Coronation procession route and the best spots to watch the King and Queen

The King and Queen Consort will travel the same route in a procession before and after the coronation on 6 May – with two key differences.

On the return journey, they will use the 260-year-old Gold State Coach rather than a newer, air-conditioned model.

And by the time the afternoon procession sets off, Camilla will be known as the Queen.

What route is the procession taking?

On the way to Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace, the procession will travel down The Mall via Admiralty Arch.

It will then take the south side of Trafalgar Square and go along Whitehall and Parliament Street, take the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary, before arriving at the Abbey.

The 1.3 mile route is a tried and tested one, having been used for many royal occasions.

Where are the best viewing spots?

Viewing areas will be set up on both sides of the coronation route in central London.

The areas will open at 6am on the day of the coronation and people are asked not to arrive before then.

Capacity at the viewing areas will be limited and once they are full they will be closed. Large crowds and queues to enter the viewing areas are expected.

If the viewing area you intend to visit is full when you arrive, you will be directed to one of the other viewing areas or a screening site.

There will not be big screens along the procession route, so people wanting to watch a broadcast of the ceremony are advised to instead attend one of the screening sites.

After the coronation procession has passed down The Mall following the ceremony, the route will be opened to allow people to move onto the road.

People will be able to walk down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace to watch the balcony appearance.

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How long does the procession take and what time is it?

The processions will last for about 30 minutes.

The first procession – known as the King’s procession – will start at about 10.20am in time for the ceremony to begin at Westminster Abbey at 11am.

The ceremony will finish at 1pm and the return procession – the coronation procession – is expected to arrive at Buckingham Palace at 1.30pm.

The second procession will be a larger ceremonial procession, but the route will be the same.

What will be available at the viewing areas and what should I bring?

There will be first aid points, water refill stations, toilets and welfare points at the viewing areas.

There will also be and food and drink kiosks along the procession route.

As the day will involve a lot of standing and being exposed to the elements, wear comfortable shoes and bring a raincoat or sunscreen depending on the weather.

People have been told not to bring stools or folding chairs to the procession route viewing areas.

I’ve got accessibility requirements – where can I watch the procession?

Access to accessible viewing points will operate on a first come first served basis and space will be limited.

People using the accessible area can have a carer or companion with them.

The accessible viewing area for the procession will be on the north side of the Mall, close to Trafalgar Square.

At the Green Park and St James’s Park screening sites, both accessible areas are close to the main screen.

The accessible areas will have viewing points at ground level, suitable for wheelchair users and people with mobility issues.

There will be British Sign Language interpreters and a hearing loop for people using hearing aids.

There will also be accessible toilets and Changing Places toilets and assistance dog facilities.

The viewing areas and screening sites also have quiet spaces which people can use if they feel overwhelmed or need some time out.

The quiet spaces will have soft seating and ear defenders will be available.

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What’s the best way to travel to procession viewing areas?

There will be diversions and road closures, so the best station for accessing viewing areas may not be the one you would normally use.

For viewing areas along The Mall, use Waterloo, Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus or Green Park stations.

For Whitehall viewing areas, use Embankment, Westminster or Charing Cross.

What happens after the final procession?

The newly crowned King and Queen receive a salute from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces in the Buckingham Palace Gardens at the end of the procession.

They will then appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony with other members of the royal family for a ceremonial flypast.

How will this procession be different from the last coronation?

The late Queen’s outward procession was 1.6 miles long but her return procession was five miles, taking her down Piccadilly, along Oxford Street and Regent Street and Haymarket.

It took two hours to complete, featured 16,000 participants and was designed to allow her to be seen by as many people as possible.

She travelled in both directions in the Gold State Coach, famously describing the bumpy ride as “horrible”.

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