Five hours without food and abandoned sneakers. All the behind-the-scenes details from the coronation, from someone who was actually there.

What first goes through your head when you receive an invitation to the King's coronation? 

For award-winning speaker, writer, and youth advocate, Yasmin Poole, who is also currently attending Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholarship recipient, it was a fairly strange moment.  

Yasmin was invited to the coronation as part of a group of outstanding Australians, including Sam Kerr, Adam Hills, Dr Daniel Nour, Nick Cave, Jasmine Coe, and others. She explained to Mamamia that her invitation started with an ambiguous email from the Australian High Commission. 

"They asked for me to give them a call because they wanted to nominate me for something and I didn't know what that something was... They basically said that the Prime Minister was inviting a group of Australians who had done work in the community or furthered Australia-UK relations and we were being invited to the coronation," she explained. 

Yasmin, who is not a dedicated royalist by any stretch of the imagination, being a card-carrying member of the Australian Republic movement, had some questions. 

"They [the High Commission] actually said that the Prime Minister himself and the ambassador, Kevin Rudd, and the High Commissioner are all pro-republic...They said 'you don't have to act like you're a monarchist, you can talk about Australia, your relations, and acknowledge your own position on a republic or monarchy'. So, that actually gave me a lot of comfort and that's how I decided to go." 

While her attendance may not have been a full endorsement of the Crown, Yasmine said she was more than happy to represent Australia on an international stage.

What happened on the day of the coronation? 

Yasmin said that the day started with a very long walk. 

"We got up at 6:00 AM. It was a 30-minute walk to Westminster Abbey [from the hotel] because everything was locked down – so they were like, 'Bring runners'. So we all kind of unglamorously took off our runners at the entrance, which I think is actually quite Australian." 

There was no seating arrangement once the attendees entered the Abbey, Yasmin said it was a 'first in, best dressed' situation. Also, she didn't end up seated next to any of the other Aussies. 

"Someone next to me was from Antigua, another person next to me worked in the NHS and another one was at YouTube or something like that – so we all came from really, really different places."

Listen to the Mamamia Out Loud team talk about the coronation. Article continues below. 

Was there a lot of waiting around? 

While they had to enter the Abbey early, the actual event didn't start for several hours, meaning that they became wildly hungry.

"We hadn't had brekkie yet, so a delegate from Australia actually offered me a sesame seed bar and I was so grateful for that, I scoffed it down and the person next to me had brought lollies, so we were all eating lollies to tide us through." 

How did you actually watch the coronation? 

Weirdly, Yasmin and the rest of the attendees ended up watching the coronation unfold on a screen, despite being in the actual Abbey. 

"They had TVs propped up. Basically, how it works is they've got the Royal family walking in but then you can't actually see them because they enter this certain part of the Abbey, so they have TVs where you can see the crowning. So, while everyone in the world was watching, and tuning in, we were also watching it on a screen, which I think is pretty funny." 

The attendees were also given booklets that gave a precise run-down of all the parts of the ceremony so they could know what to do and when – but it didn't always work for the audience. 

"There was one time when we heard a trumpet, so we all thought we needed to stand but we ended up definitely all standing up at the wrong time."

Yasmin also said that they could tell when the King had missed a step in the process based on the schedule.  

What did it feel like to watch it all? 

"It was pretty cool, not only seeing the royal family, but also seeing a bunch of foreign leaders like [Canada's Prime Minister] Justin Trudeau, or  [French President] Emmanuel Macron. People that you read about in the news but never see in person. But I do think – and my feelings about this have always been mixed – because I was also recognising that, for example, the crown that the put on the King's head has stolen jewels in it. That's a well-known fact and absolutely a product of colonisation. You see all this amazing architecture but then you also contextualise, 'Well, where does this wealth and power come from?'" 

"It's recognising that in the moment there are parts [of the coronation] that are fun and interesting but also not losing sight about what's going on outside."

Watch the preview of Harry's iTV interview below. Article continues after video. 

Did you meet any celebrities? 

"As we were leaving after taking some photos, Katy Perry was there. And I was like 'That's Katy Perry!' but the other people I was around were a bit older so I don't think they were interested – but I was freaking out. 

As we were walking away, I was like, 'Should I get a selfie? Is that really classless to ask that when you're meant to act like, you know, we're at a coronation?' But I thought that I would regret it if I didn't, so I kind of went up to her and I was like, 'Ms Perry, may I get a selfie?' And then we took the photo, so that's one of the coolest photos I have now." 

What happened after the coronation? 

There was a big contrast between what happened in the Abbey and what they walked into outside of it, Yasmin said. 

"In true English fashion, it was raining. So we went from this glam place to suddenly having rain ponchos and walking in these massive puddles, clomping around in our heels – which was pretty funny, actually. The Australian delegates all went to a restaurant that Adam Hills has in London, which is a jointly-owned Aussie place. So, the chef is Australian and we ended up going there and just having a big lunch together. 

"That was really nice, just being able to get together and process it. And also then knowing that when we go our separate ways, it's not really going our separate ways because we all want to keep meeting up and connecting. 

"I know, from my end, that it's so reassuring to have really cool Aussies that I know here (in the UK) now because I think Australia can feel so far away. But, in a way, it felt like home was right there because they were all there."  

How on Earth do you decide what to wear to a coronation? 

"I think everyone had the same dilemma, which was 'What is a coronation dress?' So, we were told by the Australian High Commission that the dress code is 'day dress' but what does that even mean? But then they sent some photos of Kate wearing this more conservative sort of dress. 

"To be honest, I was scouring every single website to find something – I did end up finding something but they also suggested we wear hats and things and I decided that's just really not my vibe. But there were some massive hats...I saw Julie Bishop a couple of rows ahead at the coronation and she... had the hat and everything."

Images: Getty.