7,000 soldiers, sailors, and aviators, including 400 personnel from 40 Commonwealth countries and overseas territories and more than 300 from The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery mounted on horses, and 20 military bands have taken part in the historic event.
More than 1,000 picture-perfect military personnel lined the route between rain showers, from Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, taking in The Mall, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall.
The King’s Procession saw the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment escort Their Majesties from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation service.
Personnel from all regiments of the British Army and from across the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Commonwealth formed processional groups to lead Their Majesties back to Buckingham Palace after the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey.
Personnel from all regiments of the British Army and from across the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Commonwealth formed processional groups to lead Their Majesties back to Buckingham Palace after the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey.
Personnel from all regiments of the British Army and from across the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Commonwealth formed processional groups to lead Their Majesties back to Buckingham Palace after the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey.
At saluting stations around the UK and overseas territories, at 12:01pm, the moment the St Edward’s Crown was placed on The King’s Head, 21 gun salutes were fired with nearly 1,000 personnel involved in the gun salutes alone. On Horse Guards Parade, a six-gun salvo was fired by King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The Tower of London saw a 62-gun salute fired by A Battery, Honourable Artillery Company. Read our story on Royal Gun Salutes to find out who was firing guns and where they were firing
The 1.42-mile-long Coronation Procession steps off with eight processional groups including troops from the Commonwealth, Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force leading the Gold State Coach carrying Their Majesties back to the Palace, where troops gave a Royal Salute to the newly crowned King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The proximity of each military cohort to the Gold State Coach relates to its seniority. Closest to the Gold State Coach was The Household Division, next closest was the Royal Navy cohort, followed by the Army cohort and the Royal Air Force. The Army contingent saw regiments and corps parade in accordance with the British Army’s Order of Precedence.
A sea of colour shimmered as thousands of personnel marched in time, showing off the full range of historic uniforms, whose designs in many cases are hundreds of years old. The Army contingent made up the lion’s share of ceremonial troops with about 4,000 in the procession.
The Royal Armoured Corps led the main Army contingent followed by the other Corps and Infantry, accompanied by British Army bands. Read our story on the Procession to find out more.
The Commonwealth contingent, with the Massed Pipes and Drums provided musical accompaniment, flanked by 110 Flag Bearers.
The parading members of the Armed Forces formed up on the lawn of Buckingham Palace where they saluted their newly anointed King and Queen.
