King swears the Coronation Oath after thousands of wellwishers clap and cheer along his procession to Westminster Abbey
Saturday 6 May 2023 12:06, UK
The King has sworn the Coronation Oath before praying at the High Altar in Westminster Abbey for his historic crowning ceremony.
Around 100 heads of state, kings, and queens from across the globe, celebrities, everyday heroes and family and friends of the King and Queen Consort are among over 2,000 guests in the abbey.
Before the ceremony began at Westminster Abbey at around 11am, thousands of wellwishers clapped and cheered along The Mall as the royal couple left Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
The monarch and Queen Consort smiled and waved at those who gathered near the palace - with many having camped overnight with the hope of securing a perfect spot to view the monarch.
The King was wearing a deep scarlet robe which was previously worn by his grandfather, King George VI.
The procession began at around 10:20am and took around 30 minutes to arrive at Westminster Abbey.
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The service started at 11am and invited guests include David and Victoria Beckham, French President Emmanuel Macron, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, who do not have formal roles in the ceremony, have been sat in the third row for the coronation.
Actress Dame Emma Thompson, musicians Lionel Richie and Nick Cave, and a cheery-looking Ant and Dec were among the first celebrities who arrived.
British actor Stephen Fry, musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber and the US First Lady Jill Biden are also in attendance.
However, President Biden himself is not attending.
The ceremony is taking place after Waterloo Station started buzzing into life shortly after 5am as thousands of members of the public descended on the capital with hats, dresses, flags and even clothes for dogs emblazoned with Union Flags.
Those arriving weren't quite as keen as the hundreds of royal fans who camped out in The Mall near Buckingham Palace overnight.
'It's like dancing with God'
Among the members of the public who arrived in London this morning for the coronation is a man who identified himself as a relative of the King.
The man, who did not want to be named, had secured a coveted invite to the ceremony.
"On days like today, so filled with joy and excitement, it is like dancing with God," he said.
'It makes me proud to be British'
Meanwhile, six friends from the US who are studying at St Mary's University in Twickenham said they wanted to be close to the coronation because it's "a once in a lifetime thing".
"How could we be in England and not go to the coronation?"
Lisa Cole from Hampshire had travelled with her dog Milo for the occasion.
Dressed in a Union flag scarf, it was not Milo's first royal event - he had also attended the Queen's funeral in September.
"I love the Royal Family. Everyone moans about them but it [makes me] proud to be British," Ms Cole said.
Protesters arrested ahead of ceremony
It comes as Republican protesters have been arrested after police seized lock-on devices which would make it hard to remove them from their place of demonstration.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed four people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on St Martin's Lane.
The force also said they made a number of breaching-the-peace arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace and a further three arrests in the Wellington Arch area on suspicion of possessing articles to cause criminal damage.
Read more:
'Something you would expect in Moscow': Protesters arrested ahead of King's coronation
Meanwhile, 5,000 military personnel arrived at Waterloo by train for the ceremony.
They led the procession which accompanied the King and Queen Consort to Westminster Abbey and will also led the one when they depart.
During the coronation ceremony, the St Edward's Crown, which dates back to 1661, will be placed on the monarch's head as cries of "God Save The King" will ring out around the abbey and his wife will become Queen Camilla.
The crowned couple will then ride in the four-tonne Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace in a mile-long procession featuring 4,000 ceremonial troops.
The event is the military's largest ceremonial operation since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, with 9,000 servicemen and women deployed.
A massive security and policing operation, dubbed Golden Orb, is under way with 11,500 police officers on duty alongside more than 9,000 military personnel taking part in the ceremony.
Meanwhile, preparations have been in full swing at Buckingham Palace where staff have been adorning its famous balcony with red and gold draping ahead of the Royal Family's appearance later.
The King, Queen and other royals are expected to make an appearance on the famous balcony after returning from the service - but it's still unclear which members have made the cut.
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Elsewhere in the country thousands of street parties will take place to celebrate the occasion with coronation-themed cakes, activities and decorations.
While many people will gather to celebrate the occasion, the coronation is taking place amid a cost of living crisis and public scepticism, particularly among the young, about the role and relevance of the monarchy.
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