The processions! The jewels! The crowds! The quiche! There was no shortage of pomp and speculation leading up to King Charles III’s Coronation. Which celebrity guests would be in attendance at Westminster Abbey? What would Kate Middleton wear? Would Prince Harry make it back to Los Angeles in time for Archie’s birthday? And now we have all the answers—in vivid, photographic posterity. (For the CliffsNotes readers: Katy Perry, a Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen headpiece, and yes—just 16 hours after King Charles’s Coronation).
After years of anticipation and months of preparation, the coronation festivities kicked off on May 06, 2023. Spectators gathered along “The King’s Procession” route as they waited for King Charles and the Queen Consort to make their way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation Service. Couldn’t make it to London? We’ve got you covered with all the best of King Charles’s coronation photographs, all in one place.
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King Charles III Coronation Pictures: Crowds & Parties
Ain’t no party like a royal party! Despite the London rain, tens of thousands of people from around the globe gathered to witness and snap pictures from King Charles III’s Coronation. Only the second coronation to take place in May since since 1601, King Charles III’s Coronation was watched by an average of 18 million viewers in the UK. While those are some big numbers, to put it in perspective: the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II—which was the first to be televised—had 27 million television viewers in the UK and 11 million people listened on the radio.
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King Charles III Coronation Pictures: VIP Guest Arrivals
The royals weren’t the only big names (and fashion moments) to make headlines at the coronation. First Lady Jill Biden and actress Emma Thompson took their seats at Westminster Abbey for the coronation, as did performers Katy Perry and Lionel Richie (both of whom starred in the next evening’s Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle).
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was expected to make a spectacular arrival and she did not disappoint in Alexander McQueen—the British fashion house behind her 2011 wedding gown. The ivory silk design featured embroidery of roses, thistles, daffodils, and shamrocks and matched a similar scaled-down design worn by Princess Charlotte. For her part, Katy Perry stood out in the congregation of 2,000 guests in a lavender Vivienne Westwood ensemble and pastel fascinator to match.
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King Charles III Coronation Pictures: Coronation Ceremony
The first photograph of a coronation was taken in the early 20th century by Sir Benjamin Stone, for the celebration of George V. We’ve come a long way since then! There was certainly no shortage of King Charles III Coronation pictures, least of all from the Coronation Service.
Once anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, King Charles was given the coronation ring, royal robe, orb, scepter, and rod of his position. Next, St. Edward’s Crown (which was made in 1300 for Edward I and used at every coronation since then) was placed on King Charles’ head, before Queen Camilla was crowned.
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King Charles III Coronation Pictures: Balcony & Procession
To make their way to the coronation, no ordinary wheels would do. The King and Queen Consort traveled in style in the Gold State Coach—an enclosed eight-horse-drawn carriage that is used by the Royal Family on state occasions, like coronations, royal weddings, and jubilees. The historic coach has been used at the coronation of every British monarch since George IV, and the tradition carried on at this weekend’s processions, from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, and back.
Following the Coronation Service, King Charles and Queen Camilla returned to Buckingham Palace in the larger 1.42-mile “Coronation Procession.” Once there, The King and Queen were accompanied by members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who greeted the crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
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King Charles III Coronation Pictures: Coronation Concert
Still no ticket was hotter than Sunday night’s Coronation Concert (unless you were trying to see Taylor Swift in Nashville). Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Princess Eugenie, and 20,000 spectators turned out to cheer on King Charles’s Coronation at Windsor Castle. Of course, there were many other headliners. Katy Perry glowed in Vivienne Westwood for a gilded performance of “Firework” and “Roar”, Nicole Scherzinger belted out “Reflections” from Disney’s Mulan, and Lionel Richie brought the classics with “Easy (Like Sunday Morning)” and “All Night Long.” But the real coronation gift was when famed opera star Andrea Bocelli took a special request from the King and Queen to sing “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
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