King Charles and Queen Consort to visit Brick Lane today

An image of Brick Lane
The King and Queen Consort will visit Brick Lane tomorrow morning Pic: Curry Life Magazine

Thousands of people are expected to welcome King Charles and Camilla Queen Consort as they visit Tower Hamlets today. In a historic visit and the King’s first trip to the borough since his appointment, the head of state will tour Brick Lane as well as other sites important to the local Bangladeshi community.

The King will meet heads of charities and businesses to learn about the impact of COVID, meet with community elders involved in the anti-racism movement of the 1970s, and attend Brick Lane Mosque, an iconic religious building which has served three Abrahamic faiths in its 280 year lifetime.

Heavy security will mean several road closures in the area. Businesses have been asked to reschedule deliveries that were due to take place today and tomorrow. Full details of the road closures are shown on the council website.

A visualisation showing the roads closed for the royal visit.
Road closures will take place across the area. Pic: OpenStreetMap, Jamie Richards

The event will be hosted by British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration. The organisation was set up by St Katherine’s and Wapping Labour Councillor Abdal Ullah and finance lawyer Ayesha Qureshi MBE to: “celebrate the pioneers, leaders and role models of the British Bangladeshi community”. One in six British Bangladeshis live in Tower Hamlets.

British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration told ELL: “We’re obviously excited, we’re overwhelmed to be hosting this royal visit to showcase the best of the British Bangladeshi community…all the businesses are looking fantastic, ready to welcome their majesties tomorrow.”

The visit will begin in Altab Ali Park to the south of Brick Lane, at 11am. The park was renamed after a 25- year-old Bangladeshi man was murdered there in a racist attack in 1978. The park became an important site in the anti-racist movement.

The last time the reigning monarch visited the borough was in in 2017, when Queen Elizabeth attended a service at All Saints Church in Poplar to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the bombing of Upper North Street.

One Response

  1. Danuta Wojtowicz February 8, 2023

Leave a Reply