The King’s coronation will be a three-day extravaganza of ceremony, celebration and tradition. From the opening procession to the bank holiday Big Help Out, here’s everything you need to know about where to go, how to watch and who’ll be there.
The King will be crowned today, but celebrations will take place all weekend – including processions, a concert and nationwide lunches.
Confused about what’s happening where and who’s curtseying to whom? Read on for Sky News’ ultimate guide to the coronation weekend.
What time is the King’s coronation today?
The coronation ceremony of the King – and his wife, soon to be known as Queen Camilla – will take place at Westminster Abbey. It will start at 11am after the royals arrive in procession from Buckingham Palace.
After the service, more members of the Royal Family will join for the procession back to the palace.
The King and Queen Consort are then expected to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to conclude the day’s ceremonial events – but more on that further down – including why we don’t yet know who will join them.
Here’s the overall order of the day.
The procession route
Unlike the Queen at her coronation, the King and Queen Consort will take the same 1.3-mile route to and from the ceremony.
They will travel down The Mall via Admiralty Arch, take the south side of Trafalgar Square, then go along Whitehall and Parliament Street, take the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary, before arriving at the abbey.
The Queen took a much longer route after her coronation, travelling five miles through Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Pall Mall, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, and finally down the Mall to end at Buckingham Palace.
The new King and Queen will travel in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach on their way to the ceremony and use the 260-year-old Gold State Coach for the return journey.
More details of the coronation procession route here.
Best spots to watch the procession in person
Viewing spots along the procession route will be in high demand – particularly as the royals will be taking a shorter journey than in 1953.
Outside Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace as well as along The Mall, the Horse Guards Parade and Parliament Square are all prime spots, with royal fans advised to pitch up early for the best chance at getting a good view.
There will be an accessible viewing space along the north side of The Mall and at all screen sites in London.
The closest tube stations are Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Charing Cross and St James’s Park, but street and station closures could impact travel.