King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are inviting all the U.K. to their coronation weekend.
Scheduled for May 6-8, Buckingham Palace announced Saturday in a press release that the three-day celebration will include a star-studded public concert at Windsor Castle to be broadcast live on BBC, in addition to multiple community and service-based initiatives.
Departing from the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who died at age 96 in September, His Majesty The King, 74, will commemorate the end of his mother's 70-year reign (the nation's longest) and the beginning of his with "ceremonial, celebratory and community events."
"Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families and communities across the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth," Buckingham Palace shared in the release. "Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023."
See all the details about the King and Queen Consort's coronation weekend below.
The Coronation Service
Saturday, May 6
Westminster Abbey
The King's Procession will start at Buckingham Palace and make its way to Westminster Abbey, where the King and Queen Consort's coronation will take place.
Conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the religious service and celebration "will reflect the Monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
The Mail on Sunday previously reported that they were planning a scaled-back coronation with a one-hour ceremony that will welcome 2,000 guests, compared to the 8,000 at the Queen's three-hour coronation. The King is also expected to have a "more religiously and culturally diverse" service and do away with certain rites and extravagances.
"The King has stripped back a lot of the Coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years," another insider added.
Following the service, the monarchs will be joined by members of the royal family for the larger Coronation Procession back to Buckingham Palace, where they will all appear on the balcony.
The Coronation Concert
Sunday, May 7
Windsor Castle
Produced, staged and broadcast live from Windsor Castle's East Lawn by the BBC and BBC Studios, the Coronation Concert will feature a lineup of "global music icons and contemporary stars," supported by a world-class orchestra and dancers.
Free pairs of tickets will be made available to the public via national ballot, and the concert will also be attended by volunteers from some of the King and Queen Consort's charity affiliations.
A new documentary will explore the formation of the Coronation Choir, made up of amateur singers and members of Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs across the U.K. The group will perform at the concert with the Virtual Choir, featuring singers across the Commonwealth.
Synchronized with the event, "Lighting up the Nation" will see iconic locations across the nation illuminated with projections, lasers and drone displays.
The Coronation Concert will broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
The Coronation Big Lunch
Sunday, May 7
With thousands of events expected to take place across the U.K., the "nationwide act of celebration and friendship" will encourage citizens to embrace their community.
"From a cup of tea with a neighbour to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch brings the celebrations to your neighbourhood and is a great way to get to know your community a little better," the press release stated.
Originally conceived by the Eden Project and made possible by the National Lottery, the annual event is intended to "boost community spirit, reduce loneliness and support charities and good causes." The Queen Consort has participated in the Big Lunch since 2013.
The royal family celebrated another version of the event in June with the Queen's Big Jubilee Lunch to mark her 70-year rule.
Resources for joining the festivities are available at CoronationBigLunch.com.
The Big Help Out
Monday, May 8
In honor of King Charles' years of public service, the nationwide initiative "will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation."
Organized by the Together Coalition, along with the Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups across the U.K., the Big Help Out will encourage communities to come together and volunteer to support their local areas.
