King Charles III Coronation RECAP: King Charles crowned at Westminster Abbey
King was crowned, the bells of Westminster Abbey rang for two minutes and a fanfare was sounded.
A gun salute was also fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, stationed at Horse Guards Parade.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA 21-gun salute has sounded at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down, the royal residence in Northern Ireland, to mark the coronation of the King.
The cannons began to fire at the moment Charles was crowned, by reservists from the 206 (Ulster) Battery, part of the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery.
Hundreds of guests are watching the service on a screen within the grounds of the castle.
Thousands of people across Northern Ireland are following the ceremony from Westminster Abbey live on public screens including at Belfast City Hall, Ballymena, Larne, Carrickfergus, Bessbrook, Antrim, Jordanstown and Coleraine.
Coronation of King Charles - Live updates on Coronation Day
Members of the public lining the procession route along Whitehall and around Trafalgar Square are now being allowed to queue up to make their way onto The Mall to see the King and Queen appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The flypast over Buckingham Palace to mark the coronation has been scaled down because of the weather, the Ministry of Defence said.
An MoD statement said: “Due to unsuitable weather conditions, the coronation flypast will now be formed of helicopters and the Royal Air Force aerobatic team The Red Arrows.
“The flypast will last for two minutes and 30 seconds.”
The King’s coronation was an “extraordinary” occasion, Dame Joanna Lumley has said.
Speaking on Sky News with her husband Stephen Barlow, the much-loved actress and TV presenter described what it was like to witness the coronation in Westminster Abbey.
“It was just an extraordinary feeling, first of all it was a bit like a cocktail party because you seem to know everybody who’s coming in,” she said.
“The music’s playing, it’s adorable, we’re looking around. Then gradually it begins closing in, and it’s a bit more formal, then suddenly it’s like we’ve stepped over the threshold into a mediaeval ceremony, something so extraordinary and uplifting, very religious, it was extraordinary.”
Mr Barlow, who is a conductor, added that the music played throughout the coronation was “stunning”.
“It’s stunning, 12 newly commissioned pieces, all of different types and some very formal, some very celebratory,” he said. “The effect was absolutely overwhelming.”
“The King had apparently said that he wanted something people could go out humming, and I think people will when they can get a hold of it again, I think they might have to hear it one more time,” said Dame Joanna.
The public started chanting “God Save The King” and gave three cheers as the royal family emerged on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. They gave a resounding cheer when the King waved to members of the public gathered in front of the palace.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.