A royal first for coronation crowds thronging to London

The coronation of King Charles III – seven decades after that of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth – will be the first time most British people have seen the crowning of a new monarch.

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The Drum Major's State coat adorned with the new CR III cypher that will be worn during the coronation of Britain's King Charles III. AFP - JUSTIN TALLIS

Saturday’s ceremony, officiated by the archbishop of Canterbury at London’s iconic Westminster Abbey, comes eight months after the 74-year-old ascended to the throne.

King Charles will be crowned alongside his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, in an event that will finally cement his place as Britain’s head of state.

Security is watertight in the capital – where the streets have been decorated with flags and banners – with teams of police, armed guards, rooftop snipers and military personnel securing the event for the hundreds of thousands of expected visitors.

Centuries of tradition

In front of an audience of 2,200 guests from across the political, royal and celebrity worlds, Charles will be officially declared King with the same solid gold medieval crown that was used at his mother’s coronation in 1953.

The St Edward's Crown, originally made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 and weighing 2.2 kilograms, contains 444 gemstones including rubies, sapphires, garnets and tourmalines.

The King has chosen to reuse several historic items on the big day, including some robes made of gold.  

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Westminster Abbey, where coronations have taken place since 1066, has been decked out with banners and floral displays to create an elaborate backdrop for a ceremony long steeped in tradition and pageantry.

Designated viewing areas have been set up along the 2.1-kilometre procession route between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey so the crowds may watch the coronation.

Many royal fans had already set up camp days in advance, with some 5,000 Armed Forces personnel on hand to accompany the King and Queen along the route. 

Because the King and Queen will travel from the palace to the abbey and then back to the palace, those who manage to secure a prime spot will get to see the monarch twice. As a result, crowds along the route are expected to be larger than during other royal events.