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After the Coronation: Big Lunches, English Sparking Wine and AI parties

12 May 2023 By James Evison

Despite a wet start to the Coronation bank holiday on Saturday, last weekend saw 67,000 Big Lunches across communities and better on-trade sales by Monday – as well as some cheeky viral AI of a Royal after-party.

An AI image of King Charles created by Start Design Studio.

The AI images, made on an app by Australian design studio, Start Digital, imagine an after-party with royals on the dancefloor, in the DJ booth, or in King Charles III’s case, just relaxing with a drink – a mimosa, perhaps?

The pictures were made only a few hours before the Coronation of King Charles III and illustrate how quickly complex AI imagery can be created – and become viral across TikTok.

An AI image of the Princess of Wales as a DJ.

One assumes that at the actual after-party it was English Sparking Wine which was been consumed, especially following comments from the King’s wine supplier saying that it is “e very bit Champagne’s equal“.

Indeed, looking at Royal Warrants, it is highly possible that Camel Valley’s sparkling wine from Bodmin, Cornwall was one such drink. Although it received a Royal Warrant by appointment to the Prince of Wales, before he became King Charles, the firm still holds the Warrant, with its strict emphasis on consistent supply to the Royal Household for at least seven years and a focus on sustainability.

An AI image of the Prince of Wales on the dance-floor

The AI images followed a successful weekend for the alcohol trade after a damp start, with the Big Lunches taking place across Sunday as the rain relented – although some local areas put a ban on alcohol sales during the Coronation parties.

The Prince and Princess of Wales on a walkabout in Windsor even managed to try some of a well-wisher’s homemade “Purple Reign” gin – as well as being handed a can of Windsor and Eton Brewery’s Return of the King golden ale, which he promised to pass-on to his father.

The Centre for Retail Research said about £200m was expected to be spent on food and drink during the weekend with around 62 million pints supped.

Although pubs and restaurants missed out on the sun during the Coronation itself, it was deemed a “weekend of two halves” by UKHospitality, as the weather improved across the country and the drinks came out. The City Pub Group told the BBC that Saturday was a “washout” – but Sunday was “really, really strong”.

According to the Centre for Retail Research, about £200m was expected to be spent on food and drink alone over the Coronation weekend, with consumers adding more than £1.4bn in total to the UK economy.