King Charles meets Commonwealth leaders before coronation

The King is said to be looking forward to his day of destiny after a busy schedule of final preparations in London on Friday.

He and the rest of the family all have an early start on Saturday morning and many of them were put through their paces on Friday as foreign royals, heads of state, and Commonwealth leaders descended on London ahead of what organisers hope will be the greatest show on Earth at Westminster Abbey tomorrow morning.

Betraying no nerves, the 74-year-old monarch went to a final rehearsal at the Abbey in the morning before joining other senior members of the Royal Family at a Buckingham Palace lunch for prime ministers and governors general of the 14 overseas realms, where he is also head of state.

In a surprise for the crowds gathered along the processional route, he and the Prince and Princess of Wales went for a joyful walkabout among those camped out in The Mall afterwards before King Charles went to meet leaders of the 56 Commonwealth nations at a reception in the grounds of the organisation’s headquarters, Marlborough House.

Charles and other working members of the Royal Family hosted a Buckingham Palace reception for foreign royals, presidents, and prime ministers in the early evening before he and Queen Camilla headed back to Clarence House to enjoy a quiet night at their London residence, where their house guests included Britain’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and his wife, Valerie.

In The Mall, the Princess of Wales told well-wishers that her father-in-law, as well as her children, were eagerly anticipating the day.

Asked by a reporter how the children were doing, she said: “They’re really well thank you. Excited, a bit nervous. Obviously with a big day ahead but they can’t wait actually.”

Kate said she and William were “all good. Hopefully like sort of swans, relatively calm on the outside and paddling on the inside” and the King was “looking forward to it as well”.

She added; “It’s nice to be out here and saying hello to everyone who has obviously stayed out for so long and will be overnight. Some people are staying out overnight.”

Wearing a white, belted Jenny Packham dress and £645 black stiletto Aquazzura high heels, Kate joined William, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Kent, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the lunch for 42.

Guests who gathered for a drinks reception in the Music Room and lunch in the Blue Drawing Room at the palace, included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, and prime minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins.

Two of the 14 realms, Jamaica and Belize, are threatening to replace the King with a president.

Later Charles, who is head of the Commonwealth, attended a Commonwealth leaders meeting and garden reception at Marlborough House.

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He posed with them for a commemorative family photograph, which included the leaders of new members, Togo and Gabon, attending their first leaders meeting.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the current chair of the Commonwealth, said: “We appreciate the King’s lifelong devotion to Commonwealth affairs, just as we remember the role of her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in giving the modern Commonwealth its shape and spirit.”

Some 100 heads of state will be in London for the Coronation, with international representatives from 203 countries due to attend.

At the palace last night, the King and other working members of the family but not Queen Camilla hosted one of the largest gatherings of foreign royals in London in recent years.

Guests included Queen Letizia of Spain, the King of Thailand, the Sultan of Brunei, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.

King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were also there along with King Phlippe and his daughter Princess Elisabeth of Belgium. They were joined by US First Lady Jill Biden, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and countless other guests.

Back at Clarence House last night the King and his Queen Consort were planning a quiet dinner. They had arranged for the Chief Rabbi, who stayed there to get around Jewish restrictions on using cars or public transport on the Sabbath, to be served kosher Coronation chicken.

“At every stage, the palace has been sensitive to the requirements of halacha (Jewish law) when considering how best to include us,” Sir Ephraim said.

“We are blessed to have a monarch who holds a deep, personal conviction that there is great strength in the diversity of our country and who cherishes his warm relationship with British Jews.

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