Everything you need to know about Coronation Weekend in London

The coronation of their Majesties King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Once the Coronation is over, members of the Royal Family join the newly crowned king on Buckingham Palace’s balcony.

King Charles III is the 40th Monarch to be crowned in Westminster Abbey and will be Britain’s oldest monarch in history to be crowned onto the throne, as on the day of his coronation he will be 73 years old. Out of the vaults of the Tower of London, St Edward’s Crown will be presented to King Charles III when he is officially declared as King. This will be the one and only time Charles will wear this crown, which was made in 1661 for King Charles II and worn by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 for her coronation.

A live Coronation Concert will take place on Sunday, May 7 at Windsor Castle, alongside the Coronation Big Lunch street parties across the country. Monday, May 8 marks a national holiday in Britain and will see The Big Help Out across the nations, encouraging people to get involved in local volunteering.

The Events for King Charles III’s Coronation Weekend are as follows: 

Saturday, May 6 (Coronation Date)

• The ceremony is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
• The King’s Procession will arrive from Buckingham Palace, then a larger Coronation Procession including the Royal Family will return to Buckingham Palace following the service.
• The King, Queen Consort, and Royal Family will appear on the palace balcony.

Sunday, May 7

• Coronation Big Lunch – families and communities will gather around Britain for a meal/ picnic in celebration of the occasion.
• Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, broadcast live by BBC & BBC Studios, with several thousand tickets made available via a public ballot.
• Global music icons and contemporary stars will come together to celebrate the historic occasion.
• Appearance from Coronation Choir alongside the Virtual Choir (singers across Commonwealth)

Monday, May 8 (Bank holiday in the UK)

• Members of the public will be invited to take part in The Big Help Out, which encourages people to try volunteering and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. 

Special Exhibitions to Visit

Crown to Couture, 
Where: Kensington Palace
At the largest exhibition ever staged at Kensington Palace, you’ll be taken on an immersive journey through the palace. Over 200 objects will be on display including Lady Gaga’s luminous green MTV Awards dress and the world-famous Silver Tissue Gown worn at the court of Charles II (5 April – 29 October). 

Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians, 
Where: Buckingham Palace
The Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace explores what the Georgians wore, displaying a series of archival pieces and fine art collections. The 1700s were a revolutionary period of trade, travel, and technology that fuelled fashion trends across all levels of society, and highlights demonstrating this include a court dress on loan from the Fashion Museum Bath, recorded as having been worn at court in the 1760s. (April 21 – October 8, 2023) 

Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection
Where: Hampton Court Palace
This designated collection of national and international importance contains 10,000 items of historic dress from the 16th century to the present day, the history of fashion, and life at court. Royal fashions through the ages include George III, Queen Victoria, Princess Margaret, Diana, Princess of Wales, and The Queen. Book a behind-the-scenes tour with curators for media and influencers. 

Royal Connection Exhibition
Where: Blenheim Palace
The palace will celebrate its centuries-old relationship with the Royal Family in a major new exhibition in 2023. It will be showcasing its close connections to the monarchy with an exhibition of previously unseen artifacts, photo albums, robes, crowns, and coronets (March 4 – July 31, 2023). 

More Royal Attractions

Coronation Bench Trail at the Tower of London 
Ahead of His Majesty’s Coronation, the Tower of London invited schools around the UK to take part in a competition to design their own bench, displaying the values they think are most important in this new era. Keep an eye out for 14 specially designed benches around the Tower of London while touring the rest of the historic site’s royal-themed attractions.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Where: London
The ultimate Royal experience in the heart of London’s Covent Garden Boasting centuries of royal credentials, The Lane is the only theatre in the world still operating under a genuine royal charter, it is also the only theatre in the world with two Royal Boxes and a theatre that has been famously visited by every reigning monarch since the Restoration in 1660. 

Carnaby & Marylebone
Celebrate the King’s Coronation along the 14 streets of Carnaby, famously some of London’s most colorful and immersive streets to explore. A dazzling Union Flag and Crown installation will mark the royal occasion. The oversized crown sits at the junction of Carnaby Street and Ganton Street above the 3D shimmer Union Flag which is adorned with 30,000 red, white, and blue shimmer discs. Oversized bulbs on Ganton Street will be illuminated red, white, and blue for the celebrations, and the festoon lights on Kingly Street will also be illuminated. Marylebone Village will be celebrating the coronation with bunting along the high street. 

Special Afternoon Tea and Whiskey Experiences 

Coronation Afternoon Tea and Tasting Menu 
Where: The Goring, London
To celebrate King Charles III’s accession to the throne in this regal year, The Goring, the only hotel to have been granted a Royal Warrant for hospitality services and a firm favorite amongst the family (The Queen’s Mother frequented for Eggs Drumkilbo while Kate stayed the night before her wedding to name a few) will be serving a decadent Coronation-themed Afternoon Tea. It’s served on the Veranda overlooking the flourishing garden where some of The Royal Family’s favorite plants and flowers can be discovered, guests can enjoy an exquisite menu of fabulous cakes and sandwiches rumored to be King Charles III’s favorite, topped off with a glass of Champagne. After savoring the delicate Coronation Cotswold chicken finger sandwiches, warm scones decorated with the outline of King Charles III’s profile, horse carriage molded chocolates, and intricate crown-shaped treats, guests can stroll to Buckingham Palace, which is just a stone’s throw away, so close King Charles III might not be able to resist a visit. (April 24 – May 28, 2023)

Great Royal Gardens Afternoon Tea
Where: Cliveden House, Berkshire
Cliveden House has hosted every British monarch since King George I and is celebrating this with a special afternoon tea for 2023 (all year).

Scotland’s Majestic Malts 
The Scotch Whisky Experience, Edinburgh
To commemorate The King’s Coronation, visitors to the Scotch Whisky Experience can enjoy some specially selected whiskies which, through the ages, have been given the royal seal of approval. A special version of the Gold Tour entitled Scotland’s Majestic Malts is available every day. 

For more information about the Coronation, visit the official Coronation website and VisitBritain.com. Want to know how you can watch the Coronation live? Check out this website for more info.