Celebrate King Charle’s Coronation this weekend

Please bear in mind that due to the events that are taking place this weekend, London will be much busier than usual. If you’re taking public transport at all, please factor this into any travel times and make sure that your restaurants and any bookable activities are booked a few days in advance. With that being said, take a look at some of the things London has to offer this weekend.

The Coronation Procession

It goes without saying that the procession will probably be the most popular event in London on Saturday, the 6^th of May, after the actual coronation, of course. The route that the carriages holding the Royal Family will take starts off at Buckingham Palace before heading down Pall Mall, towards St James’ Park, the Horse Guards Parade and Parliament Street, where the coronation will take place at the magnificent Westminster Abbey. All over London, screenings are due to be held in Hyde Park, St James’ Park and Green Park. Grab a picnic, a blanket and head on down early to get a great view if you don’t want to stand on the procession for the entire time.

The procession is due to start around 3pm so you have time to get what you need and find the perfect spot along the route or in one of the parks mentioned above.

Meet the Royal Family

Ok, perhaps not the real Royal Family, but Madame Tussauds has a special exhibition that will showcase the Royal Family in waxwork form. The whole museum will be open on Saturday, and you can rub shoulders with the rich, famous and notorious celebrities it has to show.

Madame Tussauds has seen eight monarchs crowned since its opening, and this one will be even more historic. You’ll get the chance to sign the coronation book, which will be sealed in the archives and preserved for future generations. You could be a part of history that your ancestors might see in the next hundred years.

Biscuiteers does it again

Biscuiteers is one of our favourite places to go for any celebration, big or small, but their coronation events at both sites are set to be amazing. You can join in on their frosting classes and learn to decorate the crown and some Royal guards. After, you’ll get to take your delicious treats home with you to show off to your friends and family.

If you’re after a more family-friendly experience where the kids can join in, they’ll be running their regular DIY classes with a good cup of tea or treat yourself to a glass of prosecco.

Biscuiteers also have a coronation shop filled with some wonderful goodies, including a hamper full of delightful treats, a commemorative tea towel and even King Charles III in biscuit form.

Coronation Walking Tour

Did you see the procession and now want to re-enact it for yourself? Well, luckily for you, you can! There are some incredible walking tours on offer with Golden Tours, who have put the Royal Procession tour as part of their program until the end of 2023.

You’ll follow in the footsteps of many of Britain’s Royals, head to see the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace (when available) and even get insights into the life of the Royal Family by seeing where the Queen’s preferred off-licence was and where Prince Philip’s barber was based.

It’s a two-hour walk, so wear something sturdy and comfortable on your feet, but you’ll hear all sorts about the Royals that you never knew. Take your own water and snacks to keep you going and from July, you can even add an entry to Buckingham Palace.

A garden party fit for a Royal

Who doesn’t love a garden party? Mayfair is hosting its very own in Grosvenor Square and you are cordially invited. Dress up and put on your Sunday best to parade yourself through the garden as you eat and drink, see and be seen.

There’ll be live screenings of the coronation on show, plenty of wonderful food and drinks stalls and impressive floral displays as well as live music and a party that will last well into the late summer evening. From burgers to ice creams and fancy cocktails, Mayfair has it all. There’ll also be plenty of floral installations so you can get the very best pictures to show off on your social media. It’s one not to be missed.

Take photos at Buckingham Palace

When in London, you have to see Buckingham Palace. Standing tall as the main London residence for the Royal Family since 1837, it is a wonderful place to go. You can stand outside the main gates and take photos or watch the world go by from the Queen Victoria Memorial which stands proudly just outside it.

You won’t be able to go inside, not on this special day but there are tickets available to see the public areas from the 14^th of July to the 24^th of September for exclusive guided tours, definitely worth booking in.

Just wandering around the massive palace is incredible, you’ll see a lot of comings and goings as the Palace is obviously still a residence for King Charles and the Queen Consort as well as a host of staff.

Kensington Palace and Gardens

If you’re not quite done with the Royal Family, Palaces and all the pomp and circumstance that follow, then why not go and see Kensington Palace and the gardens? It’s a wonderful place to go and visit; the gardens alone are exceptional.

The palace is closed on the 6^th of May but is open otherwise over the bank Holiday between 10am and 6pm, with last admission being at 5pm.

Kensington Palace is famously where the younger Royals were always housed, close enough to keep an eye on, but far enough away that they learned a little independence and what it was like to live without the King or Queen watching over them.

Their latest exhibit – Crown to Couture is a wonderful look at the Georgian Court (made popular again by the likes of the Bridgerton series) and how Queen Victoria may have lived when she was a very young girl, as this was her birthplace. A fascinating insight into the Royal Family of bygone eras, it’s a wonderful little look at how the Royal Family lived and worked hundreds of years ago.