King Charles III swears Coronation Oath

LONDON, May 5 (MENA) - King Charles II has sworn the Coronation Oath before praying at the High Altar in Westminster Abbey for his historic crowning ceremony, according to Sky News.

Around 100 heads of state, kings, and queens from across the globe, celebrities, everyday heroes and family and friends of the King and Queen Consort are among over 2,000 guests in the abbey.

Before the ceremony began at Westminster Abbey at around 11am, thousands of wellwishers clapped and cheered along The Mall as the royal couple left Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.

The monarch and Queen Consort smiled and waved at those who gathered near the palace - with many having camped overnight with the hope of securing a perfect spot to view the monarch.

The King was wearing a deep scarlet robe which was previously worn by his grandfather, King George VI.

The procession began at around 10:20am and took around 30 minutes to arrive at Westminster Abbey.

The service started at 11am and invited guests include David and Victoria Beckham, French President Emmanuel Macron, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, who do not have formal roles in the ceremony, have been sat in the third row for the coronation.

Actress Dame Emma Thompson, musicians Lionel Richie and Nick Cave, and a cheery-looking Ant and Dec were among the first celebrities who arrived.

British actor Stephen Fry, musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber and the US First Lady Jill Biden are also in attendance.

However, President Biden himself is not attending.

The ceremony is taking place after Waterloo Station started buzzing into life shortly after 5am as thousands of members of the public descended on the capital with hats, dresses, flags and even clothes for dogs emblazoned with Union Flags.

Those arriving weren't quite as keen as the hundreds of royal fans who camped out in The Mall near Buckingham Palace overnight.

During the coronation ceremony, the St Edward's Crown, which dates back to 1661, will be placed on the monarch's head as cries of "God Save The King" will ring out around the abbey and his wife will become Queen Camilla.

The crowned couple will then ride in the four-tonne Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace in a mile-long procession featuring 4,000 ceremonial troops.

The event is the military's largest ceremonial operation since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, with 9,000 servicemen and women deployed.