King Charles III coronation: How to watch live in the US
LONDON (NewsNation) — Great Britain's royal family is preparing to turn the page of a new chapter with the coronation of King Charles III, in the first event of its kind in 70 years.
Though King Charles III ascended the throne when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last year, the coronation is a religious ceremony that provides a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England. Along with the king, his wife, Camilla will be coronated as Queen, a first for a spouse of a U.K. monarch.
The Coronation is the latest event to draw the world's eyes to the British Royal family, which has been rocked by tumult and scandal in recent years — from Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's shocking exit from royal duties and their subsequent onslaught of accusations against the family to Charles' brother, Prince Andrew, being accused of sexual assault by a woman when she was a teenager.
In the days leading up to the coronation, polls show the public both in the U.K. and in the U.S. don't really care about the event with 64% of UK respondents saying they had little or no interest in the coronation. Meanwhile, Charles does not have the highest approval ratings among Americans, though he is not the most unpopular royal — a title that goes to his brother, Prince Andrew.
The pomp, pageantry and symbolism of the occasion date back to medieval times when English kings wielded great power. About 2,000 people from around the world have been invited to attend the event in person.
The event — dubbed Operation Golden Orb — is expected to be more scaled-down compared to the 1953 coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Even then, it is expected to come with a hefty estimated $100 million price tag, a concern for the British public grappling with the economic downturn.
Prince Harry will attend his father’s coronation, Buckingham Palace has said, ending months of speculation about whether the prince would be welcome after leveling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family.
How to watch the coronation
If you want to join in the festivities from across the pond, here is what you need to know to tune in:
The ceremony will take place in London on Saturday. The day will start with their procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, which will start at about 5 a.m. ET, 2 a.m. PT.
NewsNation will be broadcasting the coronation live on air and online. Unsure how to find NewsNation on your TV? Use our ChannelFinder app here. You can also watch the coronation in this story, which will be updated later with a live stream.