We wouldn’t want to miss it for the world! Australian couple travel 10,000 miles from New South Wales to attend King Charles’ coronation and meet other royal superfans
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A few royal superfans have made the 10,000 mile journey from Australia to attend King Charles’ coronation and meet other monarchists.
Husband and wife Jan and David Hugo, who own Australia’s largest collection of royal memorabilia, traveled to the UK on May 6 for the historic occasion.
Ms Hugo, 65, has collected more than 10,000 pieces dating back to the days of Queen Victoria.
She said her hobby began “accidentally” in the 1980s when she received a coin commemorating Charles and Diana’s engagement to celebrate the birth of her daughter.
The couple, from Hunter Valley in New South Wales, were so excited to attend the event this weekend that they booked their flights to London an hour after the coronation date was announced.
Jan Hugo and her husband David started their Royal collection in the eighties
Jan and David visited the museum of fellow monarchist Anita Atkinson during their trip
The coronation of King Charles this weekend is expected to draw visitors from all over the world
Mrs. Hugo met Charles on a tour of Australia and plans to bring home more items for her haul.
She said: ‘Forty-two years later we have over 10,000 pieces – we stopped counting when it was 10,000.
“We got the plate, then the spoon, then the cup, and then it just went on.”
The couple lives among their memorabilia, which even includes life-sized mannequins of the King and Queen.
She added: ‘We basically have everything in house – it’s like living in a museum with everything behind glass.
“We opened it for about seven years and then Covid hit so we had to close it. The pandemic was pretty bad in Australia and we haven’t opened since, but we’re thinking about doing it again.”
Jan Hugo pictured with her collection of royal memorabilia at her home in New South Wales, Australia
Royal superfan Anita Atkinson has been chosen as the face of Aldi’s new coronation range
Mrs Atkinson’s museum in Crook, County Durham holds over 12,000 royal collectibles
During their trip to the UK, the pair will meet other royal superfans, including Anita Atkinson, 66, whose museum in Crook, County Durham, contains more than 12,000 collectables.
The pair are in friendly competition with the fellow Monarchist and enjoyed comparing their collections last week during a meeting at Ms. Atkinson’s museum.
Mrs Hugo added: ‘I told her about much of my collection. She made us feel really welcome.’
Ms. Atkinsona, a well-known royal superfan, went to the Mall a week early on Saturday to try and get a top spot to see the king.
Supermarket Aldi has also chosen her as the face of the coronation campaign.
**Are YOU a royal superfan who traveled far and wide to attend on May 6? Email allen.glen@mailonline.co.uk