King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla have arrived at Buckingham Palace for his long-awaited coronation.
King Charles’s coronation will take place eight months after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September at the age of 96.
The royal couple traveled by car from their Clarence House home to Buckingham Palace on Saturday morning ahead of the official start to the coronation festivities.
The royal couple waved to onlookers gathered along The Mall in London as they proceeeds to his central London home where he was welcomed by huge crowds at 9am – 90 minutes before the start of the procession.
On the short journey from Clarence House, the 74-year-old British monarch looked solemn and thoughtful at times, in what is undoubtedly the biggest day of his life.
Fans couldn’t get the glimpse of Queen Camilla on their way to Buckingham Palace, but King Charles was seen wearing a suit with a tie for the car ride, he will change for his crowning ceremony.
Following tradition, the King and Queen, 75, will each wear two different robes during the coronation: the Robes of State and the Robes of Estate.
Robes of State are worn on arrival at Westminster Abbey while the Robes of Estate are worn on departure and are traditionally more personalized.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to depart Buckingham Palace to make their way to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach in a parade known as the King’s Procession.
The carriage, which will be pulled by six Windsor Greys horses, was commissioned to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s 60th anniversary of acceding the throne in 2012 and has only ever conveyed the monarch, though occasionally accompanied by the consort or a visiting head of state.
According to the palace, 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, including royal residences such as 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 carriage will depart the 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 before arriving at Westminster Abbey, where the coronation will begin at 11 a.m. local time.
KanyiDaily recalls that Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage and other international celebrities are billed to perform at the coronation of King Charles III.