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When is the bank holiday to mark King Charles’s coronation?

king charles III coronation uk bank holiday throne buckingham palace westminster abbey queen elizabeth II royal family
king charles III coronation uk bank holiday throne buckingham palace westminster abbey queen elizabeth II royal family

King Charles III ascended the throne in September on the death of his mother, Her Majesty The Queen. However, he won't be officially crowned until his coronation later this year.

Set to take place at Westminster Abbey, the ceremony will see the King crowned alongside his wife, the Queen Consort, Camilla - whose title could be changed to just "Queen Camilla" between now and the event.

It is expected that the coronation will be a smaller and more modern affair compared to the late Queen's ceremony.

With Queen Elizabeth II having reigned for 70 years, she was Britain's longest-serving monarch. King Charles will be the oldest new monarch in British history, and his coronation the first in Britain since 1953.

But when is the new King's coronation ceremony date and - the question on everyone's lips - will there be a bank holiday to mark the occasion? Read on to find out more.

What date is King Charles' coronation?

King Charles III's coronation is set to take place on Saturday May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey.

Will it be a bank holiday?

An additional bank holiday is not guaranteed for the coronation, despite tradition. Although there was the assumption there would be an extra bank holiday, there was a delay in the Government confirming it, amid fears for the UK economy. An alternative solution was to move the existing early May bank holiday to mark the event, so that the coronation falls on that weekend.

However, the Government has proclaimed an additional bank holiday to mark the Coronation on Monday, May 8. It will take place across the UK, and in recognition of the King's concern for strengthening local communities, the public will be encouraged to join the Big Help Out initiative. 

Royal events that have warranted a bank holiday

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee - Thursday 2 June 2022

In order to allow for the people of the UK and communities across the world to celebrate Her Majesty's 70 years on the throne, an extended bank holiday took place in June 2022.

The end of May bank holiday was pushed back and took place from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.

The Queen's State Funeral - Monday 19 September 2022

The State Funeral for Her Majesty The Queen took place at Westminster Abbey, with Monday 19 September being a one-off bank holiday so that people across the UK could mourn the late monarch.

The Royal Wedding - Friday 29 April 2011

The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a bank holiday throughout the United Kingdom. This gave the majority of the country the opportunity to celebrate the occasion.

What will happen on the day of the coronation?

As the coronation of King Charles III is expected to be a smaller affair, only 2,000 guests are expected to attend - compared to the 8,000 plus who travelled to Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth's ceremony in 1953.

The King will be asked if he will govern the United Kingdom and other nations of the Commonwealth with law and justice, and if he will maintain Christianity in the nation, before being seated in the Coronation Chair holding the sovereign's sceptre, rod and orb.

After being anointed, blessed and consecrated by the Archbishop, Charles will have the crown of St Edward placed on his head, officially crowning him as King Charles III.

This article is kept updated with the latest information.