King Charles III Coronation: Fans Gather In Central London, 5,000 Members Of UK Armed Forces To Arrive For Ceremony

Royal fans began gathering in central London ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort. Around 5,000 members of the armed forces are also arriving in the city.

Royal fans wearing masks picturing Britain's King Charles III (L) and Britain's Camilla, Queen Consort (R) are pictured on The Mall, near to Buckingham Palace in central London, on May 5, 2023, ahead of the coronation weekend.

Huge crowds are gathering in central London ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort as lavish displays of royal pageantry are expected, with processions planned on either side of the service at Westminster Abbey. Around 5,000 members of the armed forces are also arriving in London on specially chartered trains from places like Farnborough, Tring, and Aldershot, as per the BBC. Army, Navy, RAF, and commonwealth forces are all involved in the exercise.

 According to the BBC, royal fans arrived in the early hours of the morning. A fan identified as Heidi Roberts, from Surrey, wore a bright red, blue and white wig and said she’s come for the “happy atmosphere”. “Just being with the crowd and having something to celebrate," she said, as quoted by the BBC.

“I think we’re all mourning the Queen, and I think it’s a bit of a hangover from that," she added.

Helen Sermons, from Buckinghamshire draped from head to toe in the union jack was eager to see King Charles and Camilla on the Palace’s balcony. “We want to see the procession as well, but from here we can’t see much,” she told the British broadcaster. She also said that the Royal Family “binds the country together”.

Andrea Dyer, a fan from Colorado in the United States, arrived at 6:00 AM to get a spot in view of the balcony. “I can’t believe people were camping out two days prior. Hopefully we will at least see the top of the carriage,” she told the BBC.

A group of protestors also assembled in Trafalgar Square. Republic, a group campaigning for the abolition of the monarchy, said that they hope to have up to 1,500 supporters at the venue today. The group is coordinating rallies in Trafalgar Square and around the UK.

The ceremony will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury at 11:00 BST and attended by the Royal Family as well as world leaders and dignitaries. A weekend of planned special events also includes street parties and a concert at Windsor Castle tomorrow, as well as a nationwide volunteering drive on Monday.