The Coronation of the King – more events announced

The Coronation at a Cathedral near you.

Floral arrangements fit for a King, lighting up red, white and blue, dancing on the green, a cathedral transformed with shrubs and trees as a nod to the King’s passion for nature, a 200-strong youth choir and Coronation-themed Choral Evensongs.

Just some of the ways our cathedrals will celebrate the Coronation and you can join in too. Please check individual websites for up-to-date details.

The Coronation service will begin at 11am at Westminster Abbey – the start of a weekend of events to mark this historic occasion.

All our cathedrals are offering special worship, activities, and events and many are live-streaming the Coronation. Do check your local cathedral for up-to-date details.

Ring for the King details announced. 

Canterbury Cathedral is hosting a range of special events to celebrate the Coronation of Charles III, including a Coronation Prom with the Central band of the Royal British Legion, a live screening of the Coronation service, people are invited to picnic in the precinct together for the Big Coronation Lunch on Sunday and later that day the Archbishop of Canterbury will describe his personal experience at the Coronation and his thoughts on crowning the new king in a unique In-Conversation event Reflections on the Coronation.

Full details are online here.

A specially written prayer for the Coronation here.

Ely Cathedral’s famous Octagon Tower will be lit red, white, and blue, and bunting will adorn the main entrance. A magnificent flower exhibit, in the shape of the Coronation emblem, will be on display as a tribute to the new King and Queen.

Ely will livestreaming the Coronation on a large screen, with free refreshments which will be followed by a Coronation Tea Party (Tickets must be booked) in the medieval Lady Chapel.

And there’s a special service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla which will include the National Anthem, Handel’s Zadok the Priest and Sir Hubert Parry’s, I was glad.

Newcastle Cathedral has a service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation of the King on Sunday at 2pm followed by a Coronation picnic which is part of the Big Lunch initiative. And BBC R4’s Sunday morning worship on the Coronation weekend will come from Newcastle in a special Coronation-themed service.

Around 20 floral displays depicting the six stages of the coronation ceremony and the role of the King, will adorn Ripon Cathedral. Ripon is live streaming the Coronation with free light refreshments, and activities for the children and the bell-ringers will Ring for the King before the Coronation and before a Coronation-themed Commemorative Service for the region on Sunday.

There are Coronation-themed Choral Evensongs in the run-up to the Coronation weekend and the chance to raise a glass at the Coronation Beer Festival on the Bank Holiday Monday in the Dean’s Garden.

Volunteers will feature over the weekend and Ripon is supporting the Big Help Out event on Monday too.

The Dean, The Very Revd John Dobson said:

“We are delighted to be playing our part in helping the region to celebrate the coronation. 

“Our spectacular floral displays will speak of the spiritual dimensions of monarchy, an institution which binds us together as a national community. 

“We pray for God’s blessing upon the King and the Queen and upon all the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,’ he added.

Salisbury Cathedral will be screening the Coronation and the Coronation Procession on the big screen in the Nave, and giant TV screens in the North and South Transepts. This will be followed by dancing on the West Front and lawns with music by the Swing Unlimited Big Band and the Alcock Sisters. There’s parent and toddler Crown Making,  a Selfie spot in the Cloisters and community bunting making in the week before the Coronation weekend.

The Coronation Robe will be on display in the St Lawrence Chapel at the Cathedral. The replica of the Queen’s Coronation robe is made from purple pampas grass, gilded dried foliage and ferns.

And to mark the Coronation, Salisbury has a special exhibition, Encounters with Kings. This features treasures from amongst the thousands of ancient books and documents held in the Cathedral’s Library and Archive that have connections to kings of the past and is on display in the medieval Cathedral Library from the week before.

More here.

St Albans will be bedecked in bunting as it prepares to live screen the Coronation in the nave from 10am followed by a bring your own lunch with a cash bar available. There will be cream teas and Pimms available. Evensong will be sung by the Cathedral choir at 5pm. Volunteers are invited to come along for the Big Help Out on Monday and lend a hand with litter picking, polishing and cleaning and find out more about volunteering at the Cathedral.

Southwell Minster is hosting an indoor street party with traditional maypole and country dancing, have a go harp sessions and games and stalls – plus they will be livestreaming the Coronation on big screen – further details here > https://www.southwellminster.org/kings-coronation

Winchester Cathedral will be transformed with greenery, shrubs and trees, a nod to King Charles III’s love for nature for the Coronation weekend. There will be a service of thanksgiving and celebration to mark the coronation of King Charles III with music from a 200-strong youth choir on Friday before the Coronation.

Winchester will livestream the Coronation and other events include a Saxon Kings and Saints Tours, children’s tours and there are even Coronation themed gifts in the Cathedral shop.

York Minster will mark the Coronation with worship, music, exhibitions and an event to recruit more volunteers as part of The Big Help Out.

The Dean of York, The Very Revd Dominic Barrington, Dean of York said:

“The Coronation of our new Monarch is a momentous and significant event in the life of the nation and the Commonwealth. I am sure that we will all celebrate the magnificent, dazzling and colourful pageantry of this immensely historic occasion. 

“However at the heart of the ceremony will be a man of deep religious faith, dedicating his life to duty and service and committing himself to the care of our Saviour Jesus Christ.  I think many people will be deeply moved by the religious ritual and symbolism of a unique service that the vast majority of us will be witnessing for the very first time.

“At York Minster there will be services and prayers for the King and for the Royal Family throughout the weekend. Our celebrations will include bell ringing, an invitation for people to visit the cathedral with family and friends and to picnic in the Minster’s gardens.  

“We will also be joining the Coronation’s national charity campaign, The Big Help Out where we hope to get people excited and interested in becoming a volunteer at York Minster.”

There are Coronation-themed services throughout the weekend and the bellringers will Ring for the King, with a quarter peel attempt. The Minster’s bells are the fourth heaviest ring of 12 in the world.  The team will ring a minimum of 1250 changes during the quarter peal attempt which will last around an hour.

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York will preach at a A Special Commemorative Service for the Coronation of King Charles III on the Sunday.

There will be a special volunteer day on Monday to mark the Big Help Out initiative and the bellringers will be back attempting a full peal!

And the Minster’s Majesty: Monarchy & York Minster exhibition has been specially updated for the Coronation. The exhibition traces the influence of the monarchy throughout York Minster’s history through items in the Minster’s collections.

Find out about more cathedral coronation events here.