MANILA — After quietly returning without arrival honors, President Marcos conveyed well wishes to King Charles III for a “long and happy” reign, saying it was an honor for him to represent the Filipinos at the historic coronation at Westminster Abbey in the United Kingdom on Saturday.
Marcos issued the statement congratulating King Charles and Queen Camilla hours after arriving in Manila from London on Sunday.
“It was as grand and magnificent a ceremony as could have been, full of symbolism and weighted by history. It was a great honor for me to represent the Philippines on such a historic occasion,” the President said.?“Filipinos wish His Majesty King Charles III a long and happy reign. May his coronation signify the start of a new chapter of peace, progress and prosperity for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” he said.
According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, the plane carrying the President and First Lady Liza Marcos landed in Manila at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. Garafil said the Chief Executive was welcomed by the chief of protocol and air force officers.
“No arrival honors,” Garafil told reporters Monday.
Marcos said he and his wife were able to talk to Charles at the reception the King hosted at Buckingham Palace on Friday, May 5.
“A day before the coronation of King Charles III, we were able to speak with His Majesty at the reception, where we sent him the congratulations of all Filipinos,” he said.
The Chief Executive said King Charles also asked about his mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos.
“He asked after his friend, my mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos and recounted fond memories of the time they shared together,” Marcos said.
Apart from the First Lady, Marcos’ three children, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, Simon and Vincent also joined him in London.
There are around 190,000 Filipinos in the UK, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Liza Marcos posted on Instagram on Sunday a photo of the President dressed in a maroon sweater and gray pants with a baseball cap.
“It feels good to be back home!” the caption read.
Philippine Ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier said King Charles and Marcos used to play polo together.
Charles acceded to the British throne last year after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
Marcos received a special diploma in social studies from Oxford University in England in 1978. He also went to Worth School, also in England, from 1970 to 1974.
Malacañang has yet to respond to queries about the President’s activities while in London. Earlier, Marcos said he would meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of King Charles’ coronation as part of efforts to deepen Manila and London’s trade partnership.
Marcos left the country on April 30 for a five-day official visit to Washington, where he held meetings with US President Joe Biden, US Vice President Kamala Harris, other US officials and some business leaders.
The President will leave for Indonesia today to attend the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
‘Unqualified success’
For his part, Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said the recent visit of President Marcos to the US, where he met with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, was an “unqualified success.”
“It helped that he had as wingmen Ambassador Babe Romualdez, a reliable DC hand who can speed-dial those who move the levers of power, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, whose excellent private sector contacts hark back to his banking days,” he said.
The former senator and now congressman of Batangas’ sixth district said it was just right for the Chief Executive to send the message to America that “economic prosperity is the foundation of national security.”
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