by King Charles III’s coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey in London.
On the day of the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort and a host of other events have been planned throughout the weekend. An extra bank holiday has been confirmed on Monday, 8 May to mark the occasion.
Here is your guide to what will happen, day by day.
Friday 5th May
London will be preparing for parades, crowds and street parties. Road closures are expected in central London throughout the whole weekend. Tube and rail services will be running as normal, with some changes to bus routes and times. Public transport is likely to be busier. If you’re getting around London, plan your journey ahead and check travel updates.
You can follow the preparations in London and Windsor on BBC News and bbc.co.uk/news. The coverage will reflect a range of attitudes on the monarchy and the new King and Queen Consort. At 20:00 BST, Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir will be broadcast on BBC One and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
- Does King Charles need a coronation?
- Who is going to the coronation – and who isn’t?
- What we know about King Charles’s coronation
Saturday 6 May
Westminster Abbey will host the first coronation service in 70 years. Crowds are expected along the Mall, Whitehall and Parliament Square, where the King’s procession will be visible. The viewing areas will be open from 06:00 BST on Saturday.
Invited guests will begin arriving at the Abbey early in the morning. The King’s Procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey will take place before the Coronation Service, which starts at 11:00 BST. Once the service is over, it will be followed by the Coronation Procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. Later in the afternoon, the King and Queen will greet crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony for the flypast.
How to watch: In London, members of the public can watch the events on big screens in St. James’s Park, Green Park and Hyde Park. Further big screens will also be set up across the country, including Birmingham Centenary Square, Belfast City Hall and Cardiff Castle. A special BBC broadcast will cover all the ceremonial events as they unfold throughout the day on BBC One and BBC News. Live streams will also be available on BBC iPlayer, bbc.co.uk/news and on YouTube.
Sunday 7 May
The country will start the day getting ready for The Coronation Big Lunch, one of Queen Camilla’s patronages. Neighbours and communities across the country are being invited to share food and fun together.
In the evening, starting at 20:00 BST, The Coronation Concert will showcase the country’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance. As part of the show, various iconic locations around the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations in Lightning Up The Nation.
How to watch: The Coronation Concert will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. In London it will be shown on the big screen in St. James’s Park.
Monday 8 May
On Bank Holiday Monday, members of the public will be invited to take part in The Big Help Out, aiming to raise awareness of volunteering.
Thousands of organisations across the country are encouraging the public to make a difference in their local communities, with plenty of opportunities to get involved.
For those staying at home, specially-commissioned programming will be available on iPlayer, including Charles R: The Making of a Monarch, Songs of Praise: A Coronation Celebration and Stitching for Britain.
Partying across the UK
Pubs, clubs and bars across England and Wales will stay open for an extra two hours on Friday and Saturday. This map allows you to search for events in your area. Here are just a few examples of other events that will be happening around the UK:
- Coronation Ceilidh in Culrain: A ceilidh band and piper will be playing at Culrain & District Community Hall on Saturday
- “Blitz Party” in Hereford: “The Shack Revolution” wedding venue will be turned into a World War Two bomb shelter, with live swing music, burlesque cabaret and vintage DJs
- Brass Band Concert in Norwich: The Foden’s Band will perform in St Andrews & Blackfriars Hall on Sunday for the royal occasion
- Community Paddle in Enniskillen: Hundreds of paddlers will loop around the historic island town of Enniskillen on Monday
- Coronation Ball in York: A black tie dance to a 20-piece band will be held at the Grand Assembly Rooms on Sunday
- Foodies Festival in Cardiff: The touring celebrity food and music festival will take place at Bute Park across the weekend
