On May 6, 2023, the world will witness the historic coronation of King Charles III.
So dust off the deck chairs, marinate some chicken in curry yoghurt and untangle the bunting… it’s time to throw a proper royal party.
Here’s everything you need to know when watching King Charles III’s coronation in London — and how to get there if you’re brave enough to face the crowds.
When and where is the coronation?
The service will take place at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, with the day’s events scheduled to begin at 6am EST (11am UK Summer Time). It will be the first time in more than a century that the coronation takes place over the weekend.
King Charles III and his wife Camilla, the queen, will arrive at Westminster Abbey after a grand procession from Buckingham Palace, known as the King’s Procession.
When is the bank holiday?
There are usually two public holidays in May: the Early May Bank Holiday on May 1 and the Spring Bank Holiday on May 29. However, a third has been bestowed on Britain for the year. Today to mark the coronation. It will take place on May 8, the Monday after the coronation.
Which way will the procession go?
Just before the service begins, Charles and Camilla will board the Diamond Jubilee State Coach at Buckingham Palace for a 1.3-mile trip to Westminster Abbey. The trainer is a closed horse-drawn carriage made to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday.
Drawn by six horses, the trainer will travel along The Mall past Admiralty Arch and into Trafalgar Square. At the square’s towering Nelson’s Column, the procession will head straight into Whitehall.
As the trainer moves down Whitehall, it will pass the historic Horse Guards building, where the daily changing of guard takes place and Whitehall Palace, where England’s first King Charles (Charles I) was beheaded for treason in 1649. The parade will continue along Whitehall through Downing Street, where the work was done. British prime minister’s job, and the Cenotaph, London’s most important war memorial. At that point, it will enter Parliament Square, passing the huge statue of Winston Churchill on the right and the Houses of Parliament on the left.
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Related: 15 things to see and do in London around the coronation of King Charles
After circling Parliament Square, the carriage will pass through Broad Sanctuary to Westminster Abbey, where every Royal coronation has taken place since 1066. The coronation is expected to last about an hour. hour.
After the ceremony is over, the newly crowned king and queen will board the 260-year-old Gold State Coach to return home. This is called the Coronation and is bigger than the first, with more pomp and splendor and other royals following suit.
Upon arrival at Buckingham Palace, the family will greet hundreds of thousands of well-wishers from the building’s famous balcony, at which point there will be a large formation of the Royal Air Force. The flyover is reported to include the Red Arrows (RAF’s aerobatic team) and Spitfires (British fighter planes that have been in use since before World War II).
Where are the best places to see it?
The first thing to know, if not immediately obvious, is that the streets along the route will be very busy. Hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK (and the world) are expected to flock to London for the festivities. Many of them expect to catch a glimpse of the 1.3-mile procession.
If you are one of them, you will need to arrive early. Many viewers will likely camp overnight along the route to grab the best vantage points. Ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, visitors are said to have camped 48 hours before the event to secure their spot.
If you’re brave enough to blend in with the crowd, Buckingham Palace is a good place to start. It’s where you can see the new king, queen and other members of the royal family on the palace balcony for the Royal Air Force flyover.
Related: Heathrow strike threatens to disrupt coronation
The mall is also always popular during such events. It can be difficult to get many views of the procession from adjoining St James’s Park. However, some large screens may be set to view the event.
Elsewhere, you can throw yourself at Trafalgar Square. However, anyone planning to climb the famous Landseer Lions guarding Nelson’s Column for a better view should remember that today’s police disapproval of doing so. It could face a few hours of detention if caught.
On the other hand, Whitehall would be a good site but is expected to become impassable during construction due to narrow sidewalks. Alternatively, you can try Parliament Square or even just outside Westminster Abbey.
What is the best subway station to get close to the procession?
The nearest London Underground stations along the route are:
- St James’s Park (District and Circle Streets).
- Green park (Piccadilly, Victoria and Jubilee streets).
- Charing Cross (Bakerloo and North Streets).
- Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee lines).
Related: 10 royal places to visit in the UK outside of London
During last summer’s Platinum Anniversary weekend, opening times were limited and some of the stations listed above closed. However, Transport for London has said that there are no plans to shut down their network on coronation day.
What else can you do in the region on coronation day?
London is expected to come alive with the weekend-long festival, with thousands of locally held street parties taking place across the UK. Wherever you are, keep an eye out the day before for any tables and bunting in the streets, parks and community spaces – two sure signs that the royal party is on go out.
Here are a few facts to consider.
Mayfair’s Coronation Garden Party
Among the largest parties are Mayfair’s Coronation Garden Party at Grosvenor Square in the London district. There will be a large screen to watch royal pranks, as well as food and drink stalls, live flower installations, live music and special offers in shops and bars. Bars and cafes nearby.
Crown Jewels Garden at Covent . Garden
The historic tourist hotspot is hosting a quintessential British pop-up called Crown jewel garden in the East Square. The coronation will be shown live on the big screen ahead of a schedule of live music and entertainment, including piano solo songs, along with an offer of “Britain’s finest beer, cider and gin”. “.
Hearty lunch crowned
On Sunday, May 7, a Hearty lunch crowned will take place across the country, where neighbors and communities are invited to share food and joy together.
Great help
On Monday, May 8, everyone is invited to join big help, which encourages people to volunteer and join the work being done to support their local areas.
ring for the king
For those who can’t (or don’t want to) rattle inner London on coronation day, listen to church music a little after noon. There are around 6,000 sets of bells throughout the British Isles, totaling almost 38,000 bells. Ahead of the event, the Church of England sent out a call for bell-ringers across the country to unite ring their bells at the end of the coronation ceremony.
What about the coronation concert?
A coronation concert will take place at Windsor Castle on the Sunday following the coronation (May 7). It will feature Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli, along with performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera Chorus, Royal Ballet and an officially crowned choir of choir groups. from across the UK, including refugee choirs, National Health Aid choirs, LGBTQ+ vocal groups and deaf choirs.
Several thousand tickets were available to the public via ballot, which is now closed. So if you haven’t secured your ticket yet, you’re too late.
However, major US news networks, such as ABC, CNN and others, will cover the ceremony. If you are in the US and want to watch BBC, you can subscribe to BritBox. If you don’t have cable, you can watch online with services like Hulu + Live TV.
bottom line
It will be very busy around the specified route. If you are visiting London and plan on trying to catch a glimpse of the procession, get there early. Even if you’re not into the procession, you should head to central London to soak up the party atmosphere. There are many other festivals that take place in pubs, parks and streets.
At home? Set your alarm for 6 a.m. EST on coronation day so you can watch it from your couch with a nice cup of tea.
