Coronation date set for King Charles

King Charles III’s coronation is to be held on Saturday 6 May, at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be alongside the King and will also be crowned in the historic ceremony.

King Charles became monarch when his mother the late Queen died, but the coronation will mark a symbolic celebration of his new reign.

With much pageantry and ritual, the King will be anointed as sovereign and a crown placed on his head.

Next year’s coronation will be the first for almost 70 years – the last being for Elizabeth II in June 1953 – and the first held on a Saturday since Edward VII in 1902.

It is not yet known whether there will be an extra bank holiday added or moved to the coronation weekend, with a bank holiday already scheduled for earlier that week on Monday 1 May.

Buckingham Palace has indicated that the ceremony will combine the ancient and modern – saying it will be “rooted in longstanding traditions” but will also “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”.

Camilla, the Queen Consort will be crowned as part of the service, in a similar but simpler ceremony to the crowning of the King.