THE upcoming Coronation of King Charles will be packed with foreign leaders and dignitaries.
The king and soon-to-be Queen Camilla will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6 amid what is set to be an extravagant three-day celebration.
The guest list remains unconfirmed, but it has been revealed that the United States president will not be among them.
According to the British press, Joe Biden will not attend the event on May 6 in London due to other commitments.
No United States president has ever attended the coronation of a British monarch. According to the Telegraph, Biden plans to send a representative to the event, either his wife Jill Biden or vice-president Kamala Harris.
At the king’s request, the event has been scaled back; although his mother welcomed over 8000 visitors during her coronation in 1953, only 2,200 will be invited to witness his ceremony in person.
France, Spain, Ireland, Japan, and Monaco are also likely to send their heads of state.
As heirs to the throne, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis will take pride of place at the official crowning ceremony.
Royal expert Tessa Dunlop told The Mirror it is likely Prince William will be the only one to follow the tradition of “touching the crown and kissing the monarch's right cheek”.
Prince George, who is now second in line to the British throne, is said to be taking on a special role too. It is expected the family will attend dressed in custom-made outfits and will march behind the King and Queen in the royal procession.
However, Prince Harry, the king's second son, has yet to confirm his participation at the event. The coronation coincides with his son Archie's fourth birthday.
Other royals attending include Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall.
Camilla's family, including her two daughters and grandkids, is expected to get royal treatment as well.
It is unclear if the king's brother, the disgraced Prince Andrew, would attend after stepping down as a working royal in 2020 due to negative news surrounding his relationship with convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.
Many celebrities, including those who took part in Queen Elizabeth's jubilee festivities, are also expected to appear. David and Victoria Beckham have a lengthy history with the royal family, attending both Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings.
Sandra Oh, who attended the Queen's funeral as part of the Canadian delegation, is expected to be asked to the coronation again in a similar position.
Meanwhile, British adventurer Bear Grylls, who received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) from the Queen in 2019 and attended her funeral, is expected to attend. – The Vibes, April 3, 2023
