The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla for many will be a time of celebration but also one of transition.
Queen Elizabeth II, through her more than 70-year reign as British monarch, largely provided a sense of continuity and stability.
But the crowning of a new King and Queen Consort inevitably brings uncertainty and raises questions over the future direction of the institution.
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Many millions across the UK and beyond will of course celebrate the coronation as the pomp and pageantry in London is beamed across the globe.
A host of international dignitaries will join the ceremony at Westminster Abbey as the 40th reigning monarch since 1066 is crowned.
They include Irish president Michael D Higgins, the Republic's first head of state to attend the crowning of a British monarch - a display of vastly improved relations between Ireland and Great Britain compared to previous generations.
Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood will also attend in a bid to show respect for different traditions across these islands.
But amid the spectacle of the historic occasion, the Royal family will be mindful that their kingdom is not as united on the idea of a monarchy as it once was.
A recent YouGov poll found broad support of 58% for retaining the monarchy, compared to 26% who want an elected head of state.
Younger people are however less enthralled, with only 32% of 18 to 24-year-olds backing the monarchy, 38% preferring an elected head of state and 30% unsure.
Support for the monarchy has also waned in Northern Ireland, according to a LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph.
Some 42% of voters expressed support for the institution while 33% opposed it. Another 17% felt no connection to the monarchy.
In a surprise to absolutely no one, support was very high among unionist voters and very low among nationalists.
But perhaps worryingly for Northern Ireland's monarchists, just 17% of Alliance and Green voters supported the institution. Some 38% opposed the monarchy and 32% felt no connection to it.
Recent controversies are bound to have hit approval ratings, such as the fallout with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry's tell-all book and Prince Andrew settling a US civil action over sexual assault claims.
And while many will enjoy the celebrations this weekend, others will question such lavish spending when many are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
For some it may be hard to accept that Northern Ireland is facing £800million of budget cuts while London hosts a coronation estimated to cost between £50million and £100million.
The vast wealth on display will only cast doubt on whether a family born into privilege can ever really identity with the experiences of ordinary members of the public.
The trends among young people do not necessarily mean a terminal decline for the monarchy. People's opinions tend to become more sympathetic towards the institution as they get older, according to the British Social Attitudes survey.
Continued success or otherwise for "the firm" will likely depend on its ability to adapt and change when required - a skill shown during Queen Elizabeth's reign.
King Charles has displayed the same capacity to reach out, with his coronation aiming to reflect a United Kingdom that is much more diverse than during his mother's ceremony seven decades ago.
Irish will be among the languages used during the service in a bid to acknowledge the range of different communities and perspectives across the UK.
It is a weekend of celebration for the monarchy, but in the years to come many challenges for the institution lie ahead.
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