customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

seriesContainer

printHeadline

socialHeadline

headline

glossary

flattenTypeIds

paywallTypes

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

summary

updatedDate

flag

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Chad Bray

This blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.
Britain, world leaders and royalty from across the globe gathered on Saturday to celebrate the formal coronation of King Charles as England’s and Britain’s 62nd monarch in London.
The king, 74, ascended to the throne in September following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, at the age of 96 after a 70-year reign.


King Charles is the oldest person to assume the role of head of state in the United Kingdom and was formally crowned at historic Westminster Abbey following a period of mourning.
Millions of Britons are expected to celebrate the event on Saturday and street parties on Sunday as part of a three-day holiday weekend.
Reporting by Chad Bray in London


As it happened: UK crowns King Charles at coronation as world watches

King Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with his wife Queen Camilla. Photo: dpa

News

World

Europe

Coronation of Britain’s King Charles and wife Camilla as queen is the centrepiece of a weekend of royal events
Crowning ceremony at historic Westminster Abbey has largely remained the same for more than 1,000 years


King Charles was crowned on Saturday in Britain’s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, with a display of pageantry dating back 1,000 years.


King Charles

Royalty

Britain

Queen Elizabeth

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Live

We have our tea and crumpets at the ready as the Coronation prepares to kick off in a few minutes.
Here is what to expect over the course of the day:
King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla will leave Buckingham Palace at 5.20pm Hong Kong time (10.20am BST) riding in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach in the smaller King’s Procession, accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry.
They will travel a 1.3 mile processional route past several London landmarks to Westminster Abbey, arriving just before 6pm HKT, when the Coronation service will start.




The service will last about two hours, featuring 12 songs specifically commissioned for the ceremony and a chance for the public, rather than the assembled peers, to swear an allegiance to the king.
The king and the queen will return to Buckingham Palace in the larger Coronation Procession in the Gold State Coach, which has been used in every coronation since 1831.
About 8.45pm HKT, members of the armed forces who have took part in the parade will give a Royal Salute to the king and queen in the Buckingham Palace garden.
Just before 9.30pm HKT, members of the royal family will gather on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for a six-minute flyover involving 60 aircraft, which will feature military aircraft, such as the Spitfire used in World War II to modern F35s.


Coronation to feature parades, religious service, military flyover

Republic, a group that has called for the abolishment of the monarchy, said that six members of its organisation were arrested on Saturday ahead of a planned protest during the Coronation.
The group planned to assemble near Trafalgar Square, with members wearing yellow, and chant “Not My King” during the procession.

The Metropolitan Police were notified of the group’s plans ahead of the event. Republic said that “hundreds of placards” were seized by the police.
At a briefing this week, the Met has said it would have a low tolerance for persons who try to disrupt the Coronation.
The police have been given new powers in recent days to jail protestors who block roads or lock themselves together to prevent access in recent to increasingly aggressive tactics by climate campaigners in the past year.


Six anti-monarchists arrested at king’s coronation: Republic

The weekend festivities surrounding the coronation of King Charles could provide as much as an £8 billion (US$10 billion) boost to Britain’s economy, according to a report by British online coupon site vouchercodes.co.uk.
As part of the celebration, Britons will enjoy an extra public holiday in May this year.
Typically, Britons spend about £4.8 billion over a long holiday weekend in May, but are expected to spend an additional £3.22 billion during the Coronation weekend on retail, hospitality and travel, according to the report.
London is expected to see the biggest uptick in spending with more than 2 million people expected to travel to the nation’s capital over the holiday weekend: about £693 million, according to the report. Birmingham could see a £87 million boost, whilst Manchester could see an additional £43 million in spending over the long weekend, the report said.
Some critics have questioned whether such an ornate ceremony should be undertaken during a cost of living crisis in the country, but Buckingham Palace has said it expects the celebrations to create an “enormous economic boost” to the nation.


Coronation weekend spending could bolster UK economy by US$10 billion

The coronation service for King Charles at historic Westminster Abbey will reflect 1,000 years of tradition, but will be a smaller affair than the service that welcomed his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, as monarch in 1953.
About 2,300 people have been invited to attend the religious service, including 100 heads of state from around the world. In 1953, new seating was added to allow about 8,000 people to attend Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
Organisers opted not to build the extra seating this time because of the cost and challenges of installing it in the 13th Century building, according to Buckingham Palace. Adding the extra seating also would have required the building to be closed for five months.

The Anglican service, presided by the Archbishop of Canterbury, will last for two hours, but will include a representation of other faiths to reflect the diversity of today’s Britain. The Queen Consort, Camilla, also will be crowned queen as part of the service.
Following the service, the king and queen will return to Buckingham Palace by carriage in an ornate processional that features about 7,000 troops marching or positioned along a 2km (about 1.3-mile) route.
The processional will not cut as large a path through London as Queen Elizabeth’s route, which snaked past Green Park, Hyde Park, Oxford Circus and Trafalgar Square before returning to the palace to cover about 8km.
Here’s the Post’s visual guide to the coronation:






Ceremony, procession to be smaller than Queen Elizabeth’s coronation

Representatives from 203 foreign countries, including about 100 heads of state, are expected to attend the Coronation service, as well as members of a variety of charities where King Charles serves as a patron.
Much like Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September, invitations were extended to countries with whom Britain has formal diplomatic relations or British realms where the king still serves as head of state.
Russia, Syria, Afghanistan, Belarus, Myanmar, Iran and Venezuela are the only countries known not to have been invited to the ceremony.
The congregation of 2,300 people also will include British government officials, members of the diplomatic core, public service organisations and charities.

Notable celebrity attendees who made the guest list include pop singers Katy Perry and Lionel Richie; composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, actors Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson; singer Nick Cave, British television presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly; Steven Frayne, who performs as the magician Dynamo; Kelly Jones, the lead singer of the Stereophonics; and Jay Blades, the host of BBC’s The Repair Shop.
Richie and Perry are among the headliners at a concert celebrating the coronation at Windsor Castle on Sunday.
Many of the celebrity attendees have served as ambassadors or been helped early in their careers by The Prince’s Trust or The Prince’s Foundation, two charities where the king has served as patron.


Foreign leaders, royals, Katy Perry attend service

All of Britain’s living former prime ministers are attending the service, including Liz Truss, who served as prime minister for just over six weeks.
John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Truss arrived together with their spouses at Westminster Abbey as the rain eased.
They were followed by representatives from Commonwealth Realms ahead of the King’s Procession, which should begin in a few minutes.



Former prime ministers arrive at Westminster Abbey


King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla are travelling to the processional route in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
Leaving Buckingham Palace, with the royal couple dressed in ornate white robes, “God Save the King” played in the background as the procession began.
The coach was originally going to be built to celebrate the 80th birthday of the king’s mother, Queen Elizabeth, but took longer than expected to build.
It was instead named in honour of the 60th anniversary of her reign. It is a much more comfortable ride than the Gold State Coach, which has been used in every coronation since 1821.
Queen Elizabeth described it as “horrible” and “not made for travelling in” during a 2018 documentary.
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach has a hydraulic suspension, heating and electric windows.
The coach’s gilded crown top was carved from oak from the HMS Victory and its interior is inlaid with samples of woods, metals and other materials from buildings and places with specific connections to Britain and its history, such as Buckingham Palace.


King Charles, Queen Camilla leave Buckingham Palace for coronation

The state coach is being drawn by a team of Windsor Greys, a term used to describe horses used by the royal family in Britain.
The horses are named: Icon, Shadow, Milford Haven, Echo, Knightsbridge and Tyrone
So, the palace has been saying 1.3 miles for the route all week. Now they’re saying it’s 1.4 miles (2.2km).



Tyrone, Shadow among Windsor Greys drawing state coach

As the state coach passed Trafalgar Square, cheers rang out and the royal band played “God Save the King”.
The anti-monarchist group Republic planned to shout “Not my King” as the procession passed, but several members of the group were arrested by police on Saturday morning.


Cheers ring out as king passes Trafalgar Square

Senior members of the royal family are streaming into Westminster Abbey ahead of King Charles’ arrival.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and Prince Andrew have arrived, as have the Princess Royal Anne and her brother Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s wife, reportedly stayed in California to celebrate the birthday of their son, Archie.
The Sussexes have had a strained relationship with the royal family after giving up royal duties two years ago.
Prince Harry also has written a tell-all book, Spare, that has rankled Buckingham Palace.



Members of the royal family have arrived at Westminster Abbey

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have arrived at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation service.
The service comes 70 years after his mother, Queen Elizabeth, was coronated and about nine months after her death at the age of 96.
King Charles is wearing the Robe of State, which is made of crimson velvet. Upon departure, he will wear the Robe of Estate, which is made of purple silk velvet embroidered in gold.
Both were worn by his grandfather King George VI at the coronation in 1937. The Anglican service is expected to last about two hours.


King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla arrive at Westminster Abbey

About 100 heads of state are attending the coronation service, but Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden are not among them.
Han Zheng, China’s newly appointed vice-president, and US first lady Jill Biden are attending in their place. President Biden attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September, with then-Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan attending in Xi’s place.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are in attendance.

The extension of an invitation to Han has rankled some Tory members of Parliament after he oversaw the Central Coordination Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs during civil unrest in the city and the subsequent introduction of the controversial national security law.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has defended the invitation, saying the British government has invited countries with which it has diplomatic relations.
Cleverly is expected to meet Han while he is in London, with British officials hoping the meeting results in a formal invitation for Cleverly to make the first trip by a British foreign secretary to China since 2018.


Xi and Biden skip coronation

Proceeding into Westminster Abbey, King Charles stepped around the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in the west end of the Abbey’s Nave.
Covered in a black slab of Belgian marble and surrounding by flowers, it is the only grave within the Abbey that no one is allowed to step on, including the king.


King Charles passes Tomb of Unknown Warrior

Prince George, the nine-year-old future king, is serving as a page of honour for the ceremony, holding his grandfather’s train.
He has been joined outside Westminster Abbey by his father William, the Duke of Wales and heir to the throne, and his mother Catherine, Princess of Wales.



Prince George serving as page for coronation

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, welcomes the congregation as the coronation service begins.
The service started with the king being greeted by 14-year-old Samuel Strachan, the longest serving chorister of the Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace.


Archbishop of Canterbury welcomes congregation

In the first formal part of the service, known as “The Recognition”, King Charles has been recognised as Britain’s “undoubted king”.
The portion of the ceremony features the king turning to the four points of the compass – north, south, east and west – where he is recognised as the true monarch, followed by fanfare.


King Charles recognised as Britain’s ‘undoubted’ monarch

Kneeling with his hands placed on a Bible, King Charles spoke for the first time in the service as he took an oath of service.
“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, your other Realms and the Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?”, the Archbishop of Canterbury asked.
“I solemnly promise to do,” the king said.


King Charles speaks for the first time during service as he takes oath

King Charles and the queen consort are using historic ceremonial chairs and thrones that have been refurbished for the ceremony.
The Chairs of Estate were first used at the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
Later, he will use the 700-year-old wooden Coronation Chair, which was first used during the coronation of Edward II.

Beneath the chair sits the Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarch that was seized by Edward I in 1296.
It has been used for coronation of British monarchs since then.
The stone was returned to Scotland in 1996, but brought to Westminster Abbey specifically for Saturday’s service. It will return to Scotland after the service.


Historic chairs being used by king, queen consort as part of service

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers the first reading from the Epistle to the Colossians.
“For this cause, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God,” Sunak read from Colossians 1:9-17


Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers first reading

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan sent a congratulatory message to Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The world is undergoing “profound and complex transformations”, and the international community is faced with many unprecedented challenges, the message read, according to Xinhua.
“China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, should take a long-term and strategic view to jointly promote the historical trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation,” it read.
Xi said that China is willing to expand cooperation and cultural exchanges with the UK and that the two countries should jointly promote peace and cooperation


China’s Xi sends congratulatory message to King Charles

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, is wearing a Jess Collet x Alexander McQueen headpiece, featuring silver bullion, crystal and silver thread work three-dimensional leaf embroidery.
Both Kate and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, are wearing Alexander McQueen dresses.
Her youngest son, Louis, is wearing an outfit made by Dege and Skinner. The Savile Row tailor is favoured by members of the royal family.



Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte wearing Alexander McQueen

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has delivered the sermon ahead of the anointing of King Charles with holy oil.
“His throne was a cross. His crown was made of thrones. His regalia were the wounds that pierced his body. Each of us is called by God to serve. Whatever that looks like in our own lives, each of us can choose God’s way today,” Welby said.
“We can say to the King of kings himself, God, as does the king today, give grace that in thy service I may find perfect freedom. In that prayer there is promise beyond measure, joy beyond dreams, hope that endures. By that prayer for every king, for every ruler, and, yes, for every person, all of us, we are opened to the transforming love of God.”


Archbishop of Canterbury delivers sermon

In the only part of the service that is kept private from the public, King Charles removed his state robes and was anointed with holy oil behind a screen with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
It is considered the most solemn moment of the service and was done in private in the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 1953.
During the moment, the choir sung Handel’s “Zadok the priest”, which was composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727.
The design of the anointing screen was inspired by a window at the king’s Chapel Royal.


King Charles anointed with holy oil in private moment

King Charles has been presented with a variety of regalia of state ahead of his official crowning in the service.
The king is dressed in the Colobium Sidonis, a white linen shift-like tunic, and the Supertunica, a full-length sleeved gold coat, as he sits in the ancient Coronation Chair.
In the background, the choir sung in Greek in recognition of his father Prince Phillip, the late Duke of Edinburgh.
The regalia includes the Jewelled Sword of Offering; the Armils, known as the “bracelets of sincerity and wisdom”; the Orb; the Sceptre; and the coronation glove, which was worn by his grandfather, King George VI.


King Charles presented with regalia of state

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury has placed the St Edward’s Crown on King Charles’ head.
Welby then led the congregation in a chant of “God save the King”.
The crown, which was made in 1661 for King Charles II, is solid gold and weighs almost five pounds. It is decorated with more than 400 gems.
It normally resides with the rest of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London when not used in coronations.



King Charles officially crowned in service

The Archbishop of Canterbury has invited the public to swear an oath of allegiance to the newly crowned King Charles.
The oath has previously been sworn by nobles and those with peerages, but the opportunity for the public to do so was an effort to make the service more inclusive to the public.
However, some critics have called the public oath “nonsense” and outdated.
“God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the king live forever,” Justin Welby, the archbishop, said as he led the crowd following the oath.


Archbishop invites public to swear allegiance to King Charles

Camilla, the queen consort, has been officially crowned as queen in a separate part of the coronation service.
Camilla has been married to King Charles for 18 years, but there has been controversy among some members of the public of here taking the title of queen.
She had been referred to as queen consort since Queen Elizabeth’s death in September.
Some have blamed her for the collapse of King Charles’ marriage to the late Princess Diana in 1996, with the princess describing Camilla as the “third person” in their marriage in a 1995 interview.
However, attitudes have changed and she has become more accepted by members of the public in recent years.



Camilla, queen consort, now crowned as queen

King Charles and Queen Camilla have taken Holy Communion while the choir sung a newly commissioned “Agnus Dei” for the service.
The bread and wine, symbolising the holy sacrament, were consecrated according to the Book of Common Prayer, which was used in Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
The public also recited the Lord’s Prayer, in their preferred language, under the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury.


King Charles, Queen Camilla receive Holy Communion

King Charles and the queen have retired from the service to the Chapel of St Edward to prepare for their departure as part of a grand procession out of Westminster Abbey.
The assembled congregation sung, “Praise the Lord, O my soul” by Orlando Gibbons, which was played at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.


King, queen retire from service

The assembled crowd of heads of state, international royalty, British politicians and celebrities sang “God Save the King” as King Charles prepares to depart the coronation service.
The king will be greeted by five faith leaders and governors-generals from the Commonwealth Realms ahead of the Coronation Procession back to Buckingham Palace.
The procession is one of the largest ceremonial military operations since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation 70 years ago.
It will feature 4,000 troops and 20 different bands marching in the procession.


Congregation sings British national anthem

King Charles has departed Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach, which has been used in every coronation since 1831.
The coach was built in 1762 and is made of giltwood, a thin layer of gold over wood. The interior upholstered in velvet and satin and features painted murals of Roman gods and goddesses.
It is drawn by eight horses and only at a walking pace. Queen Elizabeth revealed in a 2018 documentary that she disliked riding in the coach.
“Horrible. It was not meant for travelling at all,” she said at the time.



King Charles and queen depart Westminster Abbey

Senior members of the royal family are following King Charles in the coronation procession back to Buckingham Palace.
The Princess Royal Anne is on horseback following the Gold State Carriage as it makes its way through Whitehall.
Prince William, the Prince of Wales, his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, are riding in a black enclosed carriage.
They are followed by carriages carrying the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.



Royal family follows king in coronation procession

More than 440 troops from Commonwealth Realms are taking part in the coronation procession to Buckingham Palace.
The assembled troops included Canadian Mounties, as well as troops from Australia, the Bahamas, Fiji, Malaysia and New Zealand.
Upon returning to the Palace, the 4,000 troops in total who marched in the parade will assemble for a royal salute in the palace’s garden.



More than 400 troops from Commonwealth in procession

About 29,000 police officers were to be deployed over the course of the Coronation weekend, with about 9,000 on duty during the ceremony itself, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The policing operation, which has been named “Operation Golden Orb”, will include mounted police, marine units and an uncommon sight for many Britons – officers in force carrying firearms.
It is the third major security operation for the Met since Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebration in June.
It also will be the first test for newly enacted laws that give the police the ability to jail protesters for up to a year for blocking roads.
The fact-tracked legislation is a response to techniques by climate protesters to draw attention to their cause, such as “slow walking” to stall traffic and locking themselves to buildings or bridge overpasses.

“We want to deliver what is a safe and secure space for people to come and enjoy,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said in a media briefing ahead of the Coronation. “My organisation have a very low tolerance level for anything or anyone who would interfere at anywhere within this safe and secure environment. What you will find is a very swift response.”
Over the course of the weekend, there will be 1,800 registered events across London and the surrounding area, Adelekan said.
Ahead of the events, a man was arrested outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening for allegedly throwing shotgun carriages onto the palace grounds.
He was quickly detained by officers on the scene and found to be carrying a knife after he was searched, police said. A controlled explosion also was carried out on his backpack that evening, police said.


Massive security operation for coronation

US President Joe Biden congratulated King Charles and Queen Camilla in a tweet.

Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their Coronation. The enduring friendship between the U.S. and the U.K. is a source of strength for both our peoples.
I am proud the First Lady is representing the United States for this historic occasion.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 6, 2023



Biden congratulates King Charles, Camilla

Speaking of royal salutes, the Speyside distillery Royal Salute has released a limited edition whisky in honour of the coronation.
The brand, which produced its first blend whisky for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, has released a 500-bottle whisky run that is a blend of more than 53 rare malt and grain whiskies.
However, it will not come cheap if you want a taste.
The suggested retail price is US$25,000.


Rare whisky released for coronation

An assembled 4,000 troops from Britain and the Commonwealth Realms have offered a royal salute to King Charles in the Buckingham Palace gardens.
King Charles and Queen Camilla emerged from the rear of the palace as the national anthem played, with Prince George continuing to serve as a page to the king.
That was followed by three cheers from the troops for the new monarch: “Hip, hip, hooray!”
Bagpipers then played a new tune called “King Charles III”.


Royal salute in palace gardens

The environmental activism group Just Stop Oil says around 20 of its supporters were arrested Saturday for protesting during the coronation celebrations.
The group, which demands no new licenses for any fossil fuel projects in the UK, said that the protesters were arrested on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace and outside Downing Street.
It said the activists did not carry out disruptive action, and that they were only wearing “Just Stop Oil” T-shirts and holding flags with the slogan.
The group criticised the government for banning legitimate dissent.


Just Stop Oil says supporters arrested for protesting

Crowds swelled onto the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace as they prepared for a flyover by more than 60 military aircraft ranging from World War II propeller planes to modern jets.
Despite the heavy rain at points during Saturday’s coronation, the crowds were in good spirits as they made their way to the Palace.
The royal family, including King Charles, will take to the balcony shortly to view the flyover, as they traditionally do during ceremonial events.



Crowds assemble on the Mall ahead of flyover

Royal watchers will be keeping a close eye on five-year-old Prince Louis, the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Wales, as the royal family takes their place on the Buckingham Palace balcony ahead of a flyover of military aircraft later today.
Louis stole the show during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in June last year, celebrating 70 years on the throne.
During last year’s flyover of military aircraft, Louis, at various times, covered his ears and yelled, stuck his hands in his mouth and gnashed his teeth and propped his chin on his hands as if he was bored.



All eyes on Prince Louis as royal family takes balcony

The Metropolitan Police said they intended to use facial recognition technology in central London during the Coronation weekend, sparking alarm among some campaigners concerned with an expanded use of the controversial technology.
The technology was last deployed during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the Met said the watch list would be focused on persons whose attendance at the Coronation would “raise public protection concerns, including those wanted for offences or have an outstanding warrant for arrest”.
“Live facial recognition is an authoritarian mass surveillance tool that turns the public into walking ID cards,” campaign group Big Brother Watch said in a statement. “This Orwellian technology may be used in China and Russia but has no place on the streets of Britain, least not during the Coronation.”


Police use facial recognition technology

Britons will gather together at smaller neighbourhood street parties and larger garden parties as part of the Big Lunch Out, an event to celebrate the coronation and local communities across the weekend.
On Monday, thousands of charities and community groups are set to sponsor a series of volunteering events to mark the coronation, known as the Big Help Out.
Members of the royal family are expected to participate in both events over the course of the weekend.
On Sunday evening, there will be a concert to celebrate the coronation, featuring members of Take That, Lionel Richie, opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Bette Midler and Katy Perry.


Street parties, volunteering events to mark coronation weekend

King Charles and other members of the royal family have assembled on the Buckingham Palace balcony ahead of a flyover by military aircraft.
The assembled royals including two future kings: William, the Prince of Wales, and his nine-year-old son, George.
His brother Harry, who has strained relations with the royal family, and King Charles’s brother Prince Andrew, who has been caught up in the Jeffrey Esptein scandal, did not join the senior family members on the balcony.
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also waved to the crowd.


Royal family wave from Buckingham Palace balcony

Rainy weather in London restricted the number of aircraft that could fly past Buckingham Palace in a celebration of King Charles.
As many as 60 aircraft, including planes from World War II, were expected to take part in the flyover.
However, rain earlier in the day and heavy clouds limited the number of aircraft that could participate.
The flyover included military helicopters and the Red Arrows, a precision Royal Air Force flight team.


Weather limits flyover of Buckingham Place

Much like an encore at a Bruce Springsteen concert, King Charles and Queen Camilla returned to the palace balcony by themselves for a second time following the smaller-than-expected military flyover.
The assembled crowd, which had stood through hours of pouring rainy and generally gloomy conditions, cheered as they got a second chance to see the new monarch.


King Charles, queen return to palace balcony

We are now closing our live coverage. Please look out for our stories and wrap on the UK king’s coronation.
