On 6th May, the day of splendour and formality featuring 1, 000-year-old customs, where millions of people across the UK and beyond are celebrating the coronation of King Charles III – a symbolic ceremony with a religious service and pageantry, at Westminster Abbey. King Charles III, the 40th reigning monarch since 1066, will be crowned along with Camilla, the Queen Consort. Procession of 200 members of the armed forces ,mostly from the Soverign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry will start from Buckingham Palaceat 10:20 BST, moving along The Mall to Trafalgar Square, then down Whitehall and Parliament Street before turning into Parliament Square and Broad Sanctuary to reach the Great West door of West Minster Abbey. Viewing areas along the route opening at 06:00 BST. King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will be in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, built in 2012 in Australia to mark 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign rather than the older Gold State coach.

King Charles greeting crowds ahead of tomorrow’s Coronation.
Buckingham Palace prepares for reception ahead of the Coronation.

The ceremony due to begin at 11:00 am and with music selected by the King, including one  by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Greek Orthodox music in memory of the King’s father, Prince Philip.

Prince George, will be among the pages at Westminster Abbey alongside Camila’s grandchildren, Lola, Eliza, Gus, Louis and Freddy.

Charles will be presented with the Sovereign’s Orb, Cross mounted on a  16.5cm wide Hollow gold globe with band of  precious gems and pearls, symbolising Christian world,  the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, representing Kingly power and justice, 92cm long gold rod with enamel and gem decorations, Cullinan 1 or Star of Africa cut from world’s largest diamond, added in 1910, and the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove, 110cm long gold rod with enamel and gem decorations, Rod of Equity and Mercy and represents King’s spiritual role and other items.

For the first time members of the public will be invited to pledge their allegiance to the King, in a part of the service, called Chorus of millions. Female clergy will play a prominent role and religious leaders from other faiths will have an active part.

St Edward’s Crown, weighing 2kg, worn in the past 360 years by six monarchs will be only worn when the monarch is crowned, was made in 1661, with solid gold frame, set with rubies, amethysts, Sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmaline gems.

First the King will be given a shimmering golden coat to wear called the Supertunica. A 62-round salute will be fired at the Tower of London, with a six-gun salvo at Horse Guards Parade. Twenty-one rounds will be fired at a further 11 locations around the UK, including Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and on deployed Royal Navy Ships.

King Charles will be presented to the People – a tradition dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, as the King will be standing beside the 700-year-old Coronation Chair,  also known as St Edward’s chair in which 26 monarchs have been crowned. The King will turn to face the four sides of the Abbey and be proclaimed the undoubted King before the congregation is asked to show their homage and service.

First declaration will be made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, followed by the Lady of the Grater and the Lady of the Thistle –representing the oldest orders of chivalry in England and Scotland respectively and a George Cross holder from the Armed forces.

The final part of the ceremony will see the King take the throne

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