A basic view alongside the Mall towards Buckingham Palace on Thursday in London.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

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Leon Neal/Getty Images

A basic view alongside the Mall towards Buckingham Palace on Thursday in London.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Royal followers and heads of state alike are arriving in London for the primary British coronation in 70 years.

On Saturday, King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, are anticipated to be topped at Westminster Abbey — persevering with a practice that dates again greater than 1,000 years.

Technically, King Charles is already Britain’s head of state, having assumed the function instantly after the loss of life of his mom, Queen Elizabeth II, in September.

But the ceremony is about greater than crowning the brand new monarch. The occasion — which lasts by way of Monday — will likely be stuffed with celebrations, performances and royal customs not seen since 1953 throughout Elizabeth’s coronation.

Here’s a rundown of the weekend’s occasions — that are anticipated to price U.Ok. taxpayers over $125 million — and the way to watch them reside.

Three days of festivities

On Saturday morning, King Charles and Camilla will journey by horse-drawn coach alongside the broad, tree-lined Mall from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey as a part of the King’s Procession.

The coronation service is basically a non secular ceremony carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The anointing, which incorporates putting consecrated oil on the monarch’s palms, chest and head, has by no means been televised, however there was speculation about whether or not that may completely different this time round.

After the service, King Charles and Camilla will return to Buckingham Palace in an excellent bigger ceremonial procession. They will be a part of the royal household on the palace balcony the place the day’s public festivities will finish with a army flyover and royal wave.

On Sunday, a particular coronation concert produced and broadcast reside by the BBC is scheduled at 8 p.m. native time or 3 p.m. ET. Held at Windsor Castle, musical icons from throughout the globe are anticipated to carry out, together with American pop singers Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel.

How to observe the coronation reside

The coronation service on Saturday is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. native time or 6 a.m. ET. The occasion will final about three hours.

NPR.org will likely be streaming particular protection of the occasion beginning at 1 a.m. ET.

The royal household’s Youtube channel can be making ready a livestream of the service. BBC will start broadcasting reside for the coronation beginning at 7:30 a.m. native time or 2:30 a.m. ET on the BBC News channel or on BBC iPlayer, its video-on-demand service.

Other networks may even be broadcasting and streaming reside.

The ceremony will likely be a check for the trendy monarchy

The final British coronation for Elizabeth captivated folks internationally. It is unclear if King Charles and his spouse’s anointing will garner the identical jubilation.

Over the years, the royal household has acquired widespread criticism for offenses each outdated and new: from the treatment of Prince Harry’s spouse, Meghan Markle (who will not be attending the service), to the renewed scrutiny of British colonialism, which can be behind the royal household’s choice to not present the controversial Kohinoor diamond on the coronation.

In some methods, the ceremony is a check to see whether or not the monarch can regulate to the altering instances and interact with a youthful, extra numerous United Kingdom.