King Charles III's Coronation Includes Some Awkward Guests & The Concert Is A Must-Watch
We are now watching the throne!
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort. Middle: Prince Harry. Right: Katy Perry.
King Charles III's coronation is expected to be one of the biggest moments in U.K. history, as the country crowns a new monarch after Queen Elizabeth II while trying to downplay the drama around certain royal family members, including Prince Harry.
The former Prince of Wales became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8, 2022. However, the coronation itself has taken several months to plan, as the ceremony is slated to be a major celebration at Westminster Abbey, followed by a concert at Windsor Castle with many celebrity performers on hand.
Here's everything you need to know about the coronation of King Charles III.
What time is King Charles' coronation?
The coronation of King Charles III will happen Saturday, May 6, at Westminster Abbey in London, according to Buckingham Palace.
Festivities are expected to begin around 10 a.m. local time, per CBS News. Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, will take a fancy carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the ceremony. There'll be a big procession around the carriage as it makes its journey.
Charles and Camilla are expected to ride in his mother Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Stage Coach, which was built for her big celebration over a decade ago.
King Charles' coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey will begin at 11 a.m. local time (6 a.m. EDT/3 a.m. PDT).
Where can I watch the coronation of King Charles III?
You can watch the coronation of King Charles III for free online via various broadcasters.
Viewers in the U.K. can watch the coronation on BBC TV or on BBC's iPlayer online. ITV, Sky and Channel 4 are also planning their own broadcasts.
If you're in the United States, you can watch it for free on your local CBS news station, or you can stream it live via CBS News, CBS mobile or on various streaming devices. ABC, CNN, Fox and NBC are also expected to cover on their various channels.
Viewers in Canada can watch King Charles III's coronation at Westminster Abbey for free on CBC TV, CBC News Network, CBC Explore, CBC Gem and the CBC News app. Other Canadian broadcasters are also expected to cover it.
In other words, you'll have plenty of options to watch the coronation of King Charles III on May 6. Just hit up a mainstream news channel, fire up your streaming device or open your No. 1 news app and you'll likely find a way to watch.
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle be at the coronation of King Charles III?
Prince Harry has confirmed that he will be at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of his father, King Charles III, and stepmom Camilla on Saturday.
Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, is not expected to attend, although she was invited along with her husband.
Harry is in for an awkward reunion with his family after blasting the royal family in his Netflix special Harry & Meghan and in his memoir, Spare. The book included several particularly controversial stories, including allegations that Prince William once physically attacked Harry during an argument over Meghan Markle.
Do we get a day off for King Charles III's coronation?
The coronation of King Charles III will happen on a Saturday with festivities kicking off Friday and stretching into Sunday and Monday.
The U.K. government has proclaimed Monday, May 8, to be a bank holiday across the country because of the coronation.
"I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
The holiday does not apply across the British Commonwealth and countries can basically decide for themselves if they want to take a day off for the coronation. Canada, for instance, will not give Canadians a day off for King Charles III's coronation.
Will Prince Andrew be at the coronation of King Charles III?
King Charles III's siblings are expected to be at his coronation, including the disgraced Prince Andrew, who settled a sex abuse lawsuit last year relating to his friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles' and Andrew's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, stripped Andrew of several honours before her death because of that case. Andrew also faced hecklers during Elizabeth's funeral week and could see them again in London.
Who is on the guest list for King Charles III's coronation?
Buckingham Palace has invited 2,000 guests to Westminster Abbey for King Charles III's coronation on May 6, BBC News reports.
The full guest list had not been released as of May 1, but many outlets have been keeping running lists of those who have already said they'll attend.
Just about everyone from the royal family is expected to be there, including Prince William and his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, along with their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Prince Harry will attend without his wife or children.
People, BBC and the AFP report that other notable names on the guest list include:
- U.S. First Lady Jill Biden
- Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
- King Carl XVI Gustaf and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
- Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
- King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain
- Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan
- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
- King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
- Māori King Tuheitia and Makau Ariki Atawhai
- French President Emmanuel Macron
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Will Justin Trudeau attend King Charles III's coronation for Canada?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to attend the coronation of King Charles III at London's Westminster Abbey, CBC reports.
What time does King Charles' coronation concert start?
King Charles III's coronation concert will take place on Sunday, May 7, at 8 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EDT or noon PDT) at Windsor Castle.
You can watch the concert on BBC's various platforms, as the public broadcaster will also be producing the show.
Who is performing at King Charles' coronation concert?
There will be many entertainers at Windsor Castle on Sunday for King Charles III's coronation concert, including Tom Cruise, Katy Perry and Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor.
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville will host the concert, according to the BBC's announcement.
Other performers will include:
- Lionel Richie
- Take That
- Andrea Bocelli
- Sir Bryn Terfel
- Freya Ridings
- Paloma Faith and Tiwa Savage
- Lang Lang
- Nicole Scherzinger
The event will also feature appearances by several stars, such as:
- Bear Grylls
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Mei Mac
- Joan Collins
- Winnie the Pooh
- Tom Jones
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