En the day before his coronation, King Charles III. (74) together with heir to the throne Prince William (40) and Princess Kate (41) paid a visit to the waiting onlookers in front of Buckingham Palace. Many die-hard royal fans had lined up along the procession route days before the major royal event to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. To their surprise, the royals showed up the day before, shaking hands and talking to people. A woman shouted “Love you Charlie” to the king, others congratulated him on the coronation. Some sang the national anthem “God Save the King”.
Kate, Princess of Wales greets well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace
Source: dpa/Toby Melville
The coronation ceremony begins on Saturday with a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. After the service, we return the same way. The royal couple travels by carriage, accompanied by around 7,000 military personnel. The royals then want to show themselves on the palace balcony while Royal Air Force planes thunder overhead.
All developments in the live ticker:
1:30am – Charles and Camilla stay at Clarence House before the coronation
King Charles III and Queen Camilla did not spend the night before their coronation at Buckingham Palace. The couple had dinner together at Clarence House, the official residence of the British heir to the throne, according to the palace on Saturday night. In the morning, Camilla and Charles wanted to return to their London City Palace and from there to Westminster Abbey, where they will be crowned at noon.
Clarence House next to St James’s Palace was built between 1825 and 1827 and is a few minutes walk from Buckingham Palace. Charles took over the building in 2003 after the death of his grandmother, the “Queen Mum”. It features numerous pieces from the King’s art collection. It is believed that Charles will stay there again and again, especially as Buckingham Palace continues to be renovated.
7:27 p.m. – Singer Freya Ridings cancels coronation concert
Singer Freya Ridings (“Castles”) has canceled her appearance at the coronation concert. The 29-year-old Briton does not feel well, the BBC said. Ridings was supposed to perform at the big event on Sunday evening at Windsor Castle together with classic star Alexis Ffrench (53). She recently told the German Press Agency how much she was looking forward to the concert and that she would bring her mother with her.
According to the BBC, Ridings will be replaced by singer Zak Abel (28). Numerous stars such as Take That, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Andrea Bocelli are also expected in front of 20,000 spectators.
5:36pm – Jill Biden all in pink down Downing Street
The First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, visited British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official residence in London’s Downing Street ahead of the coronation celebrations. There, dressed all in pink, Biden met Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, in the drizzly weather.
Jill Biden is the official US representative at the coronation on Saturday. Her husband Joe Biden decided not to travel across the Atlantic.
US First Lady Jill Biden after her visit to Downing Street in London
Credit: AFP/DANIEL LEAL
Jill Biden was accompanied to her Downing Street appointment by her granddaughter Finnegan. After meeting former soldiers, the program also included a visit to Charles Dickens Elementary School, where the children with crowns on their heads were already preparing for the big day for the British monarchy on Saturday. Biden wished them a lot of fun.
3:51 pm – Final preparations for the ceremonial coronation
Final preparations have been made for the coronation ceremony. The dress rehearsals for the coronation day processions and the meticulously planned coronation ceremony itself took place in London. A reception was held in Buckingham Palace for the foreign state guests beforehand. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the First Lady of the USA, Jill Biden, also attended the major event in London.
“It will be a historic moment and an extraordinary spectacle,” said 81-year-old Margaret Tinsley near Buckingham Palace about the upcoming coronation. Unlike Tinsley, for most Britons it is the first coronation they see in their country. Charles’ mother Elizabeth was crowned 70 years ago.
2:00 p.m. – “Charles is a transitional king and he knows it”
The German nobility expert and author Alexander von Schönburg thinks it is possible that King Charles will one day hand over the regency to his elder son William. “Charles is a transitional king, and he knows that,” von Schönburg told the German Press Agency in London. That does not have to mean that Charles resigns, but he can retire and hand over the most important tasks to William.
According to the author of the recent book The Queen and Her Legacy, Charles could only prepare the ground for his son William. He estimates that it could be so far in ten years. This suggests that William, who is now 40 years old himself, would then come to the throne with a certain freshness.
It’s too late for Charles for that. With his topics of climate protection, sustainability as well as religious tolerance and diversity, Charles foresaw the zeitgeist of today’s youth, but hardly any followers in this group. On the other hand, he alienated his traditional supporters in the conservative milieu with his views.
1:00 p.m. – Australian Prime Minister wants to swear allegiance to Charles
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to attend Charles III’s coronation swear allegiance to the new king. While he believes Australia should have its own head of state, Albanese told ABC radio that he respects the institution of the monarchy.
Albanese voted in a failed referendum in 1999 for an Australian citizen to replace the British monarch as head of state. He said he accepts that a majority of Australians want to stick to the constitutional monarchy and will express that stance when he attends the coronation in London on Saturday.
“I haven’t changed my stance on that and I’ve made that very clear,” Albanese said. “I want to see an Australian as Australian head of state.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Source: Lukas Coch/AAP/dpa
12:45 p.m. – Classics and new compositions – The music at the coronation
Music also plays at a celebration such as the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III. an important role. At the ceremony in London’s Westminster Abbey, around 2,000 guests will hear some pieces of music that have been used at coronations for centuries, as well as new compositions.
Up until the 20th century, the musical program at the coronations of British monarchs was provided by church musicians and choirs. In 1902, however, music by the British composer Edward Elgar was also played at the coronation of Edward VII. The piece “Land of Hope and Glory” from Elgar’s march composition “Pomp and Circumstance” is now known as the unofficial anthem of the British. It was played without lyrics at the coronation of Charles’ mother Elizabeth II in 1953.
Charles III, who is known as a fan of classical music, also commissioned twelve composers to compose new pieces for his coronation. Andrew Lloyd Webber, for example, who became world famous through musicals such as “Cats”, wrote the hymn “Make a Joyful Noise”, which is based on Bible Psalm 98.
12:15pm – British Ambassador to watch coronation on TV
The British Ambassador to Germany, Jill Gallard, will attend the coronation of Charles III. follow on TV. “I will be here in Berlin,” she told the German Press Agency. You will follow the ceremony on TV. In their estimation, many other people will also tune in to the TV shows. When asked what fascinates people in Germany about the royals, she referred to the mutual relationships.
Charles’ first state visit a few weeks ago was to Germany. “It was a wonderful moment for both countries,” Gallard said. He also has family in Germany, has visited the country almost 40 times and speaks German.
She herself first met him as a young diplomat. When asked how she would describe Charles, she replied, “I think he’s so interested in citizens.” He can talk to all citizens and has a good sense of humor. You can see that in the photos of the state visit.
12:00 – Artists draw and paint special moments of the coronation
Selected artists will be honored at the coronation of King Charles III. and his wife Camilla capture special moments of the weekend in a creative way. The five artists commissioned by the royal couple will sketch and paint at the ceremony, coronation procession and coronation concert at Windsor Castle.
The royal couple wanted to express their love for art and the creative industry, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace shortly before the coronation. Charles himself likes to paint with watercolors and – like his predecessors – has often commissioned artists when traveling abroad.
