London becomes sea of red white and blue for King Charles III's coronation
Tens of thousands of people turned out on the streets of London to celebrate the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. (Pool via AP)
A Royal fan wears an elaborate hat in honour of King Charles III as they camp out near Buckingham Palace in central London ahead of the coronation weekend. (AFP)
Union Jacks decorate a royal superfan camp on The Mall near Buckingham Palace on the eve of the coronation of King Charles III. (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Union flags fly above Regent Street in London ahead of the King's coronation. (In Pictures via Getty Images)
Union flags are seen ahead of King Charles' coronation at The Mall. (Reuters)
Royal fans camped out in central London ahead of the King's coronation. (Alamy Live News)
It was all a bit much for some superfans camping out ahead of the King's coronation. (Alamy Live News)
A fan wears a Queen Elizabeth and King Charles mask ahead of the coronation. (Alamy Live News
Members of the Household Cavalry mounted regiment make their way along The Mall ahead of the coronation ceremony. (AP)
Standard bearers and members of the military in Parliament Square ahead of the King's coronation. (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Police ride on horsebacks at the Mall before the King's procession makes its way to Westminster Abbey. (AP)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla ride in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach during's the King's procession to the Abbey. (AFP via Getty Images)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla travel in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as the King's Procession passes along The Mall to their coronation ceremony. (Alamy/PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as the King's procession passes along The Mall to their coronation ceremony London. (PA)
King Charles III makes his way to Westminster Abbey prior to his coronation ceremony. (AP)
Spectators watch from a window ahead of the coronation King Charles III in Westminster Abbey. (Pool via AP)
Prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arrive at Westminster Abbey for the King's coronation. (AFP via Getty Images)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as the King's procession passes along Whitehall to their coronation ceremony. (PA)
A well wisher waves a flag on the route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in central London. (PA)
Members of the military from Commonwealth realms march along The Mall during the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (PA)
Charles and Camilla are carried in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as the King's Procession passes Parliament Square to their coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach as the King's procession passes Parliament Square to their coronation ceremony in London. (PA)
People watch the coronation of King Charles III on a big screen in Park Lane Square, outside the South Stand before the Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023.
Flag bearers during the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (Pool via AP)
The crowd gathers at Whitehall during the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (Pool Photo via AP)
Troops march past the Admiralty Arch during the King's procession ahead of the coronation ceremony. (Pool via AP)
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach carrying King Charles III and Queen Camilla approaches Westminster Abbey. (Court/Pool Photo via AP)
Members of the public brave the rain in Hyde Park to watch the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (Alamy Live News)
The procession of King Charles travels to Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III. (Pool Photo via AP)
Pomeranian dogs Peanut and Coco in Hyde Park, London, who have been bought by their owner Heidi Porter (not pictured) to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the Diamond Jubilee Stage Coach arrive at Westminster Abbey. (Abaca Press/Alamy Live News
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with Lady Louise Windsor and the Earl of Wessex travel to the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey. (PA)
Crowds watch the service in the grandstand opposite Buckingham Palace during the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (PA)
The procession of the coronation arrives at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III in London. (Pool Photo via AP)
King Charles III, wearing the Imperial State Crown, leaves Westminster Abbey. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave Westminster Abbey to return to Buckingham Palace, London. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Gold State Coach, pulled by eight Windsor Greys, as the coronation procession passes through Parliament Square on its way to Buckingham Palace. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla travel in the Gold State Coach built in 1760 and used at every coronation since that of William IV in 1831sets off from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace. (Getty Images)
The coronation procession passes along The Mall to Buckingham Palace following the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in central London. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla travel towards Buckingham Palace in the Glod Sstate Coach. (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales and their children in the coronation procession as they return along The Mall to Buckingham Palace. (PA)
A guest carrying a Union flag umbrella leaves Westminster Abbey following the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the notoriously-uncomfortable Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Gold State Coach, pulled by eight Windsor Greys, in the coronation procession as they return along The Mall to Buckingham Palace. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive back at Buckingham Palace, London, following their coronation ceremony. (PA)
Crowds fill The Mall ahead of the King and Queen's appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, London. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation. (PA)
Senior members of the Royal Family appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside the the newly-crowned King and Queen. (PA)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
Even the Red Arrows lit up the skies above London red, white and blue during their flypast following – bringing to an end Saturday's official celebrations of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. (PA)
The countdown to the coronation of King Charles III reached its climax on Saturday as the streets of London were decked in red, white and blue, with thousands of royal fans descending on the capital.
The King will be crowned at Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury during a coronation ceremony dating back centuries, in a day of spectacular British pageantry set to be watched by hundreds of millions around the world.
Build up to the big day reached fever pitch on Saturday morning, with workers sweeping sand onto roads, police officers arriving and a rain shelter is being set up outside Westminster Abbey ahead of forecasted mixed weather.
Hundreds of shops, bars, restaurants and landmarks in central London were decked out with Union flags, while droves of spectators took their spots along the procession route where many had already been camping for days.
The event is the military’s largest ceremonial operation since Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, with 9,000 servicemen and women deployed and 7,000 of these performing ceremonial and supporting roles.