King Charles has enjoyed a tea party with veterans at Coningsby

He also visited the Lincolnshire Coast and a farm in the county

King Charles visits Coningsby
Author: Julie Caston, PAPublished 24th Jul 2023
Last updated 24th Jul 2023

King Charles visited Lincolnshire today and enjoyed a tea party with veterans from the Second World War. The annual tea party was held at Coningsby.

The King paid a heartfelt tribute to Second World War RAF veterans as he commemorated the 80th anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid.

Charles visited the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) where famous aircraft such as Spitfires, Hurricanes and a Lancaster bomber - the aircraft used in the 1943 raid - are kept airworthy for major displays.

The veterans were enjoying afternoon tea in a giant hangar, with BBMF air, ground and support crews surrounded by many of the historic planes, when the King arrived, and many of the elderly men, in their late 90s and some aged more than 100, joined the guests in standing.

When he stopped at one table the King sat between two veterans and referencing the RAF servicemen maintaining and flying the aircraft said, "thank God for all these men" and he put his hand on the arm of a elderly man adding "people like you looked after us".

Whilst there the King spoke to 'Rusty' Waughman who told us what it was like to meet the Monarch:

"Oh he was so nice and so easy to be with - no side at all, just one of the boys really.

"It means comradeship, seeing all these people. All these old friends you knew and making new ones.

"It means such a lot being here, and the fact everybody else respects not just what the aircrew did, but what everybody did".

'Rusty' Waughman

'Rusty' says he was just 17-years-old when he joined the air force, and 19 when he started flying the Lancaster.

And just before His Majesty’s departure - he met the typhoon pilots who flew at the trooping of the colour earlier this year.

His Majesty King Charles III also visited the Lincolnshire coast during his visit to the area.

This year it's 50 years since the creation of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 70 years since a major flood devastated communities on the county's east coast, and 75 years since the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Gibraltar Point nature reserve were first established.

The King met with survivors of the 1953 floods, as well as representatives from Lincolnshire County Council, the Environment Agency, the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust at the Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve.

Cllr Colin Davie, executive member for environment and economy at Lincolnshire County Council, said:

“It has been a pleasure to welcome His Majesty to Lincolnshire today for his first visit to the county as King.

“His visit to our glorious coast – in the very area affected by the flooding of 1953, and a stone’s throw from both the Wolds and Gibraltar Point – highlights the many anniversaries we are marking in the county this year. Protecting and enhancing the natural environment has also always been a cause close to His Majesty’s heart, and today he has seen first-hand the strong partnerships we have in place to safeguard the future of Lincolnshire’s coastal communities and biodiversity.”

Deborah Campbell, Flood Risk Manager for Lincolnshire at Environment Agency said:

“The communities along the east coast of Lincolnshire live at or below sea level, relying on the sea defences for protection from around half of all high tides each month. The Environment Agency has been nourishing the beaches along the open coast of Lincolnshire since 1994 to reduce the impact of the North Sea on the hard defences and dune systems. In fact, sea levels were a meter higher in the tidal surge of December 2013 compared to those of the devastating flood of 1953, but the effects had minimal impact on the coast.”

Paul Learoyd, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said:

“The 1,000 acres of wild Lincolnshire coast at Gibraltar Point was first designated a nature reserve by the county council in 1948 and entrusted to a new voluntary organisation now known as Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

“Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the now Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust this year, both the reserve and charity have grown in size and importance as their roles for people and wildlife have been recognised.

“King Charles first visited Gibraltar Point in 1971 as Prince of Wales and is Patron of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. From this first venture into partnership working 75 years ago, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's work with the county council has grown and developed. We are excited to be working with the county council and other partners to develop our work on the coast in the future.”

Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service manager, Stephen Jack, said:

“During 2023, the Lincolnshire Wolds is celebrating its 50th anniversary as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it’s an ideal opportunity to discover more about this protected, living, working and thriving landscape.

“His Majesty’s visit to the county helps us further recognise this landmark jubilee, for which the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service, the Lincolnshire Chalk Stream Project and the AONB Farming in Protected Landscapes network have worked with partners to coordinate a series of ‘50 events for 50 years’ to showcase, promote and engage with people who live, work and visit the Lincolnshire Wolds.”

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