In the early hours of Wednesday morning, hundreds of soldiers marched from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey as part of a rehearsal for King Charles III’s coronation ceremony on Saturday.
The 260-year-old Gold State Coach, which will carry the newly-crowned king and Queen Camilla on their return from Westminster Abbey, was pulled along The Mall, the broad, tree-lined avenue that leads straight to Buckingham Palace, for eager royal fans who have camped out ahead of Saturday’s event.
Members of Britain’s army, navy and air force marched along the route that the royal procession will follow to and from the coronation ceremony.
Buckingham Palace was illuminated as members of the Royal Foot Guards, who guard the king’s residence, formed a line outside the palace gates.
As part of the coronation preparations, images of the royal family have been projected onto London’s ancient Westminster Abbey, where the king will be crowned, and the Elizabeth Tower of the Houses of Parliament, which houses Big Ben.
A man caused a security scare and was arrested outside Buckingham Palace just hours before the rehearsal by throwing suspected shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds. The incident was determined to be unrelated to terrorism, and the rehearsal proceeded as planned.
