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With the passing of the much-loved and respected Queen Elizabeth II - the longest-reigning British monarch in history, her son has ascended the throne as King Charles III. While he is now king, the formal coronation is yet to take place. The date and place of the coronation have been set for Saturday, 6 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London.

Not only is Charles III the king of the United Kingdom - he is also king of 14 other Commonwealth realms (including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, and other small island countries). People will be flocking to London and lining the streets to catch a glimpse of Britain's new king.

A Traditional Coronation For A Modern Time

The coronation will see Charles formally crowned as King Charles III as well as his wife, Camilla, crowned Queen Escort. The coronation is the symbolic high point of his accession (as he is already king and acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022).

  • Acceded The Throne: 8 September 2022
  • Coronation: 6 May 2023
  • Location: Westminster Abbey

While it is expected to be less expensive than previous coronations, visitors will be able to see British pomp and circumstance on full display.

Queen Elizabeth II reigned from 1952 to 2022 an impressive 70-year reign - and was the only British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

The ceremony will be a combination of ancient and modern. It will be "rooted in longstanding traditions" while also "reflecting the monarch's role today and look towards the future." The last coronation ceremony lasted almost 3 hours, but it is believed that this one will be shorter, more diverse, and with a much smaller number of guests.

As is tradition, Charles will be coronated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At his coronation, King Charles will be 74 years old - and will be the oldest British monarch to have been crowned.

It comes as no surprise that the coronation will be held at London's Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey has been the tradition for over 900 years for British (and English) monarchs to be crowned there.

Related: A Full Guide To To The Royal Family Homes (That You Can Tour)

Is It Possible To See The Coronation Of King Charles III?

Unfortunately, normal folk will not be able to attend King Charles III's coronation in Westminster Abbey. Those attending will be a very select group of invitees. While 8,000 people attended Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, it is expected that it will be limited to just 2,000 this time. Leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations leaders and religious diversity are expected to be prioritized.

The event is sure to be live-streamed everywhere in the world.

There will be a procession through London to mark the occasion - the exact details of King Charles III's coronation are yet to be planned and released. For an indication of what to expect with the procession, Queen Elizabeth II's procession passed before around 3 million spectators on the streets of London.

Some of those spectators had camped on their spot overnight so that they could get a view of the new monarch.

Once the route of the procession of King Charles III is known, one can expect the price of the hotels and apartments along the route to skyrocket and to sell out (perhaps immediately). So if one would like to see the procession, one needs to plan ahead or be prepared to camp on the streets for the night before.

Related: Kensington Palace: A Guide To One Of Britain's Most Royal Homes

Celebrations Of King Charles III's Coronation Will Be Around The World

To celebrate King Charles III's coronation, one doesn't need to visit England (or at least London). Expect there to be local celebrations being held all across the many realms over which Charles is king.

There are sure to be celebratory ceremonies held in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and all across the United Kingdom. London will be the heart of where the action is, but it will not be the only event. Those planning to attend the celebrations should learn the royal anthem.

"God save the King!

Send him victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save the King!"

The date for King Charles III's coronation was only just announced, and planning around the Commonwealth is proceeding at pace. Keep up to date to see what the plans are in Canada and other places. As indicative of how much the planning is in the works, as of the time of writing (15th October), it is still not known if the United Kingdom will have a special public holiday/bank holiday will be granted or not.