Flora Day is to be moved next year in order not to clash with the King's coronation.

There was consternation last week when it was revealed that the coronation of King Charles III was to fall on May 6, 2023 - the same date that had been scheduled for the annual celebrations in Helston.

Although traditionally held on May 8, next year this will fall on a Monday – which Flora Day is never held on, due to this historically being market day.

As a result, it would normally have taken place on the Saturday before - now coronation day.

Instead, following a meeting held earlier this week, Helston Flora Day Committee has announced a new date this morning.

The event will now be taking place on the Friday, May 5.

The committee said in a statement: "It is with careful consideration with all relevant safety partners and to avaoid clashing with the coronation of King Charles, we announce Flora Day 2023 will take place on Friday 5th May.

"We look forward to welcoming you to Helston for what will be a joyous celebration weekend."

A spokesperson for the committee told the Packet it was "the only plausible date" once the coronation had been announced. 

Of course, while the Palace probably had other priorities to consider when picking a date, it had been an unfortunate clash for the former Duke of Cornwall, given it is one of the biggest days in the Cornish calendar – not just for Helston but with people from all over the Duchy attending, not to mention Helstonians who have moved to other parts of the country returning for the special day.

And although Prince Charles probably hasn’t attended the event, it’s possible one of his brothers may have done – or at the very least should have been aware of it.

Prince Andrew was actually based in Helston while he trained as a helicopter pilot at RNAS Culdrose.

He underwent training there in 1981 and later saw action in the South Atlantic during the Falklands War, eventually returning with his fellow members of 820 Squadron after 166 days at sea with the carrier HMS Invincible.

Buckingham Palace has said the ceremony will be “rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry” but also “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”.

The coronation will take place in Westminster Abbey, eight months after the monarch’s accession and the death of the Queen, with the Queen Consort being crowned alongside Charles.

May 6 is also the birthday of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie – Charles’s grandson – who will be turning four on the day, and the date was the wedding anniversary of the late Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, while the King’s grandfather George VI similarly held his coronation in the month of May.