MANILA, Philippines — As President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. congratulated newly crowned King Charles III, the Chief Executive revealed that the British monarch asked him about his mom, former first lady Imelda Marcos.
Bongbong Marcos said on Monday, in a statement honoring the monarch, that King Charles III recalled fond memories with “his friend.”
This supposedly happened a day before the coronation, which Marcos and members of his family attended.
“I join the community of nations in congratulating His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla on the joyous occasion of their Coronation on 06 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London,” President Marcos said.
“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 asked after his friend, my mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and recounted fond memories of the time they shared together,” he added.
The former first lady and King Charles III, when he was still Prince of Wales, had met several times when former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., was still in power. The Marcoses’ son, incumbent President Marcos Jr. took his secondary and undergraduate schooling in the United Kingdom.
Marcos even said last Saturday that he personally knew the newly-crowned king when he was still a prince.
The President said the ceremony was a magnificent one, adding that he extended to the Royal Family the Filipinos’ well-wishes for King Charles III’s reign.
“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,” Marcos 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 added.
Marcos arrived in the UK last May 6 to attend King Charles III’s coronation. The President went straight to the coronation after a series of engagements during his five-day official visit to the United States, which included a bilateral discussion with US President Joe Biden.
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