(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)

We may not have year-round royals like Charles, Camilla, and company, but Seattle does have royalty once a year … during Seafair. This year’s King Neptune, radio personality Bender, tried to defend Alki Beach from the Seafair Pirates this afternoon … but somehow, as happens every year, they managed to storm the beach anyway. At about 1:10 pm, in a haze of cannon smoke, they arrived at Alki aboard the Global vessel Prudhoe Bay:

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

The Pirates disembarked near Alki Bathhouse, with hundreds there to watch – and snap photos:

After coming ashore, they were found to be bearing gifts – not plundered treasure, but instead, stickers for kids:

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

The Pirates made their way through the curious crowd, up to where their land-going vessel Moby Duck awaited, as did a ceremony in which they seized – OK, were presented – the key to the county/city, held by County Executive (and lifelong West Seattleite) Dow Constantine:

Other royalty participating in the ceremony included Miss Seafair, Savannah Parker, who took a moment to pose with King Neptune:

As for the Pirates, it was eventually “all aboard” the Moby Duck, which they’ll sail back into West Seattle two weeks from today for the WS Grand Parade.

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

The parade’s at 11 am Saturday, July 22, starting from California/Lander in The Admiral District and heading southbound on California to The Junction, preceded by the Float Dodger 5K at 9:30 am.