Buckingham Palace has announced further details on the events that will take place over the Coronation Weekend between Saturday 6th and Monday 8th May 2023 - including a special coronation concert.
The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May, 2023.
The Service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and will reflect the Monarch’s role today as well as a look towards the future - whilst being grounded in longstanding traditions and pageantry.
Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as ‘The King’s Procession’, and will leave in a larger ceremonial procession, known as ‘The Coronation Procession’.
Their Majesties will be joined in this procession by other Members of the Royal Family.
Across the Coronation Weekend, there will be further opportunities for people to come together in celebration of the historic occasion.
On Sunday, 7th May 2023, a special Coronation Concert will be staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC and BBC Studios, with several thousand pairs of tickets to be made available via public ballot.
Attended by a public audience including volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort’s many charity affiliations, the concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance.
The performances will be supported by staging and effects located on the Castle’s East Lawn, and will also feature a selection of spoken word sequences delivered by stars of stage and screen.
Several thousand members of the public will be selected to receive a pair of free tickets for the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, through a national ballot held by the BBC.
The stars of the concert are yet to be revealed, but there will also be an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir.
This diverse group will be created from the nation’s keenest community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom, such as Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs.
A new documentary exploring the formation of The Coronation Choir will tell the stories of the people representing the many faces and voices of the country.
The Coronation Choir will appear alongside The Virtual Choir, made up of singers from across the Commonwealth, for a special performance on the night.
The centrepiece of the Coronation Concert, ‘Lighting up the Nation’, will see the country join together in celebration as iconic locations across the United Kingdom are lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
The Coronation Concert will be produced by BBC Studios, broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
On the same date, The Coronation Big Lunch, at which neighbours and communities are invited to share food and fun together, will take place across the country.
From a cup of tea with a neighbour to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch aims to help people get to know their community a little better.
The Coronation Big Lunch will be overseen and organised by the Big Lunch team at the Eden Project.
It's an idea from the Eden Project, made possible by The National Lottery, which brings millions of people together annually to boost community spirit, reduce loneliness and support good causes and charities.
Her Majesty The Queen Consort has been Patron of the Big Lunch since 2013.
Free downloadable resources will also be made available online by the Big Lunch team at CoronationBigLunch.com, to help people and communities start their Coronation Big Lunch planning.
Furthermore, on Monday, 8th May 2023, members of the public will be invited to take part in The Big Help Out, which will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.
It's being organised by The Together Coalition and a wide range of partners such as The Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups from across the United Kingdom.
The Big Help Out will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation.
In tribute to His Majesty The King's public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.
The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.
Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families and communities across the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023.
