Yahoo News Prince Harry will attend the coronation without Meghan
The first weekend of May will be one for the history books, as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, will be coronated in front of the world. Charles succeeds his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died on 8 September 2022 after 70 years of service.
The double coronation – the first of its kind since that of Queen Elizabeth II’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, in 1937 – will be a time of celebration over a bank-holiday weekend and, whether you're in the UK capital or not, there are plenty of ways to mark the occasion.
Charles automatically became king when his mother died, with Buckingham Palace confirming at the time: “The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort. The coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”
Below, we break down the details of this royal moment in history, from the ceremony schedule to where to watch it for yourself.
The coronation weekend proceedings
Saturday 6 May
The Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey
The coronation service will take place at Westminster Abbey. King Charles and Camilla will arrive at the abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as the 'King's Procession'. After the service has taken place, the pair will return to the palace, where they will be joined by other members of the royal family. They will then make a family appearance on the balcony to conclude the day's ceremony.
Sunday 7 May
The Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle
A special concert at Windsor Castle will be produced and broadcast live on the BBC, for the public to watch and enjoy. Global stars will perform, and there will also be spoken-word performances, a world-class orchestra and dancers. The Coronation Choir will also take to the stage; the diverse group is made up of various community groups from around the UK, such as Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. The celebration will finish with ‘Lighting Up the Nation’, where the country will join together to celebrate as locations around the country are lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
The Coronation Big Lunch
The country will be encouraged to get together with their neighbours, communities and loved ones to share food and celebrate with a nationwide communal lunch. The Big Lunch – an idea coined by the Eden Project, of which the Queen Consort has been a patron since 2013 – aims to unite millions of people to improve community spirit, support charities and reduce loneliness. People are encouraged to take to the streets, gardens, parks and shared spaces to mark the occasion.
Monday 8 May
The Big Help Out
In a bid to show the value of volunteering, the Big Help Out pays tribute to King Charles’ decades of public service, by encouraging people to volunteer and help support their local areas. The scheme – organised by The Together Coalition, The Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups – aims to bring communities together and create a volunteering legacy from the Coronation weekend.
The Coronation Ceremony
During the special service, Charles will take the coronation oath to "rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy – promises symbolised by the four swords in the coronation regalia (the Crown Jewels) – and to maintain the Church of England," according to the royal family's website.
The monarch will be blessed and anointed with consecrated oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury and then will receive the orb and sceptres, before finally having the St Edward's Crown placed on his head.
King Charles has requested Greek Orthodox music in tribute to his late father, the Duke of Edinburgh, reports the Telegraph. The royal also commissioned Andrew Lloyd-Webber to write his Coronation Anthem, which is one of 12 new pieces of music selected personally by the King.
If you're in the UK capital over the weekend, you will be able to spot the royal procession of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla heading back to Buckingham Palace.
Who will attend?
Members of the royal family, the prime minister, House of Parliament representatives, heads of state, and other royals from around the world will be invited to Westminster Abbey while the official ceremony takes place.
After much speculation, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry is on the guestlist for King Charles’ coronation, but that he will be attending without his wife Meghan, who will remain in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan’s eldest child Archie will turn four on the same day as the coronation ceremony on 6 May.
When will it take place?
The coronation takes place on 6 May, eight months after his automatic appointment following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September. The subsequent three days will be a national celebration, with Monday May 8 being a bank holiday.
Will it be televised?
The coronation will be broadcast live on BBC One, with additional reporting on other leading news channels. The majority of the celebrations, including the concert, will also be widely covered across the four days.
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