An hour-by-hour schedule for King Charles III's historic coronation day

LONDON -

King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to be crowned on Saturday morning in a history-making ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey, one that is respecting ancient traditions while taking steps toward a modern era.

The coronation at the Abbey, the scene of every coronation since 1066, is also expected to be markedly less extravagant than that of Queen Elizabeth II’s in 1953.

“It was agreed in the early stages of planning that it would not be possible to close the Abbey for five months to build the extra seating to allow 8,000 people to attend, as had been the case for the Coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth, due to cost and challenges of installing new seating within this ancient building, and the impact it would have on the Abbey’s regular programme,” King Charles’ coronation organizer Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, said in a statement.

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The hour-by-hour breakdown follows:

6:00 a.m. (1 a.m. EDT): Viewing areas will open along the procession route. The U.K. government has discouraged the public to arrive before then.

7:15 a.m. (2:15 a.m. EDT): Between 7:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., guests invited to the service will begin to arrive at the security checkpoints.

7:30 a.m. (2:30 EDT): Doors at Westminster Abbey open to the general congregation.

9:00 a.m. (4 a.m. EDT): CTV News provides comprehensive live coverage of King Charles III’s ascension to the throne with the CTV National News special The King’s Coronation, airing live from London across CTVNews.ca, CTV, CP24, CTV News Channel, and the CTV and CTV News apps.

9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. EDT): From 9:30 a.m. to 9:55 a.m., heads of state and overseas government representatives arrive.

10:00 a.m. (5:00 a.m. EDT): Procession of faith leaders and ecumenical leaders through the Abbey. Meanwhile, the Sovereign’s Escort, will be in position at Buckingham Palace.

10:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m. EDT): Process of Commonwealth Realms through the Abbey.

10:20 a.m. (5:20 a.m. EDT): The King and Queen will leave Buckingham Palace in a Diamond Jubilee State Coach for their two-kilometre route, passing London landmarks on the way to Westminster Abbey. They will be escorted by the Sovereign’s Escort, which has been their job since 1660.

10:25 a.m. (5:25 a.m. EDT): Foreign royals arrive at the Great West Door of the Abbey.

10:35 a.m. (5:35 a.m. EDT): Members of the Royal Family arrive at the Great West Door of the Abbey.

10:45 a.m. (5:45 a.m. EDT): The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis arrive at the West Gate.

10:50 a.m. (5:50 a.m. EDT): The equerry and pages of honour to the King, and the equerry and pages of honour to the Queen Consort, will arrive at the West Gate, where they will await them.

10:53 a.m. (5:53 a.m. EDT): The carriage carrying the King and Queen Consort is scheduled to arrive at the Abbey. A fanfare will sound as they arrive at the West Gate.

10:54 a.m. (5:54 a.m. EDT): The Abbey’s bells will ring.

• Map interactive: King Charles' royal procession route

11:00 a.m. (6 a.m. EDT): The coronation ceremony will begin, scheduled to run approximately two hours.

THE SERVICE

Rooted in more than 1,000 years of tradition, the coronation ceremony is set within the Christian service of Holy Communion and will follow five elements in the following traditional order: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture and the crowning.

Where the service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury remains a “sacred Anglican service,” as per tradition, what’s changed is that leaders from other faiths will also be represented to “reflect the diversity of modern Britain,” Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the Earl Marshal, added in a statement this week.

Fitzalan-Howard inherited the title -- which has been in the family for 350 years -- from his father. And with it comes the unique responsibility of planning major ceremonial occasions like the coronation.

However, in keeping with the theme of respecting the past while moving forward, the liturgy also includes “new and revised elements and texts that reflect this theme of serving others, as well as recognising and celebrating the vibrant diversity of our nation today,” said a Lambeth Palace spokesperson.

As a result, female Church of England bishops will also be participating actively for the first time.

• Here's how Canada plans to celebrate King Charles III's coronation

Meanwhile, the newly introduced Homage of the People, which replaces the traditional homage of peers, calls on members of the public watching the coronation to swear aloud their allegiance in a “chorus of millions of voices.”

They will be invited to speak the words: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

Described by the Lambeth Palace spokesperson as an opportunity for “those who wish to give voice within the service, and for those at home to have a chance to be an extension of the Abbey congregation.” However the spokesperson stressed that the oath was an invitation rather than an expectation.

“We live in a wonderfully diverse society with many different perspectives and beliefs – which this Coronation celebrates – and therefore it’s quite right that people decide for themselves how they wish to relate to this moment,” the statement read.

The King, who is a known lover of music, has taken a keen interest in the performances and thus 12 new compositions will be heard at the ceremony.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (6 a.m. to 8 a.m. EDT): The two-hour liturgy, shorter than the Queen Elizabeth’s three-hour coronation, will take this format:

♔ The procession of faith leaders, ecumenical leaders, national flags of the Realms, the choir

♔ The procession of the King and the Queen

♔ The greeting from the Archbishop of Canterbury

♔ The recognition, which is the first element of the traditional coronation rite

♔ The presentation of the Bible

♔ The oath

♔ The King’s prayer

♔ The anointing with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem, on the King’s hands, chest and head, using a silver-gilt spoon, the oldest object in use at the coronation

♔ The presentation of the regalia, which includes the golden orb and jewel-encrusted sceptres 

♔ The crowning of the King with St. Edward’s Crown, which is expected around 12:00 p.m. (7 a.m. EDT) at which point a fanfare will sound and the Abbey bells will ring for 2 minutes. This will be accompanied by a gun salute fired at Horse Guards Parade, and at the Tower of London, and at all Saluting Stations throughout the U.K., Gibraltar, Bermuda and ships at sea.

♔ The enthroning

♔ The Homage of the People

♔ The coronation of the Queen, during which she is anointed, and crowned, receives the sceptre and rod, and is enthroned

♔ The national anthem

♔ At the end of the procession, the King will receive greetings from representatives and leaders from different faiths

♔ Then he will greet the Governors-General, before proceeding to the Gold State Coach

THE GUESTS

More than 2,200 invitations have been sent to a cross-section of people from the United Kingdom and abroad. For the first time, approximately 100 heads of state from around the world will attend, along with representatives from the Realms, Commonwealth, the U.K. government, the Lords and the Commons, and others.

Guests who will able to watch the ceremony from inside St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, are members of the Royal Family; dozens of world leaders; members of foreign royal families; families and friends of the King and Queen; representatives from their patronages; Nobel Prize winners and more.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be among the world leaders, along with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and their spouses. Trudeau’s office has also released more details on the delegation travelling with him, including astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

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One of the patronage attendees includes Jay Patel, who completed the Prince’s Trust Canada’s Youth Employment program in May 2022, after moving to Canada from 2021 from a small town in India.

After securing a job as a cook at Toronto’s CN Tower, the 21-year-old Patel is now on his path to becoming a chef, and perhaps even opening his own restaurant one day, he told CTVNews.ca.

He was surprised to receive the invitation to attend the coronation from the Prince’s Trust Canada, but he’s looking forward to a “dream come true,” he said.

“I would like to thank his Majesty the King, thank you for believing in the youth and helping us to pursue our dreams,” he said.

In an attempt to broaden reach beyond dignitaries and high-profile leaders, space has been set aside for youth to observe the service from St. Margaret’s Church. Meanwhile, specially built stands in the Mall and in front of Buckingham Palace have been dedicated to military veterans, National Health Service and charity workers, with a setup that takes into account those with accessibility needs.

1 p.m. (8 a.m. EDT): After the service, the King and Queen will travel from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace in the 4,000-kilogram Gold State Coach.

The coach is so heavy it moves along at a walking pace that will give people lining the route the opportunity to see the King and Queen.

The coronation procession will accompany them on this journey, with thousands of troops on ceremonial duties, that includes 400 troops from the Realms and the Commonwealth in what is expected to be a majestic display of pageantry.

Members of the RCMP musical ride, the special unit of horses and riders, are also part of that contingent; while Canadian Armed Forces will be sending 16 members of the Army, 11 from the Navy, 11 from the Air Force, six from Canadian Special Operations Command and one from the Royal Military College as part of the marching contingent.

1:45 p.m. (8:45 a.m. EDT): The King and Queen will arrive on the West Terrace at Buckingham Palace where they will be saluted by the U.K. and Commonwealth Armed Forces, which will be followed by three cheers from service members.

Then, the King, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family will appear on the front balcony to greet the crowds gathered in The Mall.

2:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. EDT): To conclude the day’s ceremonial events, there will be a six-minute tri-service flypast delivered by the Ministry of Defence, which will take place over Buckingham Palace.

2:36 p.m. (9:36 a.m. EDT): The King and Queen will then retire for private time with members of their family.

Following the balcony appearance, the King, the Queen Consort and members of the royal family will be photographed in the Buckingham Palace Throne Room and the Green Drawing room by British photographer Hugo Burnand.

“This is a proud moment in our national history. During the Coronation, The King will swear before God and the Nation to serve our Country as Head of State, upholding our laws and maintaining justice for all,” the Earl Marshal said.

“But this is also a time to remind ourselves of the pride we have in our great country and our unwritten constitution which has served us so well for over 1,000 years during our long history.”

WEEKEND PLANS

The coronation kicks off the long bank holiday weekend’s festivities.

On Sunday, members of the public are encouraged to hold a Coronation Big Lunch on their streets or in gardens, parks and community spaces to mark the occasion, with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosting his own lunch event at Downing Street.

♔ Members of the Royal Family are also due to take part in their own Big Lunches, with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attending one in Cranleigh

♔ The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Lawrence will attend a street party in Swindon

♔ Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will attend one in Windsor

Details surrounding the Prince and Princess of Wales’ plans for the coronation weekend will be shared later.

8 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT): Then in the evening, a special concert hosted by Hugo Bonneville will be held in Windsor with the Castle as its backdrop, featuring performers such as Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, and Take That.

For the first time, The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera House, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal College of Music and The Royal College of Art will unite for a performance, as well.

The concert will be attended by the King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family, with an audience of 20,000, including 10,000 winners of a public ballot.

The concert is expected to last somewhere between two and three hours, rain or shine, and to be seen in more than 100 countries around the world. Locations across the U.K. will be lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations, according to the coronation website.

Meanwhile, Sunak has proclaimed Monday, May 8 as a special bank holiday.

On that day, members of the public are encouraged to take part in The Big Help Out, in tribute to the King’s public service, to get involved by volunteering in local community projects, with more than 30,000 organizations participating.

The aim of the event is to bring communities together and “create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation weekend.”

According to the latest ICM polling quoted by the Buckingham Palace spokesperson, 6.5 million people have said they are planning to take part in The Big Help Out.