Thousands of people are expected to welcome Charles III to Cardiff on his first official visit to Wales since becoming King. The monarch travel to the capital with the Queen Consort for a service to remember Elizabeth II on Friday, September 16, before visiting the Senedd and Cardiff Castle and meeting members of the public.
It will be the first time that the former Prince of Wales has visited Wales since the death of the Queen. His visit will see him travel to Llandaff Cathedral on Friday morning for a service of prayer and reflection to commemorate the life of his mother, while he and the Queen Consort will also meet with charities at the castle after receiving a Motion of Condolence from the First Minister in Cardiff Bay.
Preparations are being made across the city ahead of the new King's arrival, with council workers out in force this week, resurfacing roads, filling in potholes and weeding and cleaning streets and pavements. You can read more about the measures that have been put in place here.
Read more: All the road closures in Cardiff this week as the capital prepares for arrival of King Charles
Huge crowds are expected to line the streets of the capital to greet the King and Queen Consort to the city, with road closures put in place across Cardiff ahead of Friday. The Royal couple are expected to stop and speak with some members of the public in between their engagements, both outside the Senedd and within the castle grounds.
But where can you see the new King? And how easy will it be to see him? Here's everything you need to know ahead of Friday's historic visit.
Where can I see the King and Queen Consort?
The King and Queen Consort will begin their visit by travelling to Llandaff Cathedral on Friday morning for a service of prayer and reflection commemorating the life of the Queen. Members of the public are welcome to gather and watch the Royal Party arrive in Llandaff, with Cardiff council confirming that plans are in place that are designed to facilitate this as much as possible. The area is expected to be incredibly busy on Friday morning, with accessibility for viewing potentially limited due to closures that have been imposed on surrounding roads.
Following the service, the Royal couple will then travel to the Senedd in the afternoon to receive a Motion of Condolence from the First Minister, Mark Drakeford. Upon leaving the Senedd, Their Majesties hope to greet some members of the public before they depart for Cardiff Castle.
The council confirmed that public are also invited to line the route to welcome the Royal Party as it approaches Cardiff Castle in the afternoon and to wave goodbye as they depart. The motorcade will drive along St Mary Street en route to the Castle and it is expected that large crowds will gather in advance of their arrival.
Members of the public will also be welcomed into the grounds of Cardiff Castle to see the King and Queen Consort as they take part in their final engagement of the day, with entry allocated on a first come, first served basis. The opening time for public entry through the Castle's main gate is yet to be decided, but people have been advised to expect very long queues from early in the day, with entry set to be restricted to around the first 2,000 people to arrive.
Once inside the Castle House, Their Majesties will meet representatives from Royal Patronages and members of the Faith Communities. The King will also hold a private audience with the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, and the Llywydd of the Senedd, Elin Jones. It is expected that his visit to Wales' capital city will end with The King and The Queen Consort greeting members of the public in the Castle grounds before departing.
Will it be televised?
Cardiff council have said that the Royal visit will be televised for those wanting to watch from home. However, exact details about listings are yet to be confirmed.
What about parking?
Accessibility and opportunities for viewing and parking is expected to be limited, particularly for the Llandaff event, where several road closures and parking restrictions have already been put in place to facilitate the visit. There is also limited space around the Cathedral itself.
The council has advised anyone looking to attend any of the three venues to plan ahead and to consider walking or travel by public transport. They believe it will be especially difficult finding any parking space in Llandaff for the visit.
What other advice has been given?
Those planning on attending the Castle are asked to avoid bringing large and non-essential bags which will require searching and could slow down entry. Work is ongoing between the council, Welsh Government and South Wales Police to manage any congested areas, with significant numbers of stewards drafted in alongside police officers to help keep the public safe.
Members of the public are welcome to leave floral tributes on the lawned areas on either side of City Hall's main entrance, where hundreds of bouquets of flowers have already been placed. However, those leaving flowers are asked to remove and take home any plastic wrapping instead of leaving it behind.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the council added: "Our advice is to plan ahead, dress for the weather, bring plenty of water, prepare for long periods of standing, expect crowds and watch out for those around you and with you."
READ NEXT:
-
Pictures from across Cardiff show preparations ahead of the King's first visit to Wales
-
The unusual facts people have been sharing about the Queen that may surprise you
-
Prince William issues emotional 'life without Grannie' statement as he mourns Queen's death
-
How the Prince of Wales' investiture could look amid reports it will be a scaled-back event
-
'Mourning the Queen does not justify public services grinding to a halt'
