King Charles III’s coronation will take place on Saturday, and it will be followed by a weekend filled with celebrations and events across the UK. The ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey and conducted by the archbishop of Canterbury. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in central London to watch the procession.
Dozens of big screens will be set up in parks and public spaces to broadcast the coronation, and the Guardian has shared a list of key events and timings. Here is an overview of the coronation ceremony:
Saturday, May 6:
– 6am BST: Viewing areas along the 1.3-mile procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey will open.
– 7.15-8.30am: Guests invited to the ceremony will start arriving at the security checkpoints in Victoria Tower Gardens.
– 9am: The congregation should be seated inside the abbey by this time.
– 9.30-10.45am: Heads of state, government representatives, ministers, royals, and members of the royal family will arrive.
– 9.45am: The Household Cavalry’s Sovereign’s Escort will assemble at Buckingham Palace.
– 10.20am: The king and queen consort will begin their procession aboard the Diamond Jubilee State Coach from the palace.
– 10.53am: They will arrive at Westminster Abbey.
– 11am: The service will commence once they enter through the Great West Door.
– 12pm: The king will be crowned with the St Edward’s crown, followed by trumpets and gun salutes across the UK.
– 1pm: The service will end, and the king and queen consort will start their coronation procession back to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach.
– 1.33pm: They will enter Buckingham Palace through the Centre Arch.
– 1.45pm: They will receive a royal salute from the UK military in the palace gardens.
– 2.15pm: They will appear on the palace balcony to watch the flypast.
Sunday, May 7:
– The monarchy is calling for street parties and coronation “Big Lunches” across the UK, with approximately 3,000 road closures for the events and royal family members making appearances.
– 7pm: A concert will take place in the grounds of Windsor Castle, hosted by actor Hugh Bonneville and featuring performances from Take That, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, and Sir Bryn Terfel.
Monday, May 8:
– The UK will observe a bank holiday, and the royal family is urging people to participate in the “Big Help Out,” an event that encourages volunteering and commemorates the king’s “lifetime of public service.”
