digger as part of volunteering efforts on the final day of Coronation celebrations.

The five-year-old, along with brother Prince George and sister Princess Charlotte, helped Scouts in Slough, while the prime minister made food in a village hall.

People across the UK are being urged to get involved in local projects such as beach cleaning and flower planting.

It is part of a drive to encourage a post-pandemic return to volunteering.

Tens of thousands of charities have been taking part in the Big Help Out, with a total of 30,000 organisations putting on 55,000 events across the UK.

Prince George also joined his father Prince William in the digger


Joining events on Monday, Prince George and Princess Charlotte worked to improve the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, while Prince Louis gave his father Prince William a helping hand driving a digger.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also took part in a puppy class at the Guide Dogs training centre in Reading, while Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence were attending a civic service recognising local volunteers at Gloucester Cathedral.

Elsewhere, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak prepared food for the elderly at a Hertfordshire village hall, alongside his wife, Akshata Murthy.

Commenting on the weekend's Coronation events, the prime minister said "no other country in the world" could have put on such a "dazzling spectacle".

The PM helped out at a community lunch at Mill End Community Centre, Rickmansworth


Sunday saw street parties and the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle.

The King and Queen - who were not due to join Monday's events - enjoyed performances by stars including Take That and Katy Perry at the concert, with other senior royals and thousands of spectators.

It came after King Charles III was crowned alongside Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, in a service watched by millions of people around the world.

But after the pomp and ceremony of the weekend, Monday has seen a shift of focus to local projects making a difference, and volunteers giving something back.

The Royal Family have taken part in a Big Help Out, hosted by Scouts in Slough

Krishan Kant Attri, Julie Siddiqi, Venerable Ajahn Amaro and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby prepare food as they join other faith leaders in taking part in the Big Help Out


The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was spotted helping other faith leaders to prepare and serve meals to the homeless at the Passage in Westminster, central London.

An app and website were set up to allow people to search for volunteering opportunities, which range from helping the elderly to working with environmental charities and supporting animal welfare.

Matt Hyde, co-founder of the Big Help Out and CEO of the Scouts, said it was "not too late" for people to sign up for activities in their area.

He told BBC Breakfast: "The whole theme of this weekend has been about service. We're not just spectators in that, we're part of the story."

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children posed with volunteers for pictures


Brendan Cox, the co-founder of the Together Coalition who is also behind the event, said organisations like his "desperately need" volunteers.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Over the Covid pandemic, volunteering rates dropped because organisations that normally recruit weren't recruiting, and people got out of the habit."

And 15-year-old Jay Dzuira - one of the Scouts who has organised an activities session for young people in Brent, west London - said he would "recommend volunteering to anyone".

"Being a Scout really helped me with my socialising skills. Before I didn't socialise a lot. Now I'm a youth leader and it is a really enjoyable experience."

In Brockham, Surrey, people have spent several months making a crown entirely of recycled materials, which will act as a focal point for a Coronation party this afternoon, the culmination of four days of events.

"I think it's important to keep history alive and to mark these events when they happen," David Challenger from the parish council told the BBC. "It's about bringing the community together, and we've found it's something people really embrace."

In Wales, international rugby players Leigh Halfpenny and Jamie Roberts joined a litter pick in Newport.

"I think the Coronation's a big event for the British public and it's a time when we should come together, and something like this is a way of doing it," said Roberts.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie posed for a selfie with a well-wisher while attending a street party on Sunday


A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was "wholly supportive of the Big Help Out initiatives".

Queen Camilla is patron of the Royal Voluntary Service charity and has also been patron of the Big Lunch initiative since 2013.

The royals have been out in force over the weekend as they joined various Coronation events around the country.

Before Sunday's concert, Edward and Sophie attended a Coronation Big Lunch in Cranleigh, Surrey, while the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence went to a community street party in Swindon.

The Duke of York's daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie also attended a big lunch in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
×