UK counts down to King's historic coronation

The archetypal coronation successful 70 years is to instrumentality spot connected Saturday morning, with King Charles III and the Queen Consort preparing for the historical carriage thrust to Westminster Abbey.

Despite forecasts of rain, crowds person already begun to stitchery connected the procession route.

There volition beryllium a immense information cognition successful cardinal London, with 100 heads of authorities acceptable to attend.

Protests person been promised by those opposed to the monarchy.

The Coronation service, which volition past astir 2 hours, volition beryllium seen first-hand by 2,300 guests, including Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, who arrived from the United States connected Friday connected a commercialized flight.

It volition beryllium the archetypal clip since the merchandise of Prince Harry's memoir that helium volition person been seen successful nationalist with his brother, Prince William, the Prince of Wales. It is thought Prince Harry whitethorn alert backmost to the US a substance of hours aft the ceremonial to rejoin his woman Meghan.

Charles became king of the United Kingdom and 14 different countries successful September, erstwhile his parent Elizabeth died aft 70 years connected the throne. Months of aggravated readying has gone into the coronation celebrations - the 40th to instrumentality spot astatine Westminster Abbey since 1066.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, volition preside implicit the service, with guests ranging from US First Lady Jill Biden to President Macron of France and entertainers Ant and Dec.

Olena Zelenska, woman of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, met Catherine, Princess of Wales astatine a pre-Coronation reception astatine Buckingham Palace connected Friday.

There has been contention implicit whether radical astatine location were being asked to pledge their allegiance to the King.

The Church of England has made wide this is wholly optional and radical mightiness alternatively person a "private infinitesimal of reflection".

The keynote connection of the Coronation from King Charles is successful his archetypal supplication erstwhile helium reaches the Abbey: "I travel not to beryllium served, but to serve."

The precocious constituent of the ceremonial volition travel erstwhile the St Edward's Crown is placed connected the King's head, a infinitesimal that volition beryllium marked by the Abbey bells being rung and a weapon salute successful adjacent Horse Guards Parade.

Camilla volition beryllium crowned alongside Charles - and aft the couple's long and often analyzable relationship, she volition present beryllium officially described arsenic "Queen Camilla".

The ceremonial volition emphasise diverseness and inclusion, with much multi-faith elements than immoderate erstwhile coronation, with contributions from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh representatives.

A Bible acquisition volition beryllium work by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is simply a Hindu, and euphony volition beryllium sung successful Welsh and Scottish and Irish Gaelic.

There volition beryllium women bishops taking portion successful the work for the archetypal clip successful a coronation work that goes backmost astir a 1000 years.

After the service, astatine astir 13:00 BST, King Charles and Queen Camilla volition question successful the Gold State Coach backmost to Buckingham Palace, successful a spectacular mile-long procession, with 4,000 soldiers and 19 subject bands.

Meticulous rehearsals for the procession were carried retired by marching astir a replica way with landmarks specified arsenic the Cenotaph marked retired with postulation cones.

When they scope the Palace, it remains uncertain who volition beryllium seen with the King and Queen for the accepted balcony appearance.

There are plans for a flypast erstwhile the elder royals are connected the Palace balcony, but determination volition beryllium concerns astir the weather, with a forecast for unreality and showers.

The run-up to the Coronation has besides seen a fig of vocal protests from anti-monarchy groups - and the Republic run radical has announced its volition to clasp a protestation connected the way of the procession.

There volition beryllium a monolithic information operation, with the Metropolitan Police putting 11,500 officers connected work successful what it says volition beryllium its biggest ever single-day deployment.

Anti-monarchy groups person defended their close to protest, but the constabulary person warned that "tolerance for immoderate disruption, whether done protestation oregon otherwise, volition beryllium low".

The impermanent database has besides been disputed, with disapproval of the beingness of Chinese vice-president Han Zheng, accused of presiding implicit a crackdown connected civilian liberties successful Hong Kong.

But this volition beryllium a ceremonial played retired earlier a immense planetary audience, with TV crews from each implicit the satellite arriving successful London.

They volition spot pageantry, spiritual symbolism and past traditions, with King Charles III crowned successful a 700-year-old Coronation chair, successful a ceremonial that astir radical volition ne'er person seen earlier successful their lives.