There’s a lot of excitement in Front Royal, Virginia, Thursday as King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to take part in the town’s parade to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
Security is tight and roads are closed near Main Street, where the parade will be held. Schools in Warren County are closed for Thursday’s event.
Jodi Shollenberger, a middle school teacher and Front Royal resident, got up early to hold a spot in line for her two sons, so they could sleep in late. She ended up being the first in line.
“I wanted them to be able to actually be able to see the king and queen on Main Street and not be behind tall people,” Shollenberger told WTOP. “To still be part of the experience would be cool, but to actually see them.”
Another Front Royal resident attending the parade is Bill Tyree. He said that this will be his only chance to see a living monarch.
“The town is very lucky that we have something going on,” Tyree said. “This is good for the town.”
Linda Huff also shared similar sentiments, adding that Front Royal is a great place to live and has a ton of events, including the king and queen’s appearance.
“We followed them all of our lives,” Huff said of the royals. “It’s … exciting just to have them here.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to go to Shenandoah National Park later on after the parade.
WTOP’s Tadiwos Abedje contributed to this report.
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