Your One Stop Guide for Coronation Weekend!
Events and Times for this Entire Historic Weekend!
ONE WEEK TODAY! Hard to believe we are now counting in days (7 to be exact!) until the Coronation of King Charles III, the first Coronation in 70 years and the first one most of us have ever seen.
I thought it would help to curate one guide from the excellent Coronation articles that have posted in various media outlets in recent weeks, and put all the details - for the entire weekend - in one spot, so you can refer back to this post to find out what’s happening and when.
(all times approximate and BST)
There have been several excellent guides published, but some list just the events of Saturday, or just the events of the Coronation ceremony itself - and I found it frustrating to keep hopping around various posts! I wanted to make sure everyone had access to a full weekend schedule, in one place!
So, here are the details and links in one post, making sure we don’t miss a thing!
First, an overview - this post will cover the broad schedule for Friday 5th May to Monday 8th May, I’ll also update as information is released next week, so you can bookmark and check back! I’ll try to preface every new update with UPDATE so you can find it easily in the post…
Coronation Bank Holiday Weekend
Friday, 5th May: Coronation Eve, two receptions at Buckingham Palace
Saturday, 6th May: The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Sunday, 7th May: The Coronation Concert and Big Lunch
Monday, 8th May: Bank Holiday, The Big Help Out
Now - Let’s look at each day in detail!
Friday: Coronation Eve
5th May: Anticipation will be building to an all-out crescendo Friday, as The Coronation Weekend kicks off!
It’s been brilliant to follow the many local events, parties, concerts and more being organised around the country Friday, but the eyes of the world will, of course, be on Buckingham Palace.
According to the Telegraph, The King will host two separate receptions on the eve of his Coronation.
First, an afternoon reception for Commonwealth leaders.
Then, what’s been described as a “dazzling” evening reception for visiting dignitaries and guests, as well as people who may not be able to make the Coronation itself due to limited seating.
Royal correspondent Rebecca English filed this report last week, link here.
“The event won’t be a traditional sit-down dinner but will be modelled on the reception Charles and Camilla also held for dignitaries and Commonwealth representatives just before Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.”
Another source indicated to English that the reception would be held in the Palace Ballroom, similar to the Diplomatic Reception - which is a formal affair - so stay tuned for more details!
It’s been reported that The King has set a strict curfew for himself, so isn’t expected to go late into the night.
Saturday: The Coronation of King Charles III
The Coronation ceremony is due to begin at 11:00, but the pageantry will start well before that, expected times have been published in various articles.
6:00 The public viewing areas are scheduled to open, although no doubt many will get in earlier!
7:15 The first guests to the ceremony will start arriving at security checkpoints at 7:15, so that the main congregation will be seated by 9:00 - two hours before the ceremony even begins!
9:30 the official dignitaries will start to arrive, foreign Heads of State or their government representatives, other foreign Royals, and finally, other members of The Royal Family.
10:20 As the guests are arriving at Westminster Abbey, The King and Queen will leave Buckingham Palace, as the first procession of the day begins.
10:53 King Charles III and Queen Camilla will arrive at Westminster Abbey for their Coronation.
11:00 The King and Queen enter the Abbey and the ceremony begins.
*UPDATE: The Authorised Coronation Liturgy has been released by the Church of England, there are many beautiful and touching moments, including a new Homage of the People, which replaces the Homage of the Dukes. Here’s the link, there’s also a copy with commentary you’ll find very interesting!
The BBC also posted an absolutely fantastic step by step guide for the ceremony itself and everything it includes - you can read it here: Your full guide to King Charles III's coronation - BBC News
The BBC article breaks down the five main stages of the ceremony:
First, The King will be formally presented to the congregation
Then, the Archbishop of Canterbury will ask King Charles to take the Coronation Oath
Third, The King will be anointed with holy oil
Charles III will be crowned with St. Edward’s Crown
Finally, The King will take the throne.
12:00 King Charles III is Crowned
After he takes the throne, it’s expected that The King’s son and heir, HRH Prince William, The Prince of Wales, will pay homage to his father.
Queen Camilla will then be crowned in a shorter, simpler ceremony.
1:00 The ceremony ends, and the newly crowned King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Wales children, and other members of The Royal Family, will join a procession to Buckingham Palace
1:30 The King and Queen return to Buckingham Palace
1:45 Their Majesties will receive a Royal Salute in the palace gardens
2:15 Members of The Royal Family are expected to appear on the balcony to observe the traditional fly-past.
Sunday: The Coronation Concert and Big Lunch
On Sunday there will be street parties across the UK to celebrate the Coronation, the goal of these Royal celebrations is always to bring communities, and the country, together.
At least 7,000 parties are being planned - including one at Downing Street!
Queen Camilla has been an active patron of the Big Lunch since 2013 and we’ve seen her attending so many big events in that time.
Neighbours and communities across the United Kingdom are invited to share food and fun together at Coronation Big Lunches on Sunday 7th May 2023, in a nationwide act of celebration and friendship. From a cup of tea with a neighbour to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch brings the celebrations to your neighbourhood and is a great way to get to know your community a little better.
Then, Sunday evening, Windsor Castle will host a spectacular Coronation Concert, with performances by Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Take That, and more, and will include a spectacular light show to celebrate the King and Queen.
According to The Times, “Viewers can expect a laser and drone display like that of the Platinum Jubilee last summer.”
That was absolutely magnificent, so I am very much looking forward to the Coronation version!
Monday: Bank Holiday, The Big Help Out
The Coronation, the pomp and pageantry, are obviously the star attractions, but Monday, in my mind, is the day that perfectly reflects this new King.
The extra bank holiday will focus on The Big Help Out, to encourage people to volunteer, even for the first time, and join in to support local areas.
Buckingham Palace said this is, “In tribute to His Majesty The King's public service, to create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.”
It will shine a light on “the positive impact volunteering has across the nation” something of course King Charles has been doing all his life.
Now some technical details!
If you’re overseas, here’s a link on how to watch the Coronation, particularly for the US audience. I expect it will be carried live no matter where you are, the demand from global press is, of course, tremendous.
Here are some of the articles that have posted this past week, if you want more in-depth reading on any one particular area, I will also add to this as more post this final week:
Coronation timings - when King Charles will be crowned and we'll see Louis on balcony - Mirror Online
Your full guide to King Charles III's coronation - BBC News
King Charles’s coronation weekend: plans for the bank holiday (archive.is)
A who's who of European royals expected to attend the King's coronation (telegraph.co.uk)
Get involved – Coronation of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen
Several fantastic comments on Twitter today, noting that it may be time to name this new aesthetic we’re seeing, from the Coronation invitation to the emblem, to the absolutely gorgeous anointing screen just revealed (link here if you haven’t seen it):
Many of us grew up hearing stories of the late Queen’s coronation from our parents and grandparents, what a fantastic moment it was, how many families bought their first television sets so they could watch at home, how the new Queen captivated the country… I’m thrilled to get to witness the King’s Coronation now.
It’s remarkable really, we’ve been very fortunate to live in these historic Royal times. The reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the Platinum Jubilee, the Coronation of King Charles III, it’s been living history.
Thank you all for reading along with me and joining the Royal Chat!
Oh - and even our notoriously fickle British weather - is ready to cooperate!
Your excitement shines through in these write-ups! It really strikes me that the combination of historical and modern touches has been so well planned. And I know it's been said many times that we'll be watching history unfold live - I think this will sink in even more when the proceedings get underway. Very much looking forward to next Saturday.