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The coronation of King Charles III is almost upon us, and it will see millions around the UK and the world celebrate.
May is also a bumper month for bank holidays, with an extra day off to celebrate the historic event.
So how will this affect services like the post? Here’s what we know.
When is the King’s coronation?
The King and Queen will be crowned in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May.
Here is the full timetable of events:
- 6am – viewing areas open along the procession route
- 7.15-8.30am – guests to Westminster Abbey begin to arrive at security checkpoints in Victoria Tower Gardens
- 9am – congregation to be seated inside the Abbey
- 9.30-10.45am – heads of state, overseas government representatives, Government ministers, First Ministers, former PMs, foreign royals and members of the Royal Family arrive
- 9.45am – the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry begin to gather ready for the procession from Buckingham Palace
- 10.20am – the King and Queen’s procession sets off from the Palace
- 10.53am – the King and Queen arrive at Westminster Abbey
- 11am – Charles and Camilla enter the Abbey through the Great West Door and the service begins
- 12pm – the King is crowned. The Archbishop of Canterbury places the St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head. The Queen is expected to be crowned subsequently. Trumpets will sound and gun salutes will be fired across the UK.
- 1pm – the service ends and the newly crowned King and Queen begin their coronation procession back to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach
- 1.33pm – Charles and Camilla are expected to enter Buckingham Palace through the Centre Arch
- 1.45pm – the King and Queen receive a royal salute from the military in the Palace gardens
- Around 2.15pm – the King, Queen and members of the Royal Family appear on the Palace balcony to watch the flypast
What are Post Office opening times?
On bank holiday Monday 8 May, the Royal Mail is closed for business. You will not get deliveries and nor will you be able to post anything.
On the day of the coronation, Saturday 6 May, some areas will see a disrupted service.
For security reasons, access in the EC4V, SE1 7, SE1 8, SW1, W1J, W1K, WC2N and WC2R postcode areas is restricted from 7pm on Friday 5 May until after the clear up on Saturday 6 May.
The Royal Mail customer service point at 9 Howick place, SW1P 1AA will also be closed on Saturday, 6 May.
The Post Office is always closed on a Sunday.
How many bank holidays are there in May 2023?
Thanks to the additional bank holiday for the King’s coronation, there are three bank holidays this May, rather than the traditional two.
The Government confirmed in November that the whole of the UK would get a day off to celebrate the crowning of Charles III on Monday 8 May, two days after the ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
In a statement, Rishi Sunak said the coronation of a new monarch was “a unique moment” for the country. He added: “In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday for the whole United Kingdom next year.
“I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour.”
There was also a bank holiday on Monday 1 May and an additional nationwide day off on Monday 29 May for the spring bank holiday.
This generally falls on the final Monday of May across the UK – however, last year it was moved to later in the week to sit alongside the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday and create a four-day weekend.
When are the other UK bank holidays in 2023?
Bank holiday dates vary slightly across the UK: England and Wales always have the same bank holidays, but Scotland and Northern Ireland have some of their own dates.
For example, Scotland’s summer bank holiday falls at the start of August, rather than the end of the month.
England and Wales bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Monday 28 August – summer bank holiday
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
Scotland bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Monday 7 August – summer bank holiday
- Thursday 30 November – St Andrew’s Day
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Wednesday 12 July – Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
- Monday 28 August – summer bank holiday
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
For the first time since 2019, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be marked with bank holidays on the correct days, after falling on the weekend for three years in a row.
The coronation of King Charles III
Here’s a full timetable of the coronation, including when Charles will actually be crowned, and details of the concert.
The ceremony has taken an astonishing amount of preparation, with Operation Golden Orb – decades in the planning – bringing in snipers and police officers from across the country to aid security. The coronation will also feature the biggest military procession in 70 years, no small feat of logistics, but still intends to be the most sustainable ever.
But the event has not been without controversy. The option for the public to pledge allegiance to the new monarch sparked resistance, including from i‘s own Stefano Hatfield, and the new King’s relationship with his second son will be under fierce scrutiny, with Jennie Bond blaming his emotional illiteracy for the breakdown of their relationship.
This week, The i Podcast looks at whether King Charles III could be the last monarch of a Commonwealth realm which was born from the British Empire and funded by the proceeds of slavery. Listen here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Acast | Wherever you listen
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