Coronation live: King Charles and Queen Camilla leave Clarence House

The day is finally here – King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation service will take place today. The eyes of the world will be watching the historic event, along with the 2,300-strong congregation and the thousands of well-wishers who have lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the procession. 

While we await the arrival of His Majesty the King, take a look at our comprehensive guide to the royals, statesmen and other famous faces with an invite to Westminster Abbey on 6 May here. 

Looking to the day ahead, check out our King Charles’ III’s coronation timetable: an hour-by-hour guide.

And you can follow the royal procession route on our interactive map below.

At 10:20, the King and Queen Consort are expected to depart Buckingham Palace flanked by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry.  

They will ride in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, a relatively modern horse-drawn carriage, complete with electric windows and air conditioning. 

Future king George, nine, will have a starring role as one of the King’s pages of honour, joining three of Camilla’s grandchildren. Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, will join their parents in the congregation. 

The King and Queen are due to arrive at Westminster Abbey shortly before 11am at which point they will enter through the Great West Door so the service can begin.

HELLO! will be bringing you live updates throughout the service… 

World royals start arriving

Shortly after 9.30am, world royals and global leaders started making their way inside the Abbey. Among the first to arrive along with Dr Jill Biden and her 23-year-old granddaughter, Finnegan, representing the US. They chose colours of the Commonwealth – white and blue. US President Joe Biden is not in attendance – find out why here. 

French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arrived arm-in-arm at 9.50, followed by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal. Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

King Charles and Queen Camilla leave Clarence House in the State Bentley

At 9.10, the royal couple left Clarence House bound for Buckingham Palace. They were driven in the maroon State Bentley.

Two State Bentleys were manufactured by Bentley as a gift for the Queen for her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

For the occupants’ protection, the bodywork and glass are armoured while the cabin can be sealed in case of a gas attack and is also blast-resistant, while the tyres are Kevlar-reinforced.

The Queen used the cars up until her death in September 2022, and the Princess Royal travelled in the State Bentley while accompanying her mother’s coffin as it made its way to London from Scotland.

Guests start arriving

From around 8am, lucky invitees started arriving at Westminster Abbey. As per instruction, members of the congregation had to be seated by 9am, including Dame Emma Thompson, Lady Susan Hussey, Lionel Richie, Ant and Dec, Jay Blades, Dynamo, Katy Perry, Edward Enninful, and Dame Joanna Lumley.

Of course, a large contingent of royals from around the world are also attending the coronation – find out who here.

What will happen at the coronation?

There are several stages to the coronation. The recognition will see Charles presented to those gathered in the Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury as he stands by the 700-year-old coronation chair.

The King will then take his oath, swearing to uphold the law and the Church of England before the anointing.

DISCOVER: King Charles’s coronation crown jewels – your guide to all of the historic regalia 

At this point, Charles’s ceremony robe will be removed as he takes his seat on the chair. A gold cloth will be held over the chair to conceal the King from view. The Archbishop of Canterbury will then anoint Charles’s hands, breast and head with holy oil made according to a secret recipe, but known to contain ambergris, orange flowers, roses, jasmine and cinnamon. 

For the investiture, the King will put on a sleeveless white garment called the Colobium Sindonis and an embroidered band of gold silk to wear around his shoulders, known as the Coronation Stole.

He will then be presented with items including the Royal Orb, representing religious and moral authority; the Sceptre, representing power; and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, a rod of gold topped with a white enamelled dove, a symbol of justice and mercy. Finally, the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head.

SEE: First look at Queen Consort Camilla’s coronation robes – including sweet tribute to late Queen

Charles will then leave the Coronation Chair and move to the throne as peers kneel before the monarch to pay homage. The Queen Consort will then be anointed in the same way and crowned.

The King will put on layer upon layer of heavy ceremonial robes throughout the ceremony – one of which he will be helped into by his eldest son, Prince William.

For the crowning, he will be given a long shimmering gold-sleeved coat to wear called the Supertunica.

The robe was created for George V in 1911 and has been worn at successive coronations including by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

It weighs about 2kg (4.4lb), is made of cloth of gold – silk thread wrapped in thin pieces of gold or silver gilt metal – and is embroidered with stylised arabesques and floral motifs.

Layered on top of the Supertunica, there will be a floor-length cloak called the Imperial Mantle, or Robe Royal, which was made for George IV in 1821 – it weighs 3-4kg (6.6-8.8lb).

The mantle, which fastens across the chest with a golden eagle clasp, is inspired by ancient coronation ensembles and its priest-like style is meant to symbolise the divine nature of kingship.

It is tradition for recent monarchs to reuse garments, just as King Charles is, but they usually have a new coronation sword belt and glove to be used during the ceremony.

But the King has decided to reuse the belt and glove worn by his grandfather George VI – the last male monarch.

At the end of the service, the King will change into George VI’s purple Robe of Estate to leave the Abbey.

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