LONDON (AP) 鈥 Musician Deronne White is ready to play on King Charles III鈥檚 coronation day. The flautist and his fellow young musicians aren鈥檛 playing anything regal or solemn 鈥 they鈥檙e planning to parade through south London鈥檚 streets entertaining crowds with an uplifting 鈥渃oronation carnival鈥 set mixing gospel, jazz, grime, disco and rap. There鈥檒l even be a calypso take on the U.K. national anthem.
While he鈥檚 excited about the gig, White says he has mixed feelings about the coronation. Like some others at the Brixton Chamber Orchestra, White is a descendant of migrants from Jamaica 鈥 a former British colony and Commonwealth member that wants to with the monarchy and has called for the U.K. royals to address their historical ties to slavery.
鈥淧ersonally it鈥檚 a little bit hard to connect to the whole occasion,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 think that the coronation could possibly allow people like me to try and connect to (the monarchy). But it can be a bit tough.鈥
Towns, cities and villages across the U.K. will be awash with Union flags and patriotic decorations to celebrate Charles鈥 coronation at Westminster Abbey this weekend, and officials say the festivities will bring Britain鈥檚 diverse communities together. But the event is viewed with a large dose of ambivalence by some in the U.K., not least those with African Caribbean backgrounds and other minorities for whom the British Empire鈥檚 past wrongs still loom large.
While slavery and the heyday of colonialism may be long gone, the royal family has in recent years struggled to grapple with new accusations of institutional racism 鈥 most notably from Prince Harry鈥檚 wife, Meghan.
The Duchess of Sussex, a biracial American actress, about the monarchy and race when she said last year that an unnamed member of the royal household had asked her how dark her baby鈥檚 skin might be when she was pregnant with her first child, Archie.
Last year, there was outrage when Ngozi Fulani, a Black charity executive, complained that a close aide of Queen Elizabeth II's repeatedly questioned her at a party about where she was 鈥渞eally鈥 from. Palace officials apologized and .
Charles, 74, has on many occasions spoken about how much he values diversity in modern, multicultural Britain. He has paid tribute to Britain鈥檚 鈥淲indrush generation鈥 鈥 the West Indians, like White鈥檚 great-grandparents, who helped rebuild Britain after World War II. In 2021, Charles won praise for acknowledging 鈥渢he darkest days of our past鈥 and the stain of slavery.
More recently, the monarch expressed for the first time for research into the links between the U.K. monarchy and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 definitely trying 鈥 maybe not in the best way or the fastest way, but from what I鈥檝e seen, it鈥檚 kind of a step in the right way,鈥 said Teigan Hastings, 17.
But Hastings, a British Jamaican who plays the tuba alongside White, said that Meghan鈥檚 claims about how she was treated by her in-laws 鈥渙pened up a bit of truth within the royal family.鈥
鈥淚 guess it wasn鈥檛 totally unexpected, but at the same time you think there鈥檇 be some form of acceptance 鈥 and there hasn鈥檛 really been,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like there鈥檚 nothing like us normal people can really do about it except hope for change.鈥
The musicians say they hope that their vibrant blend of musical styles will help draw in the crowds, whatever they may think of Charles.
Across the capital in Southall, known as "Little India鈥 鈥 the west London neighborhood is home to one of the largest Indian populations outside India 鈥 local politician Jasbir Kaur Anand said the area鈥檚 British Asians also plan to mark the coronation in their own way.
About 6,000 tickets were snapped up for a coronation shindig complete with a huge television screen broadcasting the ceremony, funfair rides and bands playing Jewish, South American and gospel music, Anand said.
She added that she will attend a street party organized by a group of local women that promises to feature 鈥渓ots of Punjabi food, Punjabi dancing and singing.鈥
Anand, whose family moved to Britain from Singapore when the city-state gained independence, said many immigrants of her generation feel gratitude to the U.K. monarchy for embracing them and giving them the opportunities to settle and prosper.
Gulu Anand, who owns Southall鈥檚 Brilliant curry house and has cooked for Charles several times over the years when he visited the neighborhood, is one vocal supporter of Charles.
Charles "actually listens to you,鈥 he said, recalling the royal鈥檚 demeanor when he ate at his restaurant. 鈥淚 think he is the people鈥檚 king.鈥
But Janpal Basran, who heads local charity Southall Community Alliance, said that many communities in the area are from former colonies and 鈥渞emember what it was like to be ruled by others.鈥
鈥淪o they look at the monarchy, they remember all of the associated historical baggage, for want of a better word,鈥 Basran said. 鈥淭here will be people who will be thinking that the monarchy represents an institution which was repressive, discriminatory and violent. Is this something that we want to be supporting to the future?鈥
Patrick Vernon, a Black activist campaigning for justice for scores of Caribbean migrants who lost their rights as U.K. citizens because of a legal loophole, said Charles could do so much more to show his subjects that the monarchy takes diversity seriously.
He drew attention to a 2021 investigation by the Guardian newspaper that revealed the royal household is still exempt from equality laws preventing race and sex discrimination.
鈥淚 think Charles could be in a unique position to start to actually influence that agenda,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t's important to demonstrate change, demonstrate that there鈥檚 a clear marker that we鈥檙e different, that we鈥檙e moving towards the 21st century.鈥
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