Public invited to swear allegiance to King out loud during ceremony – latest

A wax figure of the Duke of Sussex has been reunited with the rest of the royal family figurines at Madame Tussauds London as Harry returns to the UK for the coronation.

The 38-year-old announced, along with the palace, in April that he would be attending the crowning of his father, the King, and his stepmother, the Queen Consort, at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (6 May).

The Duchess of Sussex, 41, has decided to remain at home in Los Angeles to be with the couple’s son Prince Archie on his fourth birthday.

To reflect this, Meghan’s figure will remain in the Awards Party Zone – with US-based celebrities – where the couple’s waxworks were moved in 2020 following the Sussexes stepping back from royal duties and moving to California.

King Charles III’s coronation, which takes place on Saturday 6 May, is set to be attended by 2,000 guests, including foreign monarchs across the world.

Below is a list of all the foreign royals who have confirmed their attendance so far.

The words “long live Queen Camilla, long live King Charles” in Latin will greet the royal couple as they enter Westminster Abbey for the coronation.

They are part of the Vivat acclamations which will be sung at the central London ceremony on May 6.

Britons are being treated to two bank holiday weekends in a row, as the early May bank holiday and the coronation weekend of King Charles III arrive one after the other.

Monday 1 May is the early May bank holiday, while Buckingham Palace announced last year that Monday 8 May would also be a bank holiday to give the country an extra day to celebrate the coronation.

With warmer spring weather expected this coming weekend and Big Lunches and street parties planned for the following one, British people have plenty to look forward to in the coming fortnight.

However, it could also mean closures across some supermarkets on more days than usual.

Many people will be looking to stock up for the long weekends and ensure they have plenty of food and drink for gatherings, parties, or just to relax with.

Here are the opening times for Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrison, Lidl and more.

The Duchess of Sussex’s father, 78, claimed in the Australian news programme 7News Spotlight that his daughter had not called him in four years.

He said that he suffered a debilitating stroke last year and expressed disappointment that she did not reach out.

“If she doesn’t turn up for a stroke, if that doesn’t move her, what would?” he said.

The Independent has contacted representatives of the Sussexes for comment.

The Coronation Concert will feature a Union Flag-shaped stage, first look images show.

The stage will also have a halo-like screen surrounding the roof, which the broadcaster said will “symbolise the Crown protecting the nation”.

As the country gears up to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6 May 2023, many will be remembering the crowning of his late mother 71 years earlier, a defining event in 20th-century British history.

Joanna Whitehead reports.

From coronation chicken to King Charles’s veggie quiche, The Independent’s Ben Parker unpacks how different dishes have shaped the monarchy’s image.

“The brilliant writers once again render our reigning family into a highly amusing gallery of grotesques,” writes The Independent’s Sean O’Grady.

As Katy Perry and Take That prepare to perform during Charles’s coronation weekend, The Independent’s Katie Rosseinsky salutes the chaotic and confusing tradition of incredibly divergent celebrities coming together to sing for royalty.