On May 6, 2023, King Charles III will be formally crowned as the next monarch of the United Kingdom alongside his wife, the Queen Consort Camilla.
The world is expected to watch as the eldest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II celebrates one of the most important honours in the UK. The ceremony will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey. This historic occasion has been confirmed by Buckingham Palace, and will take place over the course of three days, including a Bank Holiday on the Monday (May 8, 2023).
In a press release, the Palace added: "The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
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So, what can we expect from King Charles coronation, and what do we know so far?
When is King Charles coronation taking place?
King Charles III's special ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6 this year. The day will begin with a procession from Buckingham Palace, known as 'The King's Procession'.
The Coronation Service will then take place, including the King and Queen Consort, and is expected to last for an hour. This is considerably shorter than the late Queen's coronation in 1956, which lasted for more than three hours.
Who will attend King Charles III's coronation?
After the Coronation Service, the King and Queen Consort will head back to Buckingham Palace in a much larger procession, known as 'The Coronation Process'. They will be joined by other members of the Royal Family - and all of them will then appear on the Palace balcony to conclude the day's events.
The line-up has yet to be released but it is expected to include immediate heirs to the throne and senior working royals. Prince William, Princess Kate and their children are expected to attend, as the next in line to the throne.
Siblings Prince Edward and Princess Anne are also likely to be in attendance with their significant others, as well as estranged brother Prince Andrew - although it is expected that he won't be allowed to wear his military uniform, or be invited onto the Balcony.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to confirm their attendance at the coronation, given their stretched relationship with the Royal Family - and the fact that the ceremony lands on the same day as their son, Archie's, birthday.
The Palace is yet to confirm who will then appear on the Balcony.
Will there be a bank holiday for the coronation?
Yes, in short - there will be a public holiday on Monday, May 8, two days after the actual coronation. This is due to the many events planned to mark the historic occasion.
What happens during the coronation?
According to the Royal website, the coronation consists of: "The Sovereign takes the coronation oath. The form and wording have varied over the centuries. Today, the Sovereign undertakes 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.
"The Sovereign is then "anointed, blessed and consecrated" by the Archbishop, whilst the Sovereign is seated in King Edward's chair (made in 1300, and used by every Sovereign since 1626).
"After receiving the orb and sceptres, the Archbishop places St Edward's Crown on the Sovereign's head. After homage is paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior peers, Holy Communion is celebrated."
Will there be a coronation medal?
According to Royal tradition, each monarch has a commemorative medal, which is presented to select people along with members of the Royal Family, to mark the coronation.
The Assay Offices of the UK announced a commemorative hallmark has been designed to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. The King's Coronation Mark will be available from March 1 this year, until December 31, 2024.
Details of the Coronation weekend events, other than the ceremony itself
Sunday, May 7 - Coronation Concert
The day after the ceremony will be marked by a special concert at Windsor Castle, featuring "global music icons and contemporary stars". It will be attended by a public audience, including volunteers from Charles and Camilla's charity affiliations.
The Palace said: "The concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance. The performances will be supported by staging and effects located on the Castle’s East Lawn and will also feature a selection of spoken word sequences delivered by stars of stage and screen."
The Coronation Concert will be produced by BBC Studios, broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
Sunday, May 7 - Coronation Big Lunch
As well as the concert, communities across the country are invited to share food and celebrate the ceremony at Coronation Big Lunches. Thousands of events are expected to take place across the UK.
The Coronation Big Lunch will be overseen and organised by the Big Lunch team at the Eden Project.
Monday, May 8 - Bank Holiday and Volunteering Day
May 8 will mark the Big Help Out, highlighting the positive impact that volunteering has on thousands across the country. This day of giving back aims to use volunteering to bring people together, and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.
Can I watch the coronation on television?
Yes, the entire event is expected to be broadcast live on the day, most likely by BBC, Sky and ITV.
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