UK Consul General in NY prepares for coronation

The Consul General to the United Kingdom kicked off festivities in New York on Friday with a ceremonial lighting of the Empire State Building in the colors of the Union Jack. Consul General and British Trade Minister Emma Wade-Smith flicked a ceremonial switch, lighting up a scale model of the famous New York skyscraper, which won't be lit for the occasion until Saturday.

She said Britons are eagerly awaiting the coronation day both at home and abroad. In New York, the consulate is sponsoring events and parties around the city for its citizens and American anglophiles to watch the event. It's an opportunity for the nation to strengthen its brand abroad, with one of its oldest allies.