King Charles has been found decapitated – with his head stuck in a watery grid leading out of a village pond.
Fortunately, this King Charles, part of a hugely popular coronation display around Hurst pond, was made of wool.
Inevitably, there were comparisons between the fate of model King Charles III and the real Charles I who was tried and executed by beheading in 1649.
On Tuesday, the head of the woolly Charles III had been washed and was drying on the washing line of its creator, Heather Howarth of Hurst Hookers knitting and crochet group.
Heather hoped to reunite the head with its body, standing around the pond with Queen Camilla, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Paddington and over 20 Grenadier guards, as quickly as possible.
She said: “A group of ladies found his head in a grid leading out of the pond. Someone from the cricket club kindly pulled it out.
“King Charles looked a bit sad, but he will be fine. Just a bit nervous without his body. He just needed a rinse and dry out.
“A heron was giving him attention yesterday, maybe the jewels on his crown were the attraction. He just needs a little bit of repair. I’ve replaced two of his medals.”
The display of woollen characters, made by many Hurst Hookers members, was Heather’s idea. It is mounted on the posts lining the pond’s grassy verge. Many admirers have visited.
Pamela Barnard, of Hurst who has just turned 80, made a portly sergeant guardsman. King Charles’s coronation brings back memories of seeing him when he was a baby.
“My mum was a keen royalist. At Buckingham Palace we stood on the kerb watching as Charles, just a babe in arms, went by [in a car] to his christening.
“Later we saw Princess Anne going to her christening, Charles was a little fellow, looking out of the window waving. I love what we do at the knitting and crochet group, I want to learn more and more. It’s just wonderful doing this for the village,” she said.
Heather created Queen Camilla as she sat at the eight-day inquiry into a plan for 200 homes in a Hurst field. Her King Charles gives a fairly respectful nod to his distinctive ears.
Twyford embroidery digitiser, Valerie Thorn, created medals for the King, his Star of the Garter badge and his Order of the Bath neck badge. She also made an intricately embroidered cloak and mitre for the lifelike Archbishop of Canterbury.
Pip Etheridge made Paddington Bear, who ‘had tea’ with the Queen. The display is at the junction of School Road and Wokingham Road.
The postbox by Hurst’s Central Convenience Stores bears a dramatic crown made of wool. The post box in Lodge Road is topped by a woollen King and Queen.
Admirers can scan the QR code on each figure by the pond and donate to support Hurst charity The Cowshed to provide clothing and other items for hard-up people. Passers-by love the group’s displays.
“There’s a lovely feeling of fun and community among the members and also everyone who sees them,” said one villager.
