Charles III will be officially crowned king on May 6, in a solemn religious service eight months after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Charles will be the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned at the central London church since King William I in 1066.
Outside the UK, he is also king of 14 other Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Camilla, his second wife, will be crowned queen. For the royals, the occasion -- described by the government as a "new chapter in our magnificent national story" -- is a cause for celebration
Prince Harry will be seated 10 rows behind the royal family at his father's coronation. According to a royal associate, the prince will also make a quick exit at the May 6 coronation amid the ongoing feud between the royals.
Public access to sites along The Mall and Whitehall will be on a first-come, first-served basis, with people directed to official screening sites in Hyde Park, Green Park and St James's Park once they are full. Stands for invited guests, including armed forces' veterans and NHS and social care staff, have been erected outside Buckingham Palace.
Just under 200 members of the armed forces - most from the Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry - who will be taking part in the procession to Westminster Abbey will start to gather on Saturday morning.
Another 1,000 service personnel will line the route, but the overall procession will be much smaller than its equivalent in 1953 when other royal families and Commonwealth prime ministers were among those who took part. Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles and Queen Camilla will continue the tradition - although which members of the Royal Family will be involved has not yet been confirmed.
Those there will witness the end of the day's public celebrations, with a six-minute fly-past involving members of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and culminating in a display by the Red Arrows.
Welby urges people to volunteer on coronation weekend as he helps out at charity
The Archbishop of Canterbury visited The Passage homelessness charity in central London. The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Britons to volunteer over the coronation weekend and believes many who do so will become “addicted” to service.
Justin Welby made the remarks on a visit to The Passage homelessness charity in central London on Wednesday to encourage people to join in the Big Help Out volunteering project.
He was joined by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and leading figures from the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities.
The Big Help Out will take place on Monday, May 8, a bank holiday, and aims to inspire and recruit a new generation of volunteers by showing how easy it is to get involved.
Opportunities include a chance to volunteer with the Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, Guide Dogs and the smallest local volunteering groups.
The faith leaders joked with volunteers and staff as they sorted clothes before serving up mushroom soup, a roast chicken lunch and vegetable pie for people in need.
Mr Welby teased volunteers about whether he fitted into a medium pair of shorts or needed a large one and later quipped that people “survive” his cooking as he chopped vegetables.
The King also received praise for his commitment to charity work. The Prince of Wales is a patron of The Passage and often made surprise visits there during the pandemic. It was founded in 1980 and serves a hot breakfast and lunch to between 90 and 100 people every weekday.
A written statement published on Wednesday by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden has announced that legislative authority will not be required to make planned changes to King Charles III’s Coronation Oath, which will be read in Westminster Abbey as part of the Coronation ceremony on 6 May 2023. This follows the precedent set by Sir Winston Churchill in 1953. (Turn to P4 for more)
