Coronation news – live: William and Kate spotted in Soho pub as police prepare for King Charles’ ceremony
The Prince and Princess of Wales went for a visit to The Dog and Duck pub in Soho after hopping on the Elizabeth line from Acton to Tottenham Court Road on Thursday afternoon (4 May).
Prince William and Kate Middleton were greeted by crowds who cheered for them outside the pub, as they carried out the engagement ahead of the coronation.
It comes as police have said they will not stop anti-monarchy protests during the big day on Saturday 6 May unless the demonstrators cause “serious disruption” or break the law.
Meanwhile, many royal fans who want to watch the grand procession after the coronation ceremony in person may have to prepare for wet weather, as the Met Office has predicted rain and thunder in parts of the UK. London could see the warmest coronation in history, with highs of 19C in south London predicted.
On Wednesday morning (3 April), the monarch was spotted leaving Westminster Abbey after attending rehearsals, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children.
Prince George, nine, will be a Page of Honour to the King at Saturday’s ceremony, alongside Queen Consort’s three grandsons. One of her grandsons, Gus Lopes, was spotted wearing a sling on his right arm during the rehearsals yesterday and reportedly broke his arm during a biking accident while on holiday.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton visit pub in Soho ahead of coronation
Coronation flypast could be scaled back or cancelled in bad weather
Thursday 4 May 2023 15:48 , Ellie Muir
A flypast to celebrate the coronation could be scaled back and even cancelled in poor weather, the Ministry of Dance (MoD) said.
Forecasters expect conditions in London to be cloudy and wet on Saturday, which could hamper the ability of pilots to fly safely.
More than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force - including the Red Arrows - are scheduled to fly over The Mall and Buckingham Palace at around 2.15pm.
Asked about the potential for the flypast to be disrupted by the weather, an MoD spokesman told the PA news agency: "There are certain weather limits in terms of cloud base and visibility for a flypast involving a large number of aircraft which will need to be met.
"The latest weather information will be obtained from both the Met Office and from our helicopters performing weather checks in advance of the main flypast on Saturday.
"If suitable, the flypast will continue as planned. If not, then there are options available to reduce the number of aircraft, with cancellation being the last resort.
"Clearly there are many things the MoD does control, but the weather is not one of them.
"Safety will always be our primary concern."
Full story:
Coronation flypast could be scaled back or cancelled in bad weather, according to MOD
What will Queen Consort Camilla wear to the coronation?
05:00 , Kate Ng
It is understood that the King will opt for a more modern choice of clothing for the ceremony. Instead of the traditional silk stockings and breeches worn in coronations past, it has been reported that the monarch will be crowned in his military uniform.
Therefore, it is expected that Camilla’s coronation dress will also be more modern compared to previous versions, which tend to include ornate designs and lavish materials.
Read more:
What will Queen Consort Camilla wear to the coronation?
Inside Operation Golden Orb: UK security plan for King’s coronation has been years in the making
03:30 , Kate Ng
The King’s coronation will be a “complex”, multi-pronged operation for police, who are working to stem potential terror threats, disruptive protests and criminal opportunists in dense crowds.
Thousands of officers are being drawn from across the UK for the occasion, which comes months after a huge operation to protect the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Independent understands that authorities are bracing for significant potential disruption from protests, while monitoring jihadists, neo-Nazis and other extremists who revile the royal family as a symbol of the British state.
Lizzie Dearden reports:
Inside Operation Golden Orb: The security forces plan for King’s coronation
The fascinating history behind the chair King Charles will sit on at his coronation
02:00 , Kate Ng
On 6 May, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned at Westminster Abbey as the world watches.
The monarch ascended the throne following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, last September. His coronation takes place more than 70 years after Elizabeth was crowned on 2 June 1953.
During the crowning and anointing parts of the ceremony, which are said to be the most sacred parts, King Charles will sit upon the 700-year-old Coronation Chair.
Find out more:
The fascinating history behind the chair King Charles will sit on at his coronation
King Charles III coronation: What happens in sacred anointing ceremony?
01:00 , Kate Ng
The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla is less than a week away, taking place on Saturday 6 May.
As we approach the big day, Buckingham Palace has been revealing more details about the events that will unfold as Britain crowns a new monarch for the first time in more than 70 years.
Here’s everything you need to know about the anointing ceremony:
What will happen during King Charles’ anointing in coronation ceremony?
Hugo Burnand: Meet the man tasked with making history happen during the coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 23:00 , Kate Ng
The former Tatler photographer is the only portrait photographer in the UK to have a royal warrant.
Charlotte Cripps takes a look at his ‘relaxed but regal’ portraits of Charles and Camilla, collaborations with Kate Middleton on her wedding photos, and his favourite shot:
Hugo Burnand: The man crowned as official coronation photographer
Sculpture for King’s coronation will show how he has become more ‘sophisticated’
Thursday 4 May 2023 21:00 , Kate Ng
A new sculpture of the King marking his coronation will show how he has become “more sophisticated” and “dignified” in the last decade, its creator has said.
Leeds-born artist Frances Segelman, who has also created busts of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, said the depiction also showed a look of concern upon his face as he deals with “the weight of the world on his shoulders”.
Sculpture for King’s coronation will show how he has become more ‘sophisticated’
Complete guide to all the glittering regalia being used at the coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 20:00 , Kate Ng
Here is all the coronation regalia being used at the crowning of the King and Queen Consort.
The sacred, priceless objects are part of the Crown Jewels – the nation’s most precious treasures – which are held in trust by the King for the country and kept under armed guard in the Tower of London.
Complete guide to all the glittering regalia being used at the coronation
Prince William jokes he’s ‘not too bad at drinking pints’ rather than pulling them
Thursday 4 May 2023 19:00 , Kate Ng
The Prince of Wales tried his hand at pulling a pint during his and Kate Middleton’s visit to the Dog and Duck Pub in Soho today, but joked he may be better at drinking them instead.
Prince William poured a pint of Kingmaker, a pale ale brewed to celebrate the coronation. He was accompanied by pub managers Chris Watts and Maria Sojkova.
While waitress Bernie Kidson described the pint as “perfect”, William appeared to disagree as he replied sarcastically: “Oh, really?”
The royal joked: “I’m not too bad at drinking pints.”
After the visit, Watts said William was “enjoying his drink” and did not want to leave the pub.
“He was saying he likes to go to the pub - he said he goes out into the sticks where it’s a bit quieter and enjoys watching football, chatting to people and talking,” he said.
“I don’t think he could do that here - it’d be quite busy.”
Big Ben, Tower Bridge and more landmarks to light up for coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 18:00 , Kate Ng
Four London landmarks have been announced as additions to the list of buildings which will light up across the nation to mark the King’s coronation.
Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Guildhall and Mansion House will be illuminated in red, white and blue to mark the crowning of the King and the Queen Consort this weekend.
The colourful displays will take place on Saturday evening after the coronation ceremony, from 8pm until midnight, and during the same period on Sunday to coincide with the BBC’s Lighting Up The Nation event.
Big Ben was earlier announced as another London landmark which will be illuminated by a series of projections of national flowers of all four home nations - a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, from Thursday evening.
The words of the national anthem, God Save The King, will also appear on the tower before the projection culminates with the coronation emblem, designed by Sir Jony Ive, a British product designer and chancellor of the Royal College of Art.
Guildhall, Mansion House, Tower Bridge and the Central Criminal Court will also fly the Union Flag over the coronation weekend.
Lord Mayor of the City of London, Nicholas Lyons, whose official residence is Mansion House, said: “The coronation is a day of national celebration and marks the beginning of a new era for the country and the Commonwealth.
“It’s only right that we should honour this momentous occasion by lighting up some of the UK’s best-known landmarks.”
Chris Hayward, policy chairman of the City of London Corporation, which has its headquarters at Guildhall, said: “The first coronation of a new monarch in 70 years will be a truly momentous event for our country.
“Bathing the city’s iconic landmarks in red, white and blue is a highly visible way of celebrating the crowning of our new King and demonstrating the city’s long-standing support for, and loyalty to the monarchy.”
PA
Naomi Campbell wishes King Charles ‘a great reign and all the success’ ahead of coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 17:00 , Kate Ng
Naomi Campbell has shared words of encouragement for King Charles III as he prepares for his coronation on Saturday 6 May.
The supermodel, 52, first met the monarch when he was the Prince of Wales at Donatella Versace’s 2001 charity fashion gala.
Read more:
Naomi Campbell wishes King Charles ‘a great reign and all the success’
Angela Hartnett: Mutton curry should be the new coronation chicken
Thursday 4 May 2023 16:30 , Kate Ng
Mutton curry encapsulates the King’s attitude towards sustainability and the melting pot of cultures across the Commonwealth, the chef tells Prudence Wade.
Read what the Michelin-starred chef has to say about the curry:
Angela Hartnett: Mutton curry should be the new coronation chicken
WATCH: Royal superfans camp out for King Charles’s coronation on the Mall
Thursday 4 May 2023 16:00 , Kate Ng
How did a rare US Senate book bearing King Charles’ name land in a used bookshop?
Thursday 4 May 2023 15:30 , Kate Ng
A leather-bound copy of a US Senate rules book, one of 450 printed for the nation’s 91st Congress in 1969, was discovered on sale for a mere $9.39. The name stamped in gilt letters on its front could offer a unique view into King Charles III’s relationship with America.
Io Dodds reports:
How did a rare US Senate book bearing King Charles’ name land in a used bookshop?
Coronation pie recipe: Discover Mary Berry’s chosen dish by Adam Handling
Thursday 4 May 2023 15:02 , Kate Ng
Adam Handling’s chicken pie has been crowned the winner of a coronation dish competition on The One Show.
The BBC programme teamed up with The Big Coronation Lunch to find a recipe perfect for street parties and celebrations across the country this Saturday.
Find out how to make it:
Discover Mary Berry’s chosen coronation pie recipe
King Charles is ‘relaxed’ as coronation draws closer, Dean says
Thursday 4 May 2023 14:38 , Kate Ng
The King’s coronation will be “jaw-dropping” but the monarch remains “relaxed and very gracious” despite the “huge burden” ahead of him, the Dean of Westminster has said.
The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle said rehearsals for the big day have gone well and King Charles III was not at all anxious about the momentous occasion.
Replica crowns have been used for the dry runs, and the children, which includes Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, attending were “watching with huge interest”, the dean revealed.
The dean, speaking at Westminster Abbey ahead of the May 6 ceremony, told Sky News: “The King was relaxed and very gracious.
“He took time to thank all the people around him who are making this happen.
“So whilst he has a huge burden on him, there’s a lot for him to do, he doesn’t give the sense of being a man who’s really anxious about this, not at all.”
The dean, who will take part in the ceremony conducted by the Archbishop Canterbury, said: “I’m the Dean of Westminster. I’m used to ceremony on a national level. Even I think this is pretty jaw-dropping.”
PA
IN PICTURES: Prince William and Kate Middleton visit pub in Soho ahead of coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 13:36 , Kate Ng
The Prince and Princess of Wales have paid a visit to a pub in Soho this afternoon, after taking a ride on the Elizabeth line.
The couple went to the Dog and Duck Pub for a pint in London’s West End, to the delight of a crowd of fans who cheered when they appeared.
They travelled from Acton to Tottenham Court Road on the Elizabeth line for the visit and spoke to passengers during the journey.
Royal photographer explains what to expect from King Charles’ coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 13:30 , Kate Ng
A royal photographer has revealed what the British public can expect to see as the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla unfolds on Saturday 6 May.
Tim Rooke, who has photographed the royal family for Shutterstock for the past 30 years, tells The Independent that he believes the coronation will have “all the pomp and significance you’d expect of a royal event” despite being significantly smaller than the 1953 coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Read what he has to say:
Royal photographer explains what we can expect from King Charles’ coronation
King Charles’s dating history – from Camilla Parker Bowles to Princess Diana’s sister
Thursday 4 May 2023 13:00 , Kate Ng
Read up on the new King’s dating history:
The women King Charles dated before marrying Diana
Joan Collins shares King Charles’s skill that impressed her
Thursday 4 May 2023 12:30 , Kate Ng
Joan Collins has praised King Charles III for his skills on the dancefloor in a tribute to the monarch ahead of his coronation.
The Dynasty star recalled a fond memory about meeting the King for the first time in the Eighties, when he was the Prince of Wales and, at the time, married to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Read more:
Joan Collins shares King Charles’s skill that impressed her
Queen Camilla’s grandson who will be Page of Honour at coronation has ‘broken arm’
Thursday 4 May 2023 12:06 , Ellie Muir
Queen Camilla’s grandson, who is set to be one of the Pages of Honour at the coronation, has been injured ahead of the royal event.
The 13-year-old, named Gus Lopes, has reportedly broken his arm in a bike accident.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Richard Eden cites an unnamed family friend as revealing that “Gus broke his arm in a bike accident while on holiday.”
While the cast has reportedly now been removed, “he must have it in a sling on the big day”.
Gus is the son of Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes, who has children Eliza, 15, and 13-year-old twins, Louis and Gus.
Model Munroe Bergdorf criticises ‘obscene display’ of wealth ahead of coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 12:00 , Kate Ng
Munroe Bergdorf has criticised what she has deemed the “sickening” timing of the King’s coronation this weekend, amid the cost of living crisis in the UK.
Bergdorf, a model, activist and contributing editor at British Vogue, posted a statement to Instagram on Wednesday (3 May), just two days before the King’s coronation, to express her distaste for the “opulence” of the event amid economic turmoil.
Ellie Muir reports:
Model Munroe Bergdorf criticises ‘obscene display’ of wealth ahead of coronation
What makes Queen Camilla tick, from crafty ciggies to the Archers?
Thursday 4 May 2023 11:30 , Kate Ng
When she is crowned alongside Charles this weekend, the former Duchess of Cornwall will begin a vital role in shaping the modern monarchy.
Lucy Pavia gets the inside track on our new queen:
What makes Queen Camilla tick, from crafty ciggies to the Archers?
Lord Great Chamberlain ‘nervous’ about role in coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 11:00 , Kate Ng
The Lord Great Chamberlain said he is “rather nervous” about presenting King Charles with part of the Coronation Regalia.
Speaking on Times Radio, Lord Carrington admitted his trepidation about Saturday’s coronation ceremony.
He added: “I am part of the procession which goes into Westminster and I will be leading part of the procession that includes the King and the Queen.
“I will be presenting him with part of the Royal Regalia - specifically the Golden Spurs which date back to the time of Richard I.
“They, as I understand it, signify knighthood, chivalry, bravery, etcetera.
“And then I will be disappearing, then standing behind the King and receiving another part of the Royal Regalia - I think it’s the glove - and then hopefully I will be sitting down and enjoying the service.”
PA
WATCH: Rain expected to fall on King's coronation parade with showers forecast on Saturday
Thursday 4 May 2023 10:36 , Kate Ng
Naomi Campbell wishes King Charles ‘a great reign and all the success’ ahead of coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 10:00 , Ellie Muir
Naomi Campbell has shared words of encouragement for King Charles III as he prepares for his coronation on Saturday 6 May.
The supermodel, 52, first met the monarch when he was the Prince of Wales at Donatella Versace’s 2001 charity fashion gala.
She recalled meeting him several times since then, but her “highlight” was when they attended a reception at the Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Lagos in 2018.
Full story:
Naomi Campbell wishes King Charles ‘a great reign and all the success’
Joan Collins shares King Charles’s skill that impressed her
Thursday 4 May 2023 09:17 , Ellie Muir
Joan Collins has praised King Charles III for his skills on the dancefloor in a tribute to the monarch ahead of his coronation.
The Dynasty star recalled a fond memory about meeting the King for the first time in the Eighties, when he was the Prince of Wales and, at the time, married to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
She met him at a charity ball held by Armand Hammer in Palm Beach, Miami, where they “had a little dance together” that Collins described as “very nice”.
Full story:
Camilla to wear Queen Elizabeth II’s crimson coronation robe for ceremony
Thursday 4 May 2023 06:00 , Ellie Muir
Camilla will wear the coronation robes made for Queen Elizabeth II when she is crowned Queen Consort next Saturday 6 May.
Buckingham Palace has released new photographs and details about the coronation robes the King and Queen Consort will wear at the ceremony next weekend.
In keeping with tradition, Charles and Camilla will wear two different robes each – crimson Robes of State on arrival and purple Robes of Estate as they leave at the end of the service.
Full story:
Camilla to wear Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robe for crowning ceremony
Thomas Markle says he refuses to be ‘buried’ by Meghan as he gives ‘final interview’
Thursday 4 May 2023 05:20 , Ellie Muir
Thomas Markle Sr has said he will not allow his daughter, Meghan Markle, to “bury” him while he is still alive.
The Duchess of Sussex’s father, 78, claimed in the Australian news programme 7News Spotlight that his daughter had not called him in four years. He has said that his appearance on the programme would be his “final ever” interview.
Full story:
Thomas Markle says he refuses to be ‘buried’ by daughter Meghan in ‘final interview’
Prince Harry’s waxwork at Madam Tussauds reunited with royal family for coronation
Thursday 4 May 2023 04:20 , Ellie Muir
A wax figure of the Duke of Sussex has been reunited with the rest of the royal family figurines at Madame Tussauds London as Harry returns to the UK for the coronation.
The 38-year-old announced, along with the palace, in April that he would be attending the crowning of his father, the King, and his stepmother, the Queen Consort, at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (6 May).
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, has decided to remain at home in Los Angeles to be with the couple’s son Prince Archie on his fourth birthday.
Full story:
Prince Harry’s Madam Tussauds wax figure reunited with royal family for coronation
