King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. Courtesy BBC.

Updated May 8

The new program page The Coronation of King Charles III brings hours of coverage in four unique BBC episodes. Stream the documentary Charles R: The Making of a Monarch; 90 minutes of highlights of his coronation day; the star-studded concert from Windsor Palace; plus Sing for the King, a behind-the-scenes documentary about the concert’s community choir, made up of 300 singers.

THIRTEEN will bring tri-state viewers 90 minutes of highlights of celebrations surrounding King Charles III’s coronation in a BBC broadcast, The Coronation: A Day to Remember, Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m. An English monarch has been crowned roughly “40 times a millennium” and we’re pleased to present the best moments from the historic occasion.

On Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m., The Coronation Concert is a live broadcast featuring some American surprises: Lionel Richie and Katy Perry headline the concert showcasing Great Britain’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theater, and dance. Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) hosts the concert, which takes place on the grounds of Windsor Castle, before an expected audience of 20,000! See previews about the stage and talent, below.

The coronation day of King Charles III will be full of symbols and re-enactments of traditions that date back more than 1,000 years. The celebration includes a pageantry-filled procession through London’s streets, from Buckingham Palace to the coronation in Westminster Abbey and back again. According to the BBC, “In a break from tradition, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will be in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach rather than the older, more uncomfortable, Gold State Coach” on the way to the coronation. However on the return to the palace along the same route, King Charles and Queen Camilla will use the 260-year-old Gold State Coach that has been used for every coronation since William IV’s in 1831.

King Charles III procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. Courtesy BBC.

King Charles III became King of the United Kingdom the moment his mother, Queen Elizabeth, died on September 8, 2022 at age 96. The ceremonial crowning of King Charles – the coronation in Westminster Abbey – will mark the 40th time a reigning monarch has been crowned in Westminster since 1066. The Anglican church Westminster Abbey was specifically built for monarch’s coronations, funerals, and burials. The last coronation – Queen Elizabeth’s – took place in 1953. Below, British royal history expert Lucy Worsley describes how the coronation portrait of Queen Elizabeth was staged.

From its London studio, Amanpour and Company will provide historic context the latest news about the coronation events during its Friday, May 5 broadcast and livestream (thirteen.org/live) at 11 p.m.

The Coronation Concert: Sunday, May 7 at 3pm

The featured American singers at King Charles III’s Coronation Concert might come as a surprise, but they do have a working relationship with the king, dating back to his days as Prince Charles. Singer-songwriter Lionel Richie is a global ambassador of The Prince’s Trust, which King Charles III founded to serve youth around the world. Katy Perry is an ambassador of The British Asian Trust, which King Charles co-founded in 2020 to help stop child-trafficking, among other issues. Other singers said to be on the setlist for the live concert include Andrea Bocelli, members of Take That (minus Robbie Williams), Welsh bass-baritone Sir Brynn Terfel, English singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and many more. Host Hugh Bonneville will welcome some non-singer talents as well.

Sneak Peek of Coronation Concert Stage

The covered stage is on the grounds of Windsor Palace. It has multiple platforms coming off it, and also has levels to accommodate the 74-piece classical orchestra which will be playing during the live Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7.