Protesters' chants drowned out as King receives Bollywood welcome in Barking

The King and Queen Consort visited Barking & Dagenham's community hub and were greeted with a Bollywood-style performance, while a small group of protesters' chants were reported as being drowned out by cheering members of the public.

The King and Queen Consort visited community workers in London's East End during a short trip to Barking & Dagenham. They attended the Barking Learning Centre Community and Family Hub and saw local programmes that support a diverse community. The visit began with a performance from Events 2 Empower and finished with a song from the Barking Churches Choir. A small group of protesters shouted "free free Palestine" during a walkabout, and their chants were reported as being drowned out by cheering and flag-waving members of the public. Key details: - The royal couple spent about 30 minutes at the Barking Learning Centre Community and Family Hub. - The visit included a welcome dance performance and a closing choir song. - A small group of protesters shouted "free free Palestine" and were reportedly drowned out by cheering and flag-waving members of the public. - The King picked up a Bosch tool kit and was shown a "Library of Things" borrowing scheme that lets people borrow household items instead of buying them. - Charles and Camilla spoke with people involved in social prescribing, employment advice, homelessness prevention and encouraging reading. Summary: The visit highlighted local community projects and received a largely celebratory public response, while a small protest was reported as being overwhelmed by cheers. Undetermined at this time.