Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday the program for the coronation, which will take place over the weekend of 6-8. May.
The actual coronation of Charles and Queen Camilla takes place in Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the one responsible for the coronation, which has a 900-year-old tradition behind it.
Camilla and Charles arrive at Westminster Abbey in a procession in which only the two of them take part, called the King’s Procession. But after the coronation, they return to Buckingham Palace in a new procession with several family members. It is called the Coronation Procession.
Waving from the balcony
Charles and Camilla will then appear on the balcony in front of thousands of spectators. Many of their family members will be with them as they wave to the people.
It is not yet clear which members of the royal family will take part, nor if Crown Prince William’s brother Harry and his wife Meghan will come from the US to join. The family has not yet commented after Harry’s explosive book “Spare”.
Charles already became king the moment his mother, Queen Elizabeth, died last September after 70 years as queen. But the coronation traditionally takes place several months later when the mourning period is well and truly over.
At the same time, he formally became head of state in 14 Commonwealth countries, among them Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Concert in Windsor
On Sunday, a major concert will be organized in Windsor featuring “global music icons and current stars”, which will be broadcast live on the BBC. Thousands of tickets are being given away for free in a raffle run by the BBC.
In addition to the international stars, choirs from all corners of the UK will contribute, including choirs made up of refugees, LGBTQ+ groups and deaf choirs, which together will show all the different faces of Britain.
A virtual choir made up of singers from across the Commonwealth will also be part of the concert, which will end with buildings and monuments across the UK being lit up in a light show of lasers and drones.
Monday 8 May will be an official holiday, when people across the country are encouraged to take part in various volunteering activities in their communities.
