Coronation Day Guide

Published 06 May 2023 by Buckingham Palace

Overview of the day

The Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, 6th May 2023. Their Majesties will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as ‘The King’s Procession’.

The King and The Queen will be crowned at Westminster Abbey at 11:00am, in the first Coronation Service in almost 70 years.

After the Service, Their Majesties will return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as ‘The Coronation Procession’. Their Majesties will be joined in this procession by other Members of the Royal Family.

Upon returning, The King and The Queen will receive a Royal Salute in the Garden of Buckingham Palace from the Armed Forces taking part in the Processions on the day.

The King and The Queen, accompanied by Members of the Royal Family, will then appear on the Buckingham Palace Balcony for the Flypast and the conclusion of the day’s ceremonial events.

Key Timings

1000hrs Procession of Faith Leaders and Ecumenical Leaders through Westminster Abbey

1015hrs Procession of Commonwealth Realms through Westminster Abbey

1020hrs Their Majesties’ Carriage Procession, known as The King’s Procession, leaves Buckingham Palace

1053hrs Their Majesties’ carriage arrives at the Great West Gate of the Abbey. The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry, stationed in the Abbey, will sound a fanfare as Their Majesties arrive at the West Gate to Westminster Abbey.

1054hrs The Abbey bells are rung

1100hrs The Coronation Service begins

Circa 1300hrs The Coronation Procession departs Westminster Abbey. The Abbey bells will ring.

1430hrs The Flypast will take place over Buckingham Palace.

The Procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey

At 1020hrs, Their Majesties The King and The Queen, escorted by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach for Westminster Abbey. The King’s Guard will turn out in the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace and will give a Royal Salute as The King, The Queen and other Members of the Royal Family depart Buckingham Palace.

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The King’s Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, and proceed down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and south of King Charles I Island, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street. The King’s Procession will travel around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, where the Coronation Service will begin.

The Procession will cover 1.42 miles. Flanking the Procession will be over 1,000 Armed Forces route liners from all three Services and Standard Bearers of the Royal British Legion, Uniformed Civilian Services and Community Organisations. The King’s Life Guard will be turned out on Whitehall at Horse Guards Front Yard and will give a Royal Salute as The King, The Queen and other Members of the Royal Family pass.

Along the processional route, military veterans, NHS workers and others will occupy specially-built viewing stands in Trafalgar Square, the Mall and in front of Buckingham Palace.

Around 3,800 seats have been offered in a specially-built grandstand in front of Buckingham Palace which will host veterans, NHS and social care workers, and representatives of charitable organisations with links to the Royal Family. Additionally, 354 uniformed cadet forces will be offered the opportunity to watch the Procession at Admiralty Arch.

Carriage: Diamond Jubilee State Coach

Their Majesties will travel from Buckingham Palace in The King’s Procession to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Her late Majesty’s reign in 2012, the coach has only ever conveyed the Sovereign, occasionally accompanied by the consort or a visiting Head of State.

The gilded crown on the top of the Diamond Jubilee State Coach was carved from oak from HMS Victory, and the coach’s interior is inlaid with samples of woods, metals and other materials from buildings and places with specific connections to Britain and its history; Royal Residences including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse; cathedrals including St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey; and historic ships, such as the Mary Rose.

The coach is painted black with heraldic and scrolling details in gold. The paint was built up over several layers; egg-white and water, the designs outlined, then painted in ‘size’, a mixture of gold paint and pigment, followed by applying gold leaf which is burnished to produce the lustre.

The frieze around the top of the body features the national emblems of the rose of England, thistle of Scotland, flax of Ireland and leek of Wales. These are carved in Australian beech and gilded.

The door panels are painted with the Royal Coat of Arms, and the quarter panels with the Collar of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry in Britain.

Curving up from the wheels are the traditional springs which form part of the suspension; uniquely among the carriages in the Royal Mews these are combined with six hydraulic stabilisers to prevent the coach body from swaying.

Almost all of the craftsmanship was sourced from within Australia, with the exception of the two door handles, made by a New Zealand jeweller, which are individually decorated with 24 diamonds and 130 sapphires, and the glass in the lamps, made by Edinburgh Crystal.

The Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey

The crowning of the Sovereign is an ancient ceremony, rich in religious significance, history and pageantry. The service is deeply sacred and traditional, while reflecting the Monarch’s role today and looking towards the future.

For the last nine centuries, the Coronation ceremony has taken place at Westminster Abbey, as the Royal church for the Palace of Westminster.

The Service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. By longstanding tradition, the Archbishop of Canterbury authorises a new Liturgy for every Coronation. Commissioned by the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, the new Liturgy for the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen is based on ancient texts and ceremonial elements that draw on many centuries of tradition. The Liturgy is focussed on the theme of loving service to others, which is central to Christian teaching, and to the character of contemporary Monarchy and reflects the commitment that His Majesty will make to serve God and the people, and the decades of public service of The King and The Queen.

The Coronation Liturgy has been produced in close consultation with His Majesty The King, and with His Majesty’s Government in particular on the constitutional elements of the service.

The Liturgy

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