Is it legal to camp on The Mall ahead of King Charles’ coronation?
CORONATION fever has hit the nation – with royal fans camping out on The Mall.
But what do the rules say about camping in the area, and is it legal?
Is it legal to camp on The Mall?
There are no rules in place against camping on The Mall.
Royal fanatics want the best spot to witness historic occasions such as weddings, funerals and, coronations – so camping along the procession route has become tradition.
People have camped out for events such as the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, and the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Queen’s funeral had a no-tents rule on The Mall, but royal fans ignored orders and camped anyway.
Am I allowed to go to watch the coronation?
You can watch the coronation processions in person at viewing areas in London.
There are also screening sites in Hyde Park, Green Park or St James’s Park, where the day’s events will be shown on large screens.
The viewing areas will be open from 6am on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
People are urged not to arrive before 6am.
Large crowds and queues are expected to enter the viewing areas, and once the capacity is full they will be closed.
To keep everyone safe, security measures are in place at all sites which means you or your bag may be searched before you can enter.
If you leave a viewing area at any time, re-entry cannot be guaranteed.
For more information on the viewing sites, visit the Gov website.
When is the procession?
Unlike the late Queen at her coronation, the King and Queen Consort will take a much shorter route of 1.3 miles to Westminster Abbey.
The King’s Procession will last about 30 minutes and will start at 10.20am, in time for the ceremony to begin at the Abbey at 11am.
The service will finish at 1pm with the newly crowned King and Queen returning to Buckingham Palace in the Coronation Procession.
They are expected to arrive at around 1.30pm.
An RAF flypast, including Red Arrows and other aircraft, is due to take place at 2.30pm.