Upholding a tradition that began with William the Conqueror in AD1066,King Charles III will be the 40th monarch crowned at Westminster Abbey. After the big day,new “barefoot” tours are being launched,allowing visitors to shuffle across the exact coronation spot in their socks. The restored medieval mosaic floor,known as the Cosmati pavement,will have the 700-year-old oak Coronation Chair placed on it during the ceremony for His Majesty and Queen Consort Camilla. Expect to hear intriguing royal (and non-royal) yarns from the guides at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed abbey,one of a cluster of coronation pilgrimage sites in London.
Seewestminster-abbey.org andbritishpilgrimage.org
Tower Of London
Regalia donned by the King at the coronation - including the ruby-and-sapphire-studded St Edward’s Crown - will be drawn from the Crown Jewels,which are usually safely stored and on display at the Tower of London. Perched by the River Thames,this UNESCO-rated royal fortress,palace and one-time prison has other treasure-packed galleries,raven-dotted courtyards and a new wildflower garden,planted in the moat ahead of the Platinum Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Let the tower’s flamboyantly-dressed Yeoman Warders,nicknamed “Beefeaters”,show you around.
Seehrp.org.uk/tower-of-london
St Paul’s Cathedral
Rebuilt in Baroque-inspired style by Sir Christopher Wren after the 1666 Great Fire of London,St Paul’s Cathedral has staged numerous royal celebrations,including a service for Queen Victoria’s 1897 Diamond Jubilee,and the wedding of the then-Prince Charles and Diana Spencer in 1981. Last September,the national anthem,God Save the King,rang around the cathedral for the first time in seven decades after Charles III ascended the throne following his mother’s death. Attend a service here or soak up the building’s history and splendour on a (guided or self-guided) tour,then scale its huge dome for spectacular London views.
Seestpauls.co.uk