On Saturday 6 May 2023, King Charles III will be crowned in an official ceremony held in Westminster Abbey, one of the most historic religious buildings in London. The venue has held countless coronation ceremonies over the past millennium and is a popular London attraction in its own right.
The ceremony will attract millions of travellers to the capital – expect London’s best restaurants and hotels, particularly the addresses near Buckingham Palace, to be fully booked far in advance.
Well-wishers are also expected to head to the city from across the country to wish the new monarch a glorious reign following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday 8 September 2022.
Whether you’re throwing a garden party, planning to attend a coronation event in London or thinking of watching the momentous event in person after a quintessentially British afternoon tea, this is how and where to watch the King’s coronation in London and across the UK.
Are there big screens in London showing the coronation?
There will be large screens showing the coronation of King Charles III across London, some organised by the UK government along the procession route and others organised as part of broader coronation events.
One location confirmed to be showing the coronation is Grosvenor Square in Mayfair. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, expect the food stalls, an outdoor bar and cinema-sized screens showing coverage of the big day in real-time across the bustling green space.
Elsewhere, screens in St James’s Park and across St James’s Market are televising the official festivities. Keep an eye out for the all-new must-see public art installation created by James Glancy Design which pays homage to the official coronation emblem.
A little further out of the capital’s centre, big screens will show all of the royal action in Boxpark Wembley and Boxpark Croydon – expect the ultimate British sing-a-long as a live band leads the karaoke efforts. Along the banks of the River Thames, the newly-redeveloped Battersea Power Station is hosting its own weekend of celebratory street parties – pop along to enjoy street food, drinks and entertainment alongside the big screening.
Official screens in London include those in Green Park and Hyde Park. There are four in Hyde Park – two on either side of the Serpentine. The exact locations of the screens can be found on the official maps.
Can I attend the coronation ceremony in London?
The general public is not invited to attend the ceremony as it takes place in Westminster Abbey. Instead, this is being attended by over 2,000 recognisable faces such as heads of state, government officials, royal family members and celebrities.
However, the general public is likely to be invited to line up along the procession route to wave flags and offer their best wishes to the King. Details of the exact procession route are still to be determined at the time of writing, but we’re expecting the route to mirror that of Queen Elizabeth II and will update as further details are announced.
How can I watch the coronation on television?
All major broadcasters around the world are expected to cover the coronation of King Charles III in some way, whether that's full-scale coverage with reporters on the ground or through news bulletins over the course of the weekend.
The BBC states: “The ceremony is likely to be broadcast live, as was the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.” So, we expect in-depth coverage to include commentary from broadcasting greats, plus interviews with royal insiders and historians. Hundreds of millions of worldwide viewers are expected.
Otherwise, many British TV channels are yet to announce their coverage plans. We will update this in due course as services including Sky, ITV and Channel 4 announce further details.
Are there big screens showing the coronation in the UK?
The UK government has announced that several temporary screens are being constructed up and down the country, allowing revellers to (hopefully) soak up the spring sunshine and watch history unfold.
While we are awaiting further details on specific locations, and more are expected to be announced, this is where big screens have been announced so far:
North West
- Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester
- Parliament Square, Oldham
North East
- Sunderland (multiple locations across the city TBC)
- Newcastle Upon Tyne (Location TBC)
- Northumberland (Location TBC)
- Darlington Market Square, Darlington
Yorkshire and Humber
- City Hall, Hull
- Trinity Market, Hull
- City Park, Bradford
- Piece Hall, Halifax
- St Peter’s Parish Church, Huddersfield
- Dewsbury Library, Dewsbury
- Millenium Square, Leeds
- Pontefract Castle, Wakefield
- Peace Gardens, Sheffield
- The Glass Works, Barnsley
South West
- Bristol Cathedral, Bristol
- Bristol and Bath Science Park, Bristol
- Lower Gardens, Bournemouth
- Baiter Park, Poole
- The Quomps, Christchurch
- Plymouth (location TBC)
South East
- Jubilee Square, Brighton
- London (location TBC)
Midlands
- Centenary Square, Birmingham
- Broadgate, Coventry
- Himley Hall, Dudley
- Sandwell Valley Showground, Sandwell
- The Core, Solihull
- Derby Cathedral, Derby
- Smithfield, Hanley City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent
- Nottingham (location TBC)
- De Montfort University, Leicester
Wales
- Cardiff Castle, Cardiff
- Scotland
- Edinburgh (location TBC)
Northern Ireland
- Belfast City Hall, Belfast
What is the coronation procession route?
On Saturday 6 May, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are embarking on a short procession through the streets of London. This is being televised worldwide, but millions are expected to line the streets for a real-life glimpse of the monarch.
After setting off from Buckingham Palace, the cars head down the entirety of The Mall before taking a right down Whitehall. Finally, after skimming Westminster Station, the procession ends outside Westminster Abbey, where King Charles III is officially being crowned.
The procession map, which also has details of the nearby public screens, can be found at gov.uk.