The performance at Charles Dickens Primary School, in the Borough neighborhood of London, was just one of a series of events on Friday linked to issues that have long been a priority for Dr. Biden said, adding, “Thank you for sharing your talent with us.” Sitting among the students, the guests praised some young musicians after a string-instrument performance of “Lovely” by Billie Eilish. The Coronation Chair, which has been used for hundreds of years, underwent a restoration before Saturday’s ceremony.Ī group of London children who were preparing for the coronation this weekend had some extra festivities in their school on Friday when the first lady, Jill Biden, and Akshata Murty, the wife of Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, came to their classrooms. While Charles is obviously the focus on Saturday, the ceremony will also be a triumph of image transformation for Camilla, his wife, who was vilified for years in the British news media but is now poised to be crowned queen. Harry’s wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is staying at home in California with the couple’s children, Prince Archie, who turns 4 on Saturday, and Princess Lilibet, 1. Here is a schedule of events and a look at the guest list.Īfter years of family tensions, Prince Harry will attend his father’s coronation - alone. The festivities will continue through the weekend and into Monday, which is a public holiday in Britain. Stop back throughout the day for more coverage of the event, its meaning for Britons and the world, and how to follow the weekend’s developments. New York Times journalists in Britain and beyond are covering the coronation and its ramifications. The events will wrap up with a six-minute flyover at 9:30 a.m. The coronation service in Westminster Abbey in London will begin at 6 a.m., and the second procession around 8 a.m.

Eastern time, with the procession starting at 5:20 a.m.

Saturday’s livestream will begin at 5 a.m. Those following along in the United States, which is at least five time zones behind London, will have to wake up early. The holiday weekend, with street celebrations and a gala concert, will last three days. In narrow political terms, not much is changing: Charles became Britain’s head of state immediately after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last year. But all the feathers and finery add up to a crucial test of the new king’s capacity to sustain the mystique that Elizabeth dedicated over 70 years to maintaining - and a chance to advertise the solidity of a country that in recent years has looked less than predictable.īritain’s hospitality industry is also counting on an enormous party.

King of the Bottom by William C. Gordon