Royal Fans Catch First Peek At King Charles III’s Early Morning Coronation Rehearsals

May 04, 2023

King Charles III acceded the British throne on Sept. 8, 2022, the same day his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed in Balmoral. While it is not necessary for a monarch to be crowned in order to become king, the coronation ceremony is a formality and a state occasion. This means that while Charles may offer his views, at the end of the day, full control of the guest list and other details are with the government as it is footing the bill.

The last time a coronation took place was Elizabeth’s on June 2, 1953, at Westminster Abbey, the setting for every coronation since 1066. It was also the first time the ceremony had ever been televised. An estimated 27 million people in the United Kingdom and millions more around the world watched as the sixth queen of England was crowned. 

She and her husband, Prince Philip, rode the exquisitely decorated Gold State Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey pulled by eight horses. The event comprised six parts: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture and crowning, the enthronement and the homage.

On May 6, 2023, Charles will celebrate his own coronation at Westminster Abbey, further marking his time as king. His wife, Camilla, has been referred to as Queen Consort since Elizabeth’s passing, but her title may change. The coronation will be marked by the royal family as well as plenty of brilliantly talented guests.

And as the day draws closer, the public has gotten a few sneak peeks into what to expect regarding the king’s coronation ceremony. Keep reading to learn more about Charles’ coronation.

As per tradition, Charles and Camilla will engage in the coronation procession on the day of the king’s coronation. While in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, they will travel from Buckingham Palace in “The King’s Procession” to Westminster Abbey. The coach has only ever transported the Sovereign, as it was originally created for Queen Elizabeth II in honor of the 60th anniversary of her reign. 

After the procession arrives at Westminster Abbey, the coronation service is set to start at 11 a.m. Afterward, Charles and Camilla will return to Buckingham Palace to receive a “Royal Salute” from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces.

It’s not surprising that many people have shown their excitement and anticipation over the king’s coronation, as the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth realms had the same ruling monarch for seven decades. The Royal Family posted a video on Instagram on April 9, 2023, to announce the ceremonial details regarding Charles’ coronation.

It appears that Charles and Camilla will be following the route that was expected, as they will depart Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate before proceeding down the Mall, “passing through Admiralty Arch and along the south side of Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street to the Abbey.”

Royal family fans and the general public were given quick first glimpses into what the coronation may look like as rehearsals began. The Independent reported that the Diamond Jubilee State Coach and Gold State Coach were seen traveling along the Mall early in the morning on May 3, 2023 — just three days before the big ceremony! 

The rehearsal started just after the turn of the new day, around 12:20 a.m. Hundreds of soldiers, many on horseback, accompanied the coaches as they marched to Westminster Abbey.

The Independent reported that fans waited for more than three hours for the parade to return its journey down the Mall. People ran around the area through St. James’ Park in order to get the best possible view of the spectacle. On top of that, many were searching for their relatives who were part of the rehearsal and wearing military outfits.

The parade started when the soldiers wearing bright yellow uniforms began their journey through Westminster. Many of the soldiers carried different instruments, including saxophones, trumpets, horns and cymbals. The drums were also played. The procession rehearsal was still going on after several hours, with bagpipes beginning to be played after 2:30 a.m. People saw the Gold State Coach passing Buckingham Palace about an hour later.

With such an important event about to take place, royal fans wanted to claim their spot to see it all from start to finish, and at least 15 tents were already set up along the Mall. John Loughrey claimed that he was the first person to set up his tent on April 27, 2023, and was ready to camp until the big day. 

“We like the build up, the rehearsals and seeing people throughout the day,” he explained. He added, “We did a lot of research. We (picked this spot) because there are no trees so you can see the Red Arrows.”

The coronation of King Charles III is sure to be one for the history books.

What do you think about royal fans camping out for the coronation? Are you excited to see the ceremony unfold? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.