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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Entertainment
Ellie Kendall

King's Coronation: Schedule, order of service, other events and who's invited

Brits are counting the days until the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on May 6. And even if you're not a fan of the pomp and ceremony that goes with a royal occasion, there's still a bank holiday for you to enjoy.

But if you are one for the royals, the schedule for such a big momentous event such as a Coronation can become somewhat overwhelming. And this time around is no different.

From the actual service itself, to the procession, a concert, a Big Lunch and more, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the streets of London will be putting on quite a show for those watching from afar. Meanwhile, locally there will be numerous street parties and celebrations across the country for many to enjoy.

Read more: Channel 4 TV listings on King's Coronation day include Prince Andrew documentary and comedy shows

Here's a handy guide to what is happening and when, as well as how and where to watch the ceremony unfold and just which famous face you might be able to spot during proceedings...

What's happening on Saturday, May 6?

The Coronation Service takes place at around 11am on the morning of Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey. There will be a procession of The King and Queen Consort, known as 'The King's Procession' from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey before the Coronation service ceremony.

According to official information on the royal.uk website, "the Coronation is a solemn religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry". After the service, their Majesties will return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as 'The Coronation Procession'.

They will be joined in this procession by other members of the royal family. Then, at Buckingham Palace, The King and Queen Consort, accompanied by members of the royal family, will appear on the balcony for a traditional flypast to conclude the day's ceremonial events.

It is expected that the actual Coronation service could last some three hours (finishing at around 2pm) as this was the case of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation, and that around 15 royal family members will be on the balcony in the afternoon.

What's happening on Sunday, May 7?

A special Coronation concert will take place at Windsor Castle on Sunday, May 7 - an event that has been produced, staged and will be broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios. It will "bring global music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of the historic occasion".

The concert will be attended by a public audience which includes volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort's many charity affiliations, as well as thousands of members of the public who have been selected via a national ballot. 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".

Alongside the stars of the concert - said to include the likes of Take That and Lionel Richie - the show will also see an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir, which is created from community choirs and amateur singers - including refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf singing choirs - from across the UK. They will appear alongside The Virtual Choir which is made up of singers from across the Commonwealth, too.

According to more information from the royal.uk website: "The centrepiece of the Coronation Concert, ‘Lighting up the Nation’, will see the country join together in celebration as iconic locations across the United Kingdom are lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations."

The Coronation Big Lunch

Coronation Big Lunches will be taking place across the UK, getting communities together to "share food and fun". Official information says: "The Coronation Big Lunch will be overseen and organised by the Big Lunch team at the Eden Project. The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project, made possible by The National Lottery, that brings millions of people together annually to boost community spirit, reduce loneliness and support charities and good causes.

"Her Majesty The Queen Consort has been Patron of the Big Lunch since 2013. Thousands of events are expected to take place in every corner of the United Kingdom this May as people take to their streets, gardens, parks and community spaces to join the Coronation celebrations and mark this historic occasion."

What's happening on Monday, May 8?

In addition to the fact that His Majesty has given many of us a bank holiday to revel in the royal celebrations, Monday, May 8 also sees something called The Big Help Out, which is being organised by The Together Coalition and a wide range of partners, such as The Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups across the country.

It "will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation. In tribute to His Majesty The King's public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.

"The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend."

Who's invited to the Coronation?

Those there to support Charles and Camilla on the day include all of the working royals, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales along with their three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Prince George will, in fact, be a page of honour.

Prince Edward and Sophie - the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh - will also be in attendance, as will Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of York and Princess Alexandra. Wider family members expected to attend include the likes of Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara and Mike Tindall - however, they won't appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the ceremony.

And, after months of speculation, it has now been confirmed that Prince Harry will also be at the Coronation, while his wife Meghan Markle will stay in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It was recently reported that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has been invited as a VIP to the Coronation concert on Sunday, which she will attend with other royal attendees, on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle, along with her daughters Princess Beatrice (34) and Princess Eugenie (33).

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