Coronation – live: William and Kate make unexpected visit to concert queue

The Prince and Princess of Wales have made a surprise appearance to Windsor to meet fans congregating for the coronation concert.

Crowds started arriving at Windsor Castle hours before the star-studded concert starts at 8pm on Sunday, with many draped in Union flags and wearing Union flag dresses.

William and Kate were seen shaking hands and chatting to revellers, with William telling one group of well-wishers: “Enjoy the concert tonight.”

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be joining around 20,000 members of the public at the concert in Windsor where, along with other family members, they will see performances by Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

Ahead of the show on Sunday evening, thousands of street parties are taking place, with people encouraged to come together across the country for the Coronation Big Lunch.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a big lunch in Cranleigh, while the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will attend a community street party in Swindon, and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will attend a big lunch in Windsor.

Coronation news – latest updates

• Prince and Princess of Wales sip cocktails with royal fans on surprise walkabout

• Everything you need to know about coronation concert

• Prince George rocks out to AC/DC, William reveals

• Celebrations continue up and down Britain: In pictures

• Duke of Sussex returns to California on British Airways flight

• More than 20 million watched coronation on TV

Nicole Sherzinger ‘feels like Disney princess’ at Coronation Concert

20:25 , Liam James

Nicole Scherzinger has said she felt like a Disney princess when she was rehearsing her song for the Coronation Concert, which is taking place in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Pussycat Dolls frontwoman will perform ‘Reflection’, which was written and produced for Disney’s 1998 animated film Mulan.

Scherzinger told the PA news agency backstage ahead of the event that she felt “overjoyed” and “honoured” to take the stage.

“Now that I’m here, it just feels really surreal. Being on the ground and having Windsor Castle as your backdrop is the dream,” she added.

The singer said she found the coronation service on Saturday to be “remarkable”, as her home country of America does not have the same type of pageantry.

King and Queen arrive at Coronation Concert

20:24 , Liam James

King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived at the Coronation Concert, as celebrations for the king’s crowing continue.

The king and queen will be treated to performances by acts including Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Paloma Faith, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, and Alexis Ffrench.

More than 20 million people tuned in to watch the coronation yesterday, while tens of thousands flocked to London to watch proceedings in-person.

You can follow the concert live with Indepedent Culture, here:

Royal fans flock to Windsor Castle for coronation concert - live updates

Sofia Richie shows off ‘chic’ coronation concert outfit ahead of father Lionel Richie’s performance

20:12 , Liam James

Sofia Richie has shared a preview of the outfit she’s chosen for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronationconcert, where she will watch her father Lionel Richie perform (Chelsea Ritschel writes).

On 7 May, a day after the King and Queen were crowned in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the coronation celebrations will continue with a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle. The concert, which will take place on the East Lawn of the castle’s grounds - the first time a large-scale event has been staged on the property - will feature performances by a number of musical guests including Katy Perry, Richie, Take That, and Andrea Bocelli.

For the occasion, Richie, who recently returned from her honeymoon after exchanging vows with husband Elliot Grainge in a lavish wedding in the South of France last month, has chosen a bright pink outfit.

Click here to read on:

Coronation Concert: Follow live with Independent Culture

19:58 , Liam James

Our culture team will be following the coronation concert beat by beat.

The line-up for this evening’s show includes Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, and Alexis Ffrench.

Follow the link below for live coverage:

Royal fans flock to Windsor Castle for coronation concert - live updates

Watch: Windsor Castle abuzz ahead of coronation concert

19:55 , Liam James

Crowds are entering Windsor Castle ahead of the King’s coronation concert which starts at 8pm.

Coronation Concert: Everything you need to know about King Charles’s musical celebration

19:50 , Liam James

King Charles III’s coronation is well and truly upon us, with a Bank Holiday weekend full of celebrations in full swing.

The official coronation took place yesterday, on Saturday 6 May, with a coronation concert taking place this evening (Sunday 7 May).

Staged at Windsor Castle and broadcast across the BBC, the concert will feature performances from Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

Isobel Lewis brings you the full itinerary, here:

Everything you need to know about King Charles’s coronation concert

19:40 , Liam James

Take That superfans Dawn Fenwick and Sian Gould are excited to see the group perform at Windsor Castle for the king’s coronation concert.

Ms Fenwick has been taking her daughter Ms Gould to Take That concerts since she was a child.

The pair travelled from High Wycombe.

Watch: Ukraine’s Zelensky congratulates King Charles on coronation

19:30 , Liam James

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated King Charles on his coronation and offered him and the British people thanks for their support in the war against Russia.

He described the king and Queen Camilla, his wife, as “true friends of Ukraine” and said his reign marked “the beginning of a new era for the British monarchy”.

Britain has been a key Western partner supplying military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February last year.

Coronation concert: ‘It’s a big part of history'

19:18 , Liam James

Sarah Edwards travelled with her daughter Charlotte from Ipswich for the coronation concert at Windsor Castle.

The journey took them more than two hours.

The mother told the PA news agency: “We watched all the coronation on TV yesterday.

“It made us really excited to be here today. I think it’s a big part of history for my daughter to be a part of.

“I’m really excited to be part of such a big day.”

DJs light up London street for coronation

19:10 , Liam James

DJs performed at the Browning Street community street party in Walworth, London.

King Charles asked for Ibiza classics at coronation concert, says DJ

19:05 , Liam James

DJ Pete Tong has revealed the King specifically requested Ibiza classics songs as part of his coronation concert.

The BBC Radio 1 DJ, who has been tasked with delivering the King’s wish at the event being held on Sunday evening, said he hopes it will be a “brilliant” way to start the show in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Speaking to the PA news agency backstage ahead of the event, Tong said: “He wanted Ibiza classics, that was very specific.

“And then they asked us to suggest a couple of songs so we suggested three or four, and he came back with one of them and that’s the one that’s starting the show, so they very much had an involvement in what they wanted us to perform.”

Asked why he felt this genre was among the playlist requests, he added: “I think they want to put across a big variety of UK talent and touch all different demographics and be relevant to different age groups.

“I mean, the shows we do we literally get kids up to pensioners. Relapse ravers, we call them - so maybe there’s a few relapsed ravers in the royal household, we don’t know.”

Buckingham Palace Mall littered with soggy tents and union jacks in coronation aftermath

19:00 , Liam James

Buckingham Palace Mall could be seen littered with rubbish including tents and flags in the aftermath of King Charles III’s coronation.

Some royalists had been out there for as long as a week, and had left their soggy belongings behind after a day of bad weather.

ITV’s Chris Ship, who filmed the clip, described the scene as “an abandoned campsite after a wet weekend at Glastonbury”.

18:50 , Liam James

Sheila Holmes, 79, attended the Coronation Big Lunch in Burn, North Yorkshire, with her husband Gordon, 88, who served on the parish council for 43 years.

Mrs Holmes said: “It’s marvellous for such a small village to make such a supreme effort.

“I thought the service yesterday was beautiful. It’s what we do best, being British.”

Parish council chair Chris Phillipson said: “I’ve lived in the village all my life.

“We used to have sports days but as the village got older and children got older and moved away, they stopped, so it’s nice to resurrect some sort of community event.

“It’s really good to get people back together after Covid.”

Blackpool holds parade for King’s coronation

18:35 , Liam James

A celebration fit for a king is under way in Blackpool as its famous promenade hosts events for the coronation.

Thousands thronged the Lancashire resort, many wearing red, white and blue as yesterday’s drizzle was replaced with bright sunshine, bringing out the crowds.

The day of festivities began with a parade of 11 heritage trams full of flag-waving passengers travelling in convoy up the seafront before pausing at the Tower Festival Headland below Blackpool Tower.

In the afternoon, Blackpool took part in the nationwide Big Lunch - with families sat around in deck-chairs enjoying picnics and live entertainment.

Kate Shane, chair of the Blackpool Tourism Improvement District, said: “Our coronation event typifies what Blackpool does best - brilliant free entertainment for all the family to enjoy.

“It promises to be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a moment of history.”

Princess Anne makes surprise trip to Swindon

18:30 , Liam James

Princess Anne greeted royal fans on a surprise walkabout in Swindon.

Residents of Belmont Crescent, near Old Town, welcomed the Princess Royal and husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Anne spent just over an hour meeting locals, handing out gifts to children, and chatting in the sunshine.

Beatrice and Eugenie at Big Lunch ahead of coronation concert

18:24 , Liam James

Royal sisters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie met well-wishers at a Coronation Big Lunch in Chalfont St Giles, north of London.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons marked the coronation with street celebrations, tea parties and lunches on Sunday as the festivities continued for a second day.

Organisers of Big Lunches hailed the community spirit at hundreds of events up and down the country.

Police got balance right in handling coronation protesters, minister insists

18:20 , Liam James

Police got the “balance right” between allowing protest and enjoyment of the King’s coronation, the culture secretary has said.

Lucy Frazer defended the Metropolitan Police after the force was heavily criticised by MPs and human rights groups over dozens of arrests.

The chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic, who was among 52 people arrested on Saturday, was released after nearly 16 hours in police custody.

Click here to read on:

Police got balance right in handling coronation protesters, minister insists

Prince George rocks out to AC/DC, William reveals

18:05 , Liam James

The Prince of Wales has told royal fans his son Prince George is a big fan of rock bands AC/DC and Led Zeppelin during a surprise meet and greet.

William and Kate greeted Big Lunch attendees and coronation concert-goers in an unannounced walkabout for around 40 minutes on The Long Walk in Windsor on Sunday.

George, nine, played his first major ceremonial role at his grandfather’s coronation as a page of honour.

Caroline Mulvihill, from the Rock Choir in Windsor and Maidenhead, spoke to William during the meet and greet.

She told the PA news agency: “We were talking about the kind of music we do in Rock Choir and Will was telling us in their household they have a very diverse music taste and George is very much into AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. It was quite interesting to hear that.”

Sam Leckenby, another choir member who spoke to William, added: “They mentioned they were quite pleased yesterday’s ceremony wasn’t the original five hours long. They were just really lovely.”

Royal fans out in force ahead of Windsor coronation concert

18:02 , Liam James

Thousands of royal fans travelled to Windsor Castle today ahead of the coronation concert, with crowds also gathering outside Buckingham Palace

The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised the crowd at Windsor with a walkabout on the Long Walk.

Take a look at some of the characters who were there to greet them:

Jill Biden appears to inspect cheese and pickle sandwich at coronation lunch with Rishi Sunak

17:50 , Liam James

First Lady Jill Biden attended a Big Lunch hosted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, where she appeared to inspect a classic English sandwich (Meredith Clarke writes).

The United States first lady and her granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, joined the British prime minister and his wife, Akshata Murty, for a banquet at 10 Downing Street to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.

However, a photo from the event captured Dr Biden looking puzzled over her cheese and pickle sandwich. The common British delicacy features cheese and pickled chutney.

Jill Biden inspects cheese and pickle sandwich at coronation lunch with Rishi Sunak

William and Kate sip cocktails with fans on Windsor walkabout

17:36 , Liam James

The Prince and Princess of Wales sipped homemade cocktails with royal fans as they soaked up the atmosphere in Windsor ahead of Sunday’s star-studded coronation concert, which starts at 8pm.

William and Kate surprised well-wishers when they went on a 40-minute walkabout in the town’s famous Long Walk, and also came across special coronation ale dedicated to the King.

The unannounced appearance came as Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen were “deeply touched” by the nation’s celebration of their coronation on Saturday.

‘Such an honour’ to be at UK’s premier street party

17:25 , Liam James

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty this afternoon hosted a Big Lunch at Downing Street to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation.

Among those attending the lunch at Downing Street was Zoe Clark-Coates, who runs a charity with her husband, Andy, supporting people who have gone through baby loss.

She is also co-chairing a pregnancy loss review for the government.

She said: “ I was sitting next to the US ambassador, who was lovely, and very close to the First Lady.

“It’s such an honour to be amongst so many people doing such great work. It’s so moving.”

Met Police arrest of women’s safety volunteers on coronation day branded ‘absolute disgrace’

17:12 , Liam James

The Met Police has been fiercely criticised by Labour MPs for arresting women’s safety volunteers in central London during the early hours of coronation day (Maya Oppenheim writes).

Campaigners told The Independent that volunteers who work for Westminster Council’s night life safety team had been detained in custody for 15 hours.

The Metropolitan Police said that, at around 2am on Saturday, three people were stopped by officers and arrested in Soho on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance. Britain’s largest police force said rape alarms were some of the items they seized.

Click here to read on:

Met Police called a ‘disgrace’ for arresting volunteers on coronation day

‘I curtsied to the Archbishop of Canterbury’

17:00 , Liam James

A woman in a Union flag dress and headboppers at the Big Coronation Lunch in Canterbury curtsied when she met the Archbishop as he spoke to attendees.

Michelle Downer, 45, from Canterbury, said: “I did this really embarrassing thing. I curtsied to him!

“But isn’t it amazing to be at the cathedral and meeting Justin Welby?”

On the Big Lunch, she said: “I love seeing everyone come together. Why would you not want to be here?”

Regarding the coronation, she said: “I didn’t move from the TV.”

Ms Downer then explained how her husband had been decorating and she told him he needed to change before coming in to watch the ceremony – which he took very seriously, changing into a waistcoat and tails for the occasion.

Bongbong Marcos meets King Charles

16:46 , Liam James

Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines met King Charles on coronation day.

“Deeply honored to attend the royal reception with First Lady Liza Marcos at Buckingham Palace,” he wrote on Twitter.

In pictures: Thousands take part in Big Lunch and street parties as coronation celebrations continue

16:45 , Liam James

Thousands of people across the country have marked the coronation with street celebrations, tea parties and lunches, as the festivities to mark King Charles III’s continued for a second day.

Saturday’s ceremony – a mingling of solemn religious rites and royal pomp – saw Charles become the 40th monarch to be crowned in Westminster Abbey since 1066.

On Sunday, formality gave way to festivity as Britons joined together to share in a day of eating, drinking and music-making – with the coronation concert set to bring the weekend to a rousing conclusion.

Coronation celebrations continue as thousands take part in Big Lunch

London’s flag-mad estate hails new king

16:35 , Liam James

The Kirby estate in Bermondsey, London is known for decorating on national occasions.

You may have seen those old flatblocks strewn with England flags for the World Cup last year, or any number of earlier international tournaments.

Today, though, they wear the Union Jack as residents gather to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Celebrities and singers walk red carpet ahead of King Charles's coronation concert

16:28 , Liam James

Independent TV brings you coverage live from Windsor Castle, where guests and performers are arriving ahead of the 8PM coronation concert:

Royal fans left surprised by Prince Harry’s Dior coronation suit

16:06 , Tara Cobham

Prince Harry wore a bespoke suit designed by Dior to his father’s coronation on Saturday (6 May) and royal fans have been sharing their thoughts on the look.

Luxury fashion house Dior tweeted on Saturday that it had dressed the duke in a custom design by celebrity favourite British-born Kim Jones, saying to do so was an “honour”.

Royal fans were surprised by Harry’s decision to wear Dior, not least because it was a French brand – royals are typically dressed by British designers for large events – but because the suit simply looked “ordinary”.

Ellie Muir reports.

‘Just ordinary’: Royal fans left surprised by Prince Harry’s Dior coronation suit

King ‘very pleased’ with coronation and rain ‘didn’t dampen spirits’ - Dean of Canterbury

16:02 , Tara Cobham

The King was “very pleased” with his coronation day and the rain “didn’t damp the spirits”, the Dean of Canterbury has said.

The dean said: “The King’s very pleased with the day and even the rain didn’t damp the spirits.

“It was very clear everyone was out to enjoy themselves.”

On the Archbishop’s relationship with the King, he said: “Of course, there’s a privacy about that relationship that’s so important, that’s held special and sacred.”

Coronation celebrations continue with military parade in Glasgow

15:59 , Tara Cobham

Cheers rang through the centre of Glasgow as hundreds of military personnel gathered for a special parade to mark the King’s coronation, which was set to be one of the main celebrations north of the border.

The city’s Lord Lieutenant, Jacqueline McLaren, made a speech in George Square to launch the event, which also included inspection of a guard of honour and three cheers for the King and Queen, followed by the national anthem.

As well as military servicemen and women, veterans and cadets as young as 10 gathered for the march to Glasgow Cathedral.

In her speech, the Lord Lieutenant, who attended the coronation at Westminster Abbey on behalf of Glasgow on Saturday, congratulated Charles and Camilla. She said: “On behalf of the city on this day, which marks the first full day of our new King’s reign, I wish the royal couple longevity, happiness and wisdom.”

Meanwhile, more than 200 Coronation Big Lunch celebrations have been registered across the weekend.

Some 1,500 people attended the Church Green in the Royal Deeside village, on the doorstep of the Balmoral estate.

Watch Rishi Sunak host coronation lunch at Downing Street

15:55 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty this afternoon hosted a Big Lunch at Downing Street to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation (7 May).

Community heroes, Ukrainian families and youth groups attended the special event, with US first lady Jill Biden even dropping by for a cup of tea.

The street was transformed into a symbol of patriotism, plastered in union jacks while British produce was served up to guests.

It’s thought more than 67,000 of the celebratory lunches have been planned across the UK this weekend.

Watch here:

Rishi Sunak and wife host Big Lunch at Downing Street in honour of coronation

Prince and Princess of Wales share behind-the-scenes footage from coronation

15:43 , Tara Cobham

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared behind-the-scenes footage from the coronation of King Charles III.

Following King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation on 6 May, Prince William and Princess Kate took to social media to thank those who made the historic event possible. “What. A. Day,” the royal couple captioned the post. “Thank you to everyone who made it happen.”

The video showed sweet moments of the Waleses and their three children – Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, four – from their time at the coronation. The clip began with their only daughter dressed in her white Alexander McQueen dress and cape sporting a wide smile, before the family hopped into cars to take them to Westminster Abbey.

Watch the video here:

Prince and Princess of Wales share behind-the-scenes footage from coronation: ‘What. A. Day.’

Prince William handed royal-themed ale by royal fan

15:34 , Emily Atkinson

The Prince and Princess of Wales were showered with affection by concert-goers as they embarked on a spur-of-the-moment walkabout along The Long Walk in Windsor on Sunday.

With many raising a toast to the new King across the country — as Britons assemble for street parties and lunches – one royal fan felt Prince William should join in, handing him a royal-themed ale.

William was pictured holding a can of what appears to be ‘Return of the King’ ale – a beer created to celebrate the coronation from Windsor & Eton Brewery.

The ale, made using organic barley from the local Royal Farm and organic English hops, is emblazoned with a bust of King Charles, and described by its creators as a fitting tribute to his “lifetime of service to the country and his passionate support of the environment.”

Prince William and Princess Kate joke with children as they greet royal fans at Windsor Castle

15:17 , Emily Atkinson

The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised royal fans waiting at Windsor Castle for an impromptu walkabout ahead of the coronation concert this evening (7 May).

Kate and William arrived at the Long Walk this afternoon sipping gin and beer, as fans, who have waited out for hours, ran over to greet them.

One little girl got so overwhelmed that she burst into tears upon meeting the royals, while William could be heard telling another group to “enjoy the concert”.

More on this from our video team here:

Prince and Princess of Wales joke with children during Windsor Castle walkabout

Big Lunch highlights

15:06 , Emily Atkinson

Street parties are in full swing across the country, as the festivities to mark the crowning of King Charles III continue.

In a jolly addition to yesterday’s proceedings, Britons are joining together to share in a day of eating, drinking and, later, music – with the coronation concert set to strike up later this evening.

Here are some of the highlights from Britain’s bunting-lined streets:

In a jolly addition to yesterday’s proceedings, Britons are joining together to share in a day of eating, drinking and, later, music – with the coronation concert set to strike up later this evening.

Jill Biden spotted at Downing Street coronation lunch

14:17 , Tara Cobham

Watch live as Prince William and Princess Kate do a walkabout in Windsor

14:09 , Tara Cobham

Watch live as the Prince and Princess of Wales meet royal fans in Windsor on a walkabout on Sunday, 7 May.

Prince William and Princess Kate are chatting to well-wishers who have lined the streets after King Charles III's coronation.

Read more and watch here:

Watch live: William and Kate meet royal fans on walkabout in Windsor after coronation

Prince and Princess of Wales surprise coronation concert-goers to greet them in Windsor

13:56 , Tara Cobham

The Prince and Princess of Wales have made a surprise appearance to greet coronation concert-goers on The Long Walk in Windsor on Sunday.

Prince William and Princess Kate are chatting to well-wishers who have lined the streets after King Charles III's coronation.

The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised fans in Windsor with a walkabout as the King and Queen thanked well-wishers for their support.

William and Kate made the unannounced appearance ahead of Sunday’s star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle and were seen shaking hands and chatting to revellers.

Scores of people crowded around the couple, with William crouching down to chat to a boy and girl wearing golden crowns.

The prince and princess looked relaxed, with William telling one group of well-wishers: “Enjoy the concert tonight.”

Rishi Sunak arrives at lunch in Downing Street to celebrate coronation

13:53 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has arrived at a lunch in Downing Street to celebrate the King’s coronation.

Alongside his wife Akshata Murty and daughters Anoushka and Krishna, he walked out of the famous Number 10 door saying: “Hello, how are you?”

He then began mingling with the invited guests.

His two daughters and his wife Akshata Murty are also hosting the event.

Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attending Coronation Big Lunch in Cranleigh, Surrey

13:50 , Tara Cobham

Prince of Wales to give speech at coronation concert

13:49 , Tara Cobham

The Prince of Wales will take to the stage and give a speech at the coronation concert, Kensington Palace has said.

The Palace also tweeted footage of William walking up to a microphone during behind-the-scenes preparations.

A voice can be heard saying: “OK, Prince of Wales. It’s time for your rehearsal” before William strides out towards the microphone.

Guests arrive at Downing Street for coronation lunch with Prime Minister

13:27 , Tara Cobham

Guests have begun arriving in Downing Street for a lunch with the Prime Minister and his wife to mark the King’s coronation.

There was a hum of excited chatter as those invited – including volunteers, Ukrainian refugees and youth group members – sipped fruit drinks and took photos in front of the famous Number 10 door as they awaited the arrival of Rishi Sunak.

The street was bedecked in Union flag bunting and music was being played by the RAF Northolt brass quintet.

Mr Sunak and Akshata Murty are hosting the event as part of the Big Lunch celebrations taking place across the country over the coronation weekend.

King and Queen “deeply touched” by nation’s celebration of coronation

13:20 , Tara Cobham

The King and Queen were “deeply touched” by the nation’s celebration of their historic coronation, Buckingham Palace has said.

A Palace spokesman said: “Their Majesties were deeply touched by the events of yesterday and profoundly grateful both to all those who helped to make it such a glorious occasion – and to the very many who turned out to show their support in such numbers in London and further afield.”

In pictures: Coronation celebrations on day after ceremony

13:17 , Tara Cobham

Anti-monarchy group head labels arrests ‘direct attack on our democracy’

12:59 , Tara Cobham

The head of an anti-monarchy group arrested ahead of a planned protest on coronation day has labelled the detention of him and others as a "direct attack on our democracy".

Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, was released by the Metropolitan Police at around 11pm on Saturday after being detained in the morning before the King's procession to Westminster Abbey.

In a statement, he said: "Yesterday, as we prepared for a peaceful and lawful protest, a number of Republic's team were arrested and detained for the rest of the day.

"These arrests are a direct attack on our democracy and the fundamental rights of every person in the country. Each and every police officer involved on the ground should hang their heads in shame. They showed no judgement, no common sense and no basic decency. This was a heavy handed action which had the appearance of a pre-determined arrest that would have occurred regardless of the evidence or our actions.

"The right to protest peacefully in the UK no longer exists. Instead we have a freedom to protest that is contingent on political decisions made by ministers and senior police officers.

"The right to dissent and protest is one of the most profound and important rights in a democracy. Many people will disagree with what we were protesting about, but that right to protest must be protected. Anyone may find themselves wanting to protest against a government policy, a grave injustice or in solidarity with victims of a visiting world leader. Such protests must always be freely conducted as a matter of right, not on the basis of permission from the state."

What time do the pubs close today?

12:54 , Tara Cobham

Keen to raise a late-night toast to celebrate the coronation, or just because you’re enjoying the bank holiday weekend? Depending on what part of the UK you are in, you may well be in luck.

Pubs in England and Wales will be able to continue serving customers for two hours beyond their usual closing time, with the extended licensing hours applying from 11pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There won’t be extended licensing hours on the bank holiday Monday (8 May) but you can expect events and activities happening across England and Wales to celebrate the weekend.

Ellie Muir reports.

What time do the pubs close today?

Is there a bank holiday tomorrow for the coronation?

12:51 , Tara Cobham

Is there a bank holiday tomorrow for King Charles’ coronation?

Queen’s coronation bouquet laid in Westminster Abbey

12:38 , Tara Cobham

The Queen’s coronation bouquet has been laid at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, Buckingham Palace has said.

The flowers were placed on the grave at Westminster Abbey at Camilla’s request following Saturday’s coronation service at the church.

A tweet from the King and Queen’s official twitter account – @RoyalFamily – shows a delicate bouquet of yellow, white and pink flowers sitting on the tomb.

It is a simple-tied bunch of English spring flowers including auriculas and lily of the valley – both of which featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet in 2005 – along with hellebores, which the King wore in his buttonhole during the couple’s wedding 18 years ago and are a particular favourite of his.

Weather set to warm up for Coronation Big Lunches

12:31 , Tara Cobham

Sunday looks set to be the hottest day of the year so far as coronation celebrations continue with Big Lunches across the country.

Highs of 23C are forecast for the East Midlands and down to London, beating the previous high for this year of 21.2C on April 17.

Some showers are predicted across eastern England and Scotland, but the vast majority of the country can expect sunny spells throughout the day, the Met Office said.

The warmest temperatures are expected in the late afternoon, when many Britons will be out enjoying their Coronation Big Lunches.

It will be welcome news for many royal fans who spent Saturday standing in the heavy rain in central London to catch a glimpse of the coronation procession.

However, many said even the wet weather could not dampen their spirits.

Natalie Mahone, 32, camped overnight on The Mall with her mother and said she would be out to see the coronation “come rain or shine”.

“Come rain or shine we have come to see the coronation and King Charles,” she said. “Everyone I’ve spoken to has said ‘If it rains we’ll get wet, we’ll dry out’ – the weather is not going to put a lot of people off.”

Royal fans arrive in Windsor hours before coronation concert starts

12:26 , Tara Cobham

Royal fans have started arriving in Windsor hours before the coronation concert at 8pm.

People draped with Union flags and dressed in Union flag dresses have been flooding off trains at the station.

Garry and Donna Howarth travelled down from Bolton after winning tickets to the event.

Mr Howarth, dressed in a Union flag blazer, said: “We are here just for the concert. We have come down for the weekend.

“We are about 10 hours early but we will have a look around and see what we can.”

Mrs Howarth said: “I’m so excited to be here.”

The pair are keen to see opera singers perform at the concert and decided to avoid the coronation on Saturday because of the rain.

The adorable prince who reinvented the royal wave... how Louis stole the show again

12:23 , Tara Cobham

Prince Louis may only be five years old, but he’s already perfected the art of an iconic balcony moment.

The young prince, who hit the headlines last year when he kept the crowd entertained at his great-grandmother’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, once again stole the show with an adorable double handed wave when he appeared on the Palace balcony after his grandfather’s crowning moment.

Eleanor Noyce and Emily Atkinson report.

The adorable prince who reinvented the royal wave

Coronation celebrations in pictures

12:13 , Tara Cobham

Across the country, coronation celebrations continue, with many taking part in Big Lunches.

Penny Mordaunt speaks out after viral moment at King’s coronation

12:05 , Tara Cobham

Penny Mordaunt has addressed her starring moment at the coronation of King Charles III.

The politician, 50, who is the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council, was, for many people, the surprise star of King Charles III’s coronation with her fierce teal outfit and robust sword-bearing skills.

Mordaunt has now addressed her viral moment at the coronation on Twitter, writing: “Honoured to be part of the coronation with thousands of others who played their part.

“I’m very aware that our armed forces, police officers and others have been marching or standing for hours as part of the ceremony or to keep us all safe. In comparison, my job was rather easier.

“Huge and heartfelt thanks to all who made this so remarkable. I’m so proud of you all and the King and Queen today.”

Ellie Muir reports.

Penny Mordaunt speaks out after viral coronation moment

Buckingham Palace Mall littered with soggy tents and union jacks in coronation aftermath

11:56 , Tara Cobham

Buckingham Palace Mall could be seen littered with rubbish including tents and flags in the aftermath of King Charles III’s coronation.

Some royalists had been out there for as long as a week, and had left their soggy belongings behind after a day of bad weather.

ITV’s Chris Ship, who filmed the clip, described the scene as ‘an abandoned campsite after a wet weekend at Glastonbury’.

Today’s coronation celebrations (7 May), will take place at Windsor Castle, with the coronation concert happening this evening.

Watch here:

Buckingham Palace Mall littered with soggy tents and union jacks in coronation aftermath

Royal fans spot Queen Camilla had names discreetly embroidered on coronation dress

11:42 , Tara Cobham

Queen Camilla had the names of her children and grandchildren discreetly embroidered onto the bottom of her coronation dress, alongside a tribute to her rescue dogs.

The 75-year-old wore an elegant Bruce Oldfield couture gown to the coronation ceremony on Saturday.

Eagle-eyed royal fans spotted the dress appeared to feature the names of her two children, Tom and Laura, along with those of her grandchildren, Gus, Freddy, Louis, Eliza and Lola. They also noticed two puppies embroidered onto the grown, thought to represent Charles and Camilla's Jack Russell Terrier rescue dogs, Beth and Bluebell.

Peak TV audience of over 20 million watched coronation

11:28 , Tara Cobham

The King’s coronation service at Westminster Abbey was watched by more than 18 million viewers in the UK, provisional figures have shown.

The lavish ceremony on Saturday which saw Charles and Camilla crowned was broadcast simultaneously on a range of channels between about 11am and 1pm, including BBC One and Two, ITV and Sky News.

An average of 18.8 million people watched across 11 channels and services, with audience figures peaking at 20.4 million when the King was crowned just after midday, according to overnight ratings released by the research organisation Barb.

The bad weather in much of the UK could have boosted the viewing figures for the coronation by forcing people to stay indoors.

Although the figure is not quite as high as the ratings for the funeral service of the late Queen last September which was seen by 26.5 million people across more than 50 TV channels.

Follow The Independent’s live coverage of the coronation concert here

11:12 , Tara Cobham

A day after King Charles III’s coronation, much of the UK is turning its attention to Windsor Castle, where an extravagent concert is being held in the new monarch’s honour.

The line-up of performers for the event includes Take That, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry.

Festivities begin at 8pm. Those not in attendance who wish to do so will be able to watch the concert live on the BBC.

The concert will be staged on the East Lawn of the castle’s grounds, marking the first time an event like this has taken place on the property.

As well as the acts mentioned above, the night also sees acts such as Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and classical-soul composer Alexis Ffrench perform.

Follow The Independent’s live coverage of the coronation concert here.

Coronation concert – live: Katy Perry and Take That prepare to perform as Zoe Ball drops out at last minute

Lionel Richie reveals inside joke with King Charles III about getting plastic surgery

11:09 , Tara Cobham

Lionel Richie has revealed he has a joke with King Charles III about getting a ‘Hollywood’-style makeover to remain youthful.

The pair are 73 and 74-years-old respectively, and became friends after Richie did some work with the Prince’s Trust.

“We have a little joke between us”, the singer began.

“He says, ‘How do you look the way I look and I look the way I look?’, I said, ‘You come to Hollywood and I can help you’.”

Richie is performing at tonight’s coronation concert (7 May).

Watch here:

Lionel Richie reveals inside joke with King Charles III about getting plastic surgery

How Penny Mordaunt became the surprise star of the coronation

10:47 , Tara Cobham

Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council, was the surprise star of King Charles III’s coronation with her fierce outfit and stoney-faced sword-bearing.

Mordaunt on Saturday 6 May became the first woman to carry the sword of state – a symbol of the new king’s authority – during the procession at Westminster Abbey.

Her part in the ceremony included carrying the heavy sword for a full 51 minutes, which weighs eight pounds (3.6kg), before exchanging it for the jewelled sword of offering and presenting that to Charles. Mordaunt kept a serious face and did not break a sweat while she was watched by thousands of people.

As part of an ancient custom, Mordaunt then “bought back” the glittering sword – part of the new King’s regalia or collection of objects which symbolise his responsibilities as monarch – from the Archbishop of Canterbury in exchange for 100 newly-minted 50p pieces bearing an effigy of Charles.

Her appearance at the crowning ceremony impressed royal fans on Twitter, with one person wondering: “Who had ‘Penny Mordaunt overshadowing everything’ on their bingo card?”

Read more here:

How Penny Mordaunt became the surprise star of King Charles’ coronation

Everything you need to know about coronation concert

10:42 , Tara Cobham

King Charles III’s coronation is well and truly upon us, with a Bank Holiday weekend full of celebrations in full swing.

The official coronation took place yesterday, on Saturday 6 May, with a coronation concert taking place this evening (Sunday 7 May).

Staged at Windsor Castle and broadcast across the BBC, the concert will feature performances from Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

Last summer, a royal concert was staged at Buckingham Palace for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, titled the Party at the Palace concert. Rod Stewart, Diana Ross and Queen were among those to perform.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Coronation Concert: Everything you need to know about King Charles’s musical celebration

Zoe Ball ‘absolutely gutted’ as sickness forces her to pull out of coronation concert

10:34 , Tara Cobham

Zoe Ball has said she is “absolutely gutted” as she has been forced to pull out of King Charles III's coronation concert due to sickness.

The BBC Radio 2 presenter announced on social media on Sunday morning that she is “heading back to bed” instead of covering the concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday evening.

The 52-year-old tweeted: “Absolutely gutted… the sickness bug has got me. Was meant to be heading to Windsor Castle for the coronation concert on BBC Radio 2 later.”

She added Dermot O'Leary and Scott Mills would be covering for her as she recovers from her illness.

Culture Secretary denies police went too far in policing the coronation

10:27 , Tara Cobham

The Culture Secretary has denied that police went too far in policing the coronation, saying they got the “balance right” and she has “huge confidence” in them.

Lucy Frazer also said police should take into account the context of events in determining their response.

She told Sky News: “What they have to do is balance the right to protest, which is important in a democracy. At the same time there’s the right of all those other people to enjoy what was a fabulous day. I think, overall, they managed to get that balance right.”

Asked whether she trusted the police to use new laws to prevent disruptive protests, she said: “Yes, I do trust them to use those new powers. I have huge confidence in the police.

“I think it’s absolutely right that they have the powers that they need in order to ensure that people can go to go on their day-to-day lives at the same time as respecting people’s rights to protest.”

She added: “I think it is really important that they take into account the context of the event because this was an event that would have raised questions about national security. This was an event on the world stage.”

Prince Harry shuns British brands to wear Dior to coronation

10:10 , Shweta Sharma

The Duke of Sussex eschewed British fashion brands to wear a suit by French label Dior to his father’s coronation, fuelling speculation he may be about to sign an endorsement deal with the company.

Prince Harry was photographed in a suit with a waistcoat for the ceremony, at which he sat in the third row.

Harry, who left swiftly after the coronation to catch a flight from Heathrow, wore his dark morning suit and tie with his Afghanistan and Jubilee medals pinned to his suit jacket.

He also wore a Royal Victorian Order star and neck decoration.

Luxury fashion house Dior tweeted that it had dressed the duke in a custom design by celebrity favourite British-born Kim Jones, saying to do so was an “honour”.

The brand has often been a go-to choice for Harry’s wife, Meghan, who wore a Dior outfit to the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations last summer.

Council ‘deeply concerned’ by reports women’s safety volunteers arrested at coronation

09:48 , Tara Cobham

A council has said it is “deeply concerned” by reports that volunteers who work on women’s safety were arrested in the early hours of coronation day.

The Metropolitan Police said that at around 2am on Saturday three people were stopped by officers and arrested in the Soho area of central London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance.

Among items seized were a number of rape alarms, the force said. Those arrested were reportedly volunteers with Westminster Council’s nightlife safety team.

The Met said it “received intelligence that indicated groups and individuals seeking to disrupt today’s coronation proceedings were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession”.

The three people – a 37-year-old woman, a 59-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man – were taken to a south London police station, where they were questioned.

The 47-year-old man was also further arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, police said.

All three have since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

King complained about ‘boring’ wait outside Westminster Abbey, claims lip reader

19:12 , Liam James

The King grumbled “we can never be on time” and “there’s always something” following a hiccup at the start of his coronation, a lip reader has claimed.

Charles and Camilla arrived at Westminster Abbey early, while the Prince and Princess of Wales - accompanied by Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were late, missing their scheduled arrival time.

It meant the King and Queen were forced to wait outside, sat in their Diamond Jubilee State Coach, for some time for William and Kate to get there before Charles and Camilla could make their grand entrance.

A lip reader for Sky News said the King complained that it was a “negative”, allegedly remarking: “This is boring.”

“We can never be on time. Yes I’m ... This is a negative. There’s always something ... This is boring,” Sky News reported that the frustrated-looking monarch said.