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King Charles's coronation service will begin at 11 a.m. local time, but the procession from Buckingham Palace will start earlier. For those of us in the U.S., this means the service will start bright and early—an 11 a.m. start in London means 6 a.m. eastern and 3 a.m. pacific.
Country Living Uk King Charles III's Coronation will be held on Saturday 6th May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London. With plans well under way, Buckingham Palace has announced further details on the ceremonial, celebratory, and community events that will take place over the Coronation weekend.
Camilla, Queen Consort, will also be crowned at the same time during the historic event, which is the first to take place in nearly 70 years following the late Queen's long reign.
To celebrate the Coronation, it has been confirmed that an extra bank holiday will take place on Monday 8th May 2023 – two days after the official ceremony. This is in addition to the bank holiday already in place on 1st May.
Charles ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on the 8th September 2022. It marks the formal investiture of a monarch's regal power. Charles will be 74 at the time of the ceremony, the oldest a new monarch has ever been crowned.
The ceremony will "reflect the monarch's role today", according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. It also said the Coronation will "look towards the future while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
Keep reading for details on:
The Coronation guest list
Timings
Official Coronation invitation
Full weekend plans
Location details
How to get involved
The Coronation Emblem
What crown King Charles will wear
Coronation flowers
What will happen at the Coronation
The procession route
King Charles III's Coronation date: Coronation weekend plans revealed
Official plans for King Charles III's Coronation have been released by Buckingham Palace. "Across the Coronation Weekend, there will be further opportunities for people to come together in celebration of the historic occasion," says an announcement from the Palace.
Keep reading for the full list of events taking place over the Coronation weekend:
Saturday 6th May, 2023
The Coronation Service will take place on the morning of Saturday 6th May 2023 at Westminster Abbey. It will begin at 11am. The King and the Queen Consort will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as 'The King's Procession'.
Following the ceremony, the King and Queen Consort will return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as 'The Coronation Procession'. They will be joined in this procession by other members of the Royal Family. The day will end with the Royal Family appearing on the balcony. Read here to see which members of the royal family are expected to appear on the Palace balcony.
Sunday 7th May, 2023
On Sunday 7th May 2023, a special Coronation Concert will take place at Windsor Castle. Broadcast by the BBC, the concert will bring global music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of the historic occasion. The concert will be attended by members of the public, as well as charities supported by the Monarch. The Concert will begin mid evening and will last for approximately two to three hours.
During the concert, there will also be a special 'Lighting up the Nation' segment, which will see the country join together in celebration as iconic locations across the UK are lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
The Coronation Big Lunch will also take place on Sunday 7th May. From street parties to garden get-togethers, neighbours and communities across the UK are invited to share food and fun together.
Monday 8th May, 2023
The Big Help Out will be held on Monday 8th May 2023 — the additional bank holiday. Organised by The Together Coalition and 25 of the UK's biggest charities, The Big Help Out will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation. From rolling up your sleeves to help a local group, to volunteering at a food bank, this is the chance to lend a hand in your neighbourhood. Read more about The Big Help out here.
Coronation procession route
On the morning of the 6th May, King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, will travel in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach in a procession to Westminster Abbey. Created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Her late Majesty's reign, the coach has only ever been used by the Queen. The outside features a gilded crown on the top carved from oak from HMS Victory, while the interiors have been crafted from woods, metals and materials from buildings and places with specific connections to Britain.
Known as 'The King's Procession', the carriage will depart Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, before proceeding down The Mall. It will then pass through Admiralty Arch and along the south side of Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street to the Abbey.
According to royal.co.uk, The Coronation Procession will include Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, alongside The Sovereign's Bodyguard and Royal Watermen.
After the ceremony, their Majesties will take the same route back to Buckingham Palace. 'The Coronation Procession', which is set to be much larger in scale, will see the King and Queen travel in the Gold State Coach.
More than 6,000 men and women of the United Kingdom's Armed Forces will participate in the historic event. Described as the largest military ceremonial operation for 70 years, the Coronation will see sailors, soldiers and aviators from across the UK and Commonwealth take part in the magnificent procession. Later in the day, military personnel will conduct a flypast of more than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force flying over The Mall in London.
"I am incredibly proud of our brilliant military personnel who are preparing to honour centuries of military tradition by taking to the streets, skies and seas to pay tribute to our new King and Queen and mark the Coronation next month," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
For more information about the Coronation procession route, visit royal.co.uk.
