What to expect at the king’s coronation: key events and timings
Saturday 6 May
6am BST: Viewing areas open along the 1.3-mile procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
7.15-8.30am: Guests for Westminster Abbey begin to arrive.
9am: Congregation to be seated inside the abbey.
9.30-10.45am: Heads of state, overseas government representatives, government ministers, first ministers, former prime ministers, foreign royals and members of the royal family arrive.
9.45am: The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry begin to gather for the procession from Buckingham Palace.
10.20am: The king and queen consort’s procession sets off from the palace.
10.53am: The king and queen consort arrive at Westminster Abbey.
11am: They enter the Abbey through the Great West Door and the service begins.
12pm: The king is crowned. The archbishop of Canterbury places the St Edward’s crown on his head. Trumpets will sound and gun salutes will be fired across the UK.
1pm: The service ends and the newly crowned king and queen begin their coronation procession back to Buckingham Palace in the gold state coach.
1.33pm: The king and queen consort enter Buckingham Palace through the Centre Arch.
1.45pm: The king and queen receive a royal salute from the military in the palace gardens
Approximately 2.15pm: The king, queen and members of the royal family appear on the palace balcony to watch the flypast –
weather permitting.
Sunday 7 May
The monarchy wants Sunday to be a day of street parties and coronation “Big Lunches”, with about 3,000 road closures for parties, and members of the royal family attending some events.
At 7pm BST there will be a concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The event will be watched by a crowd of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests and broadcast on television and radio.
www.theguardian.com
