Kitschy Royal Souvenirs for Sale in London for King Charles' Coronation

As an American in London for the coronation of King Charles III, I wasn't so much invested in the monarchy itself as I was thrilled to be on the ground for such a historic event — the first coronation in my lifetime.

But I'll confess: the thing that got me most excited for the visit was not the somber celebration for Britain's new monarch (I'm team Sussex anyway), but the promise of fun and kitschy souvenirs to bring back home — and maybe even keep forever as mementos of the occasion.

Famous for top-quality tea and homewares, the Fortnum & Mason store has a dedicated "coronation shop" — where some of the most coveted mementos were flying off the shelves literally as fast as store staff could stock them.

I watched as stock people wheeled carts of merchandise out to displays, only for shoppers to snap them up immediately.

I'll be honest, the tea didn't look very tasty to me: a pineapple and coconut blend. But the keepsake tin was lovely, with a pair of flamingos and hibiscus flowers. So I bought four at £13, or around $16 a piece — the perfect gifts for friends and family back home.

I also got a couple of King Charles III tea towels for £13, or around $16, as well as a box of chocolate crowns for £15, around $19.

It turns out that I overestimated the ubiquity of such souvenirs. In my estimation, American street vendors presented with an equivalent opportunity would have seized it with far more vigor, flooding the streets with as much commemorative gear as they could sell.

But I noticed an entrepreneurial kid selling Union Jack-printed plastic hats, as well as Union Jack flags. I should have bought them from him too — because he was asking £1.50, around $2, and I ended up springing for a pair of two at £5, around $6, just down the road.

Here, there were also bobbleheads depicting Queen Elizabeth II — but none of King Charles. This was a missed opportunity because I would have bought one.

Surely an unofficial version dashed off at a print shop, they were £8, or around $10.

There were classic Union Jacks, King Charles-emblazoned flags, and even flags with Charles' likeness next to Queen Elizabeth's, a nod to the line of succession as well as the popularity of the late monarch.

Given the steady rain on coronation day, I would have expected to see opportunistic entrepreneurs selling Union Jack umbrellas or rain ponchos. While I saw plenty of people wearing them, I saw none for sale. Likewise was the case for plastic tiaras, crowns (inflatable and paper), and Union Jack headbands.

The next day — the day of the big coronation concert — I walked down to the Piccadilly Circus area and that's where I hit the jackpot, cheeky souvenir wise.

Most curiously of all, I spotted a selection of Union Jack-printed cowboy hats. I passed on those, but I did scoop up a commemorative coronation sticker for my laptop (surprisingly, the shopkeeper gave it to me for free!) as well as a mug to bring home which was £15, or around $19.

But as I prepared to board my plane back to Los Angeles, I was happy with my haul of commemorative tea accessories and more from a most historic day — and trip — I'll never forget.