The Kingdom is expected to unite in celebration this weekend for the crowning of the new monarch.

On May 6th, King Charles III and Queen Consort will process from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the ceremony, at 11am.

The day will be a blaze of pageantry for the first coronation since that of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2nd, 1953.

Their Majesties will be travelling in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Featuring a gilded crown on the top, the coach was carved from oak from HMS Victory, and has an interior inlaid with samples of woods, metals and other materials from buildings and places with specific connections to Britain and its history, including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyrood house, St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, as well as historic ships, such as the Mary Rose. The King’s Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, and proceed down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and south of King Charles I Island, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street.

It will travel around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, where the Coronation Service will begin.
Once complete, the Coronation Procession will be much larger in scale, taking the same route in reverse.

It will include Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, alongside The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal Watermen.

This time, Their Majesties will travel in the Gold State Coach, last seen during the Pageant of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022.

First used by King George III to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762, the coach has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV in 1831.

Upon returning to Buckingham Palace following the Coronation Service, Their Majesties will receive a Royal Salute from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces who have been on parade that day.

The Royal Salute will be followed by three cheers from the assembled service personnel, as a tribute from the Armed Forces on parade to The King and The Queen Consort on the day of Their Majesties’ Coronation.

Memories make history. Anecdotes, facts, images and eyewitness accounts all act as reminders of significant events, and thanks to a souvenir programme marking Wimborne’s King Charles III Coronation celebrations on May 7, 2023, the town already has its first keepsake of what will be one of the most momentous occasions of our modern monarchy.

As well as royal images, including a photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip being driven through the town, there are fascinating photos of Wimborne life over the years.

The brochure, by Wimborne BID, outlines the events – or the family day out as they call it – which will run from 11am to 7pm on the day and include the national Coronation Big Lunch, live music at the Stage in the Square, children’s entertainment and a quiz show.
In keeping with celebratory theme and the sense of nostalgia that these royal occasions evoke, line-up of live music travels the decades, with the likes of a 1950s frolic with the Aphrodite Singers, a Sixties tribute to the other king, Elvis, Eighties sounds from Rubiks (sic) Kube and a closing current-day performance by the BH2 at 6pm.
Fun and daftness for kids comes in the shape of Little Gizmos, characters Poppy and Stich and a steady stream of face painting and crafting activities.

The brochure also contains a full run down of scheduled events at the Minster Church and the actual coronation itself will be streamed at the Minster, the Café on the Square and other venues.

You can collectyour Coronation Souvenir programme from Allendale House, Wimborne.