The insider's guide to watching the Coronation in London

King Charles lll will officially be crowned as the the monarch on May 6 in an historic ceremony which will be broadcast around the world.

It will be the first coronation since 1953 when the late Queen Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster Abbey and went on to reign for more than 70 years. King Charles, 74, ascended the throne in September 2022 when his mother died at the age of 96.

The Coronation is set to showcase up to 15 working members of the Royal Family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, as they ascend to the palace balcony for the day’s events.

And Britons up and down the country will no doubt be getting into the party spirit on the bank holiday weekend as they prepare to celebrate the reign of King Charles. 

So how can you get a front row seat to one of the biggest celebrations in British history? 

Here, Femail has crafted an insider’s guide to the Coronation – from the best spots to watch the King’s procession to the choice places serving afternoon tea.

King Charles lll will officially be crowned as the head of the British monarchy at his Coronation on May 6

You can catch the Coronation in person from 6am at viewing areas along the procession - as well as at allocated screening sites

You can catch the Coronation in person from 6am at viewing areas along the procession – as well as at allocated screening sites

Where can I watch the Coronation? 

The Coronation ceremony kicks off at 11am on May 6, with Their Majesties travelling roughly 1.3 miles in procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and back again.

You can catch the Coronation in person from 6am at viewing areas along the procession, which are on both sides of The Mall and Whitehall – as well as at allocated screening sites.

Viewing points 

Buckingham Palace 

The coronation procession will leave from Buckingham Palace and travel up The Mall until it reaches Whitehall, before eventually ending up at Westminster Abbey

The coronation procession will leave from Buckingham Palace and travel up The Mall until it reaches Whitehall, before eventually ending up at Westminster Abbey

Camping out near the Palace is a wise choice for anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen in action. The royal family will travel to Buckingham Palace after the procession and will later appear on the palace balcony to celebrate.

The Coronation procession to the Abbey is known as the King’s Procession and is less elaborate than the return route, which is called the Military Procession. 

The nearest tube stations to Buckingham Palace are Green Park and Victoria. Transport for London has advised that St James’s Park station will be closed on the day of the coronation.

The Mall 

The King and Queen Consort are scheduled to begin their procession down The Mall, which is guaranteed to be another popular spot to watch the majestic event.

The Mall runs from Buckingham Palace down to Trafalgar Square in central London and, at almost 1km long, has plenty of space for royal fans to gather and watch the procession.

The Mall is closed to traffic on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and on this occasion, for the Coronation procession. Revellers are encouraged to arrive on time to avoid disappointment and displacement from large crowds.

The nearest tube stations are Waterloo, Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus and Green Park.

Whitehall 

Whitehall, located in Westminster, is also likely to attract crowds of royal fans as part of the procession route, in a stretch of just over half a kilometre. 

Back in 1953, it was part of the procession in Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation procession and was also included in the route six years earlier when she married Prince Philip.   

Whitehall doubles as a major road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London – and the route will make its way round Trafalgar Square before heading down through Whitehall on its way to Westminster.

The nearest tube stations are Charing Cross, Westminster and Embankment.

Screening sites 

If you plan on heading to one of the viewing areas mentioned, it’s wise to anticipate that the area could be full by the time you arrive, in which case you will be directed to one of the other viewing areas or a screening site nearby. 

The biggest viewing area will be in Hyde Park, where four mega screens will be put up for royal fans to gather and watch. 

The site will be open from 5am on 6 May, with the broadcast scheduled to begin shortly before the first procession begins.

The closest tube stations to  Hyde Park are Victoria, Paddington, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch and Knightsbridge.

There is also a screening site at the Broad Walk, Green Park and at St James’s Park near the Marlborough Gate.

The nearest tube stations to the Green Park and St James’s Park screening sites are Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross and Green Park.

Which Tube stations will be closed on the day?

The Coronation ceremony kicks off at 11am on May 6, with Their Majesties travelling roughly 1.3 miles in procession

The Coronation ceremony kicks off at 11am on May 6, with Their Majesties travelling roughly 1.3 miles in procession

Transport for London has advised that some Tube stations will be closed for a time on Saturday 6 May, and will open some time later on.

The TfL website has advised that St James’s Park tube station will be completely closed in the morning, while Hyde Park Corner will be exit-only.

Each station will fully re-open ‘when it is safe to dos so’, according to the website.

Passengers have also been advised that many of the stations close to the viewing areas will be incredibly busy on the day, and that people travelling into central London to watch the proceedings should expect big crowds.

These stations include: Westminster, Green Park, Charing Cross, Embankment, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Temple and Marble Arch.

To control crowds both on trains and on platforms, people have been warned to expect long queues, changes to station exits and last-minute closures. 

For people who are planning on taking taxi services around London, ranks outside Clapham Junction, Waterloo and Paddington stations will be flanked with marshals to manage the demand. 

Where can I get the best Coronation-themed afternoon teas?

In order to enjoy the festivities, royal fans have been urged to turn up early to avoid disappointment

In order to enjoy the festivities, royal fans have been urged to turn up early to avoid disappointment

Coronations aren’t something we celebrate every day, or even every year. In fact, it will be the first coronation of a British monarch in over half a century, after the late Queen enjoyed a 70-year reign atop the throne following her own coronation. 

So what better way to commemorate history, than with stellar food and drink in a classically British afternoon tea.

Several restaurants around London are offering coronation-themed afternoon tea events where you can enjoy the big day. 

Cellarium Café and Terrace, Westminster Abbey  

From £32.50 per person 

This is exactly where you want to be if you intend to have your cake and eat it too. This may be as close as it gets to the main action while enjoying a helping of delectable treats.

The Cellarium Café and Terrace is is set over two floors in Westminster Abbey and is located at one of London’s most popular tourist spots. It offers tranquil cellars along with a small outdoor terrace, perfect for a cosy view of the Coronation procession.

And until July 31, you can enjoy their special Coronation Afternoon Tea influenced by King Charles III’s passion for sustainability. The menu uses British-sourced ingredients to provide a refined balance of fresh, seasonal, sweet and savoury items. 

The Landmark London 

From £88 per person 

The Landmark London has launched the High Palms Coronation High Tea to kick off King Charles’s Coronation.

The luxury hotel’s focal point is its stunning and unique central atrium, The Winter Garden, with a soaring glass roof over eight storeys high.

The luxury hotel in Marylebone invites royal fans to celebrate the occasion with its special coronation tea in the impressive surroundings of Winter Garden at Landmark London from May 6 to May 8.

The Coronation High Palms High Tea includes an assortment of finger sandwiches, freshly-baked scones and royal desserts, well as a selection of freshly-brewed leaf and herbal teas.

Fortnum & Mason have unveiled a special Coronation afternoon tea menu which features a Cotswold Legbar egg mayonnaise sandwich as well as their salt beef delight with kohlrabi and tarragon sour cream dressing

Fortnum & Mason have unveiled a special Coronation afternoon tea menu which features a Cotswold Legbar egg mayonnaise sandwich as well as their salt beef delight with kohlrabi and tarragon sour cream dressing

Fortnum & Mason 

From £78 per person 

Fortnum & Mason have unveiled a special Coronation afternoon tea menu at their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, which is centred on British flavours and the King’s favourite ingredients.

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon was named in honour of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Fortnum & Mason in 2012, when she formally opened the room, in the company of their Royal Highnesses Camilla, Queen Consort and Kate, the Princess of Wales.

You’ll be treated to a selection of finger sandwiches ranging from Cotswold Legbar egg mayonnaise, to the salt beef delight with kohlrabi and tarragon sour cream dressing.

Finish it off with freshly baked scones served with Fortnum’s strawberry preserve, lemon curd, and Somerset clotted cream.

Rubens at the Palace

From £70 per person 

Why not toast to the new King and Queen from just a stone’s  throw away from the royal palace?

Rubens at the Palace is a beautifully restored historic hotel overlooking the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace and is widely considered to have one of the best afternoon tea menus across London.

Their Coronation-themed afternoon tea menu took inspiration from the Royal Family and Commonwealth – incorporating seasonal ingredients such as pears and peaches, inspired by the Royal Orchard. 

The stylised tea will run until August 1, and will feature a delightful coronation twist in honour of the official coronation of HM King Charles III. 

For a little extra, expect to sip on bottomless champagne and a selection of fine pastries, plain, fruit and cheese scones and mouth-watering sandwiches.

Intercontinental Park Lane 

From £55 per person 

For another spot close to the royal action, try the Intercontinental Park Lane which is just moments away from Buckingham Palace, and is accompanied by views of the royal parks.

Anticipate a glorious selection of quintessentially British nibbles from slow-roasted pheasant and truffle sandwiches, to Hen’s egg coronation apricot and cress salad, to scones with rhubarb and vanilla jam.

Coronation Afternoon Tea is available at their Wellington Lounge until May 14.

Which London tourist attractions will be open?

The Tower of London, which is the usual home of the Crown Jewels, will be closed on coronation day

The Tower of London, which is the usual home of the Crown Jewels, will be closed on coronation day

If you’re brave enough to choose 6 May to travel up to Central London for something other than the King and Queen’s coronation, you might want to check your favourite tourist spot is open before making the trickier-than-usual journey.

It is also worth checking if your favourite tourist attraction is actually open on the day, with a few royal-focused spots shutting their doors for the coronation.

The Tower of London, just east of where the King will be crowned on Saturday, will close for the entire day, which may not come as a surprise to potential visitors.

The site is usually home to the Crown Jewels which bring in thousands of visitors every year – but on coronation day, the high-security cabinets in which they are kept will be empty as the jewels are whisked away to Westminster Abbey where they will be used in the ceremony.

If you fancy watching the procession and the crowds from above, you could always take a trip on the London Eye on the Southbank, which will also remain open on the day of the coronation. 

For fans who really want to get into the festivities, there is even a special coronation capsule which has been added to the enormous wheel. 

It has been decorated to resemble Westminster Abbey, where the coronation ceremony will be held and the King will be crowned. 

However, the coronation experience will cost you as it’s currently priced at £60 – double the general admission fee of £30.   

Somewhere you can go to get a great view of London in all its coronation glory that might help you escape a little more of the madness is The View From the Shard at London Bridge.

Just south of the river and a little further out from where the coronation will be taking place, the viewing platform on top of London’s tallest skyscraper is open on coronation day and offers tickets from £28-£37.

Unsurprisingly, Buckingham Palace tours will not be available on the coronation weekend as royal staff will be somewhat busy with other events. Public tours of the Palace will resume on 12 May – however availability is scarce over the next few months.

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