Royal charter: it was Charles’s 20-times grandfather who gave permission for a market in Croydon

PHOTOGRAPHY for Inside Croydon by NADIA AZIZUDDIN

King Charles was in Surrey Street this lunchtime, joining celebrations to mark the historic street market’s 750th anniversary.

The first royal charter for a market in Croydon was granted in 1276 to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Kilwardby, by King Edward I. Charles III is the 20th great-grandson of King Edward I.

Pound a bowl: Charles picked up a bargain on the market today

Today is the first visit to Croydon by a British monarch since Charles’s mother, Elizabeth II, visited the borough on July 4, 2002, as part of her Golden Jubilee tour.

Queen Camilla was not seen today. She probably didn’t fancy the “Pound a Bowl!” experience. And she has had someone do the shopping for her.

Charles’ last visit to Croydon also took in Surrey Street, in August 2011, immediately after the riots, and again in September 2012. He may have noticed that the market is in a worse state today, with more empty pitches, than it was even 15 years ago…

Surrey Street “remains a valued destination for shoppers, visitors and local businesses”, according to the council.

The King proved to be a bigger draw for crowds of locals, who were in the market expecting to see a few street performers, dancers and musicians in between the stalls.

Discover more about the history of Surrey Street Market here: How Croydon got its first shopping centre, 750 years ago

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