King Charles calls for ‘diverse and inclusive’ Coronation

A spectacular concert encapsulating King Charles III’s vision for a 21st Century monarchy lies at the heart of a Coronation that will ‘light up’ Britain, Palace officials revealed last night.

British rock and pop icons will perform alongside a choir of refugees, NHS staff and LGBTQ+ singers in a strikingly diverse event at Windsor Castle the day after the Coronation at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.

A dazzling display will shine on iconic national landmarks in a ‘centrepiece’ moment of the concert on May 7. The ‘Lighting Up The Nation’ display will feature ‘projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations’ beamed on to buildings across the UK.

Thousands of tickets for the concert, which will be produced by BBC Studios and broadcast on BBC One, will be available via a public ballot as Buckingham Palace this weekend unveiled the first glimpse of plans for a Coronation weekend that is set to grip the nation.

There are plans to light up buildings across the nation in patriotic colours to celebrate the event

A host of stars – including ‘some of the world’s biggest entertainers’ – will perform with an orchestra and the massed bands of the Household Division. Top Hollywood and theatre actors will also perform spoken-word recitals.

It emerged last night that the King’s desire for the Coronation to be ‘inclusive’ will lead to the creation of The Coronation Choir, which will also perform during the concert. It is described as ‘a diverse group created from the nation’s keenest community choirs’ such as refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. It will be joined digitally by a ‘virtual choir’ of singers from around the Commonwealth.

A Palace source said: ‘The Coronation will be rooted in tradition and pageantry with a solemn religious service as its core, while reflecting the modern, diverse Britain of today.

‘The highlights are intended to be as engaging as possible for the widest audience possible . . . With the illuminations spectacle as part of the programme, the hope is that it will help light up Britain after some tough years.’

King Charles, pictured during the Queen’s Platinum Party, is said to want a party that celebrates the nation’s diverse nature

Royal historian Hugo Vickers said: ‘Windsor Castle has been a bit sad recently because the Queen was there so much from March 2020 . . . It has been a bit forlorn and it’s good to know that it’s going to be coming back into its own.’ Royal author Sally Bedell Smith added: ‘I think it is a perfect reflection of how [King Charles] wants to adapt the Coronation celebration to the 21st Century.’

The celebrations begin on May 6 with The King’s Procession, where the King and Queen Consort will travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach. After their crowning, they will return to the Palace and appear on the balcony with other working members of the Royal Family.

On May 7, as well as the concert, The Big Lunch charity will encourage street parties and picnics around the country. The following day there will be The Big Help Out – celebrating volunteering groups. Historian Lord Roberts of Belgravia said: ‘King Charles has always tried to blend the traditional with the modern.’