Date set for bank holiday to mark King’s coronation

Britons will get an extra day off next year thanks to the King’s coronation.

Just was the case for the Queen‘s coronation back in 1953, a bank holiday will give people across the country an opportunity to come together to celebrate.

It will fall in all four nations of the UK on Monday 8 May, following the coronation on Saturday 6 May.

The coronation will be held at Westminster Abbey, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Tipped to be shorter and more modest than previous ceremonies, with some suggesting it will last an hour, it will see King Charles crowned alongside his wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort.

The palace has said the ceremony would “reflect the monarch’s role today and looks towards the future” while staying “rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry”.

By comparison, the Queen’s coronation on 2 June 1953 took three hours with a congregation of 8,000 dignitaries.

Rishi Sunak, already the King’s second PM since taking the throne in September, said: “The coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country.

“In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday for the whole United Kingdom next year.

“I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour.”