Crowds have been gathering outside Cardiff Castle since early on Friday in the hope of catching a glimpse of KIng Charles and the Queen Consort. The royal couple are expected to attend a reception at the castle on Friday afternoon.
There are several hours still to wait and Cardiff Council has offered advice to those planning to travel to the castle for the event. You can follow live updates throughout the day of the royal visit here.
WalesOnline reporter John Jones has also been queuing through the night to be one of the first people into the grounds today. You can follow his experiences here.
Around 2,000 people will be able to gather inside the walls to see King Charles and the Queen Consort take part in their final engagement of the day. Large crowds are also expected at the Senedd where the Royals will greet members of the public and in Llandaff where they will attend a service at the cathedral.
Exact timings are not being released but the castle’s front gates will open in the morning ahead of a performance by the Band of the Royal Welsh on the drawbridge. The public are also invited to welcome the Royal party as it approaches Cardiff Castle and to wave goodbye as they depart.
Entry to the castle grounds will be on a first come first served basis and people are asked to avoid bringing large and non-essential bags which will require searching and could slow down entry. There are a list of items you are not allowed to bring in:
- No picnics
- No chairs
- No umbrellas
- No glass bottles or cans
They are urging people to only bring essential like a purse, keys, and medication. A spokesman said: "The more people bring with them the longer it will take to search, limiting our ability to get as many people as we can into the grounds.
"Members of the public will be able to leave the grounds at any time but if they wish to return they will need to rejoin the security-search queue and may not regain entry. We are advising people to expect very long queues from early in the day and, unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate everyone who would like to come into the castle grounds."
Viewing points for wheelchair users and mobility scooters will be available inside the castle grounds, outside the castle, at the Senedd, and in Llandaff by the green. The Royal couple are expected to arrive at Cardiff Castle in the afternoon where they will meet representatives from Royal Patronages and members of Wales’ Faith Communities in the Castle House.
The King will also hold a private audience with the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, and the Llywydd of the Senedd Elin Jones. Time-permitting it is expected that the King and the Queen Consort will greet members of the public in the castle grounds before departing. Before visiting the castle, the royal couple will be joined by an invited congregation, including new Prime Minister Liz Truss, at a morning service of prayer and reflection for the life of the Queen at Llandaff Cathedral.
Caz, Sam, and her daughter Luna, three have been waiting outside the castle since 5am on Friday. Caz said: "I didn’t want to miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Rachel and Lynne from Cwmbran and Bridgend think that King Charles will do a “sterling job” as monarch. Rachel said: “I felt that I really wanted to pay respects to the King at what must be a really difficult time for him.”
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