Coronation – live: King Charles’s portrait unveiled as Prince Louis pictured at first royal engagement

The first official portrait of King Charles following his coronation has been unveiled.

Buckingham Palace tweeted the photo, in which the monarch poses with his crown and sceptre, after three days of celebrations to mark the event drew to a close.

It came after a number of royals took part in The Big Help Out on Bank Holiday Monday, a day of volunteering aimed at bringing communities together and creating a lasting volunteering legacy from the coronation weekend.

Prince Louis attended his first official royal engagement, joining his family as they helped renovate a Scout Hut near to their Windsor home.

Last night, his father Prince William made a poignant speech in honour of his father Charles at a glittering coronation concert held at Windsor Castle.

The newly crowned King Charles and Queen Camilla joined around 20,000 members of the public at the concert in Windsor where, along with other family members, they enjoyed performances by Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

Coronation news – latest updates

• Prince Louis gets stuck in on first royal engagement

• ‘A bizarre musical confection’: Our review of the coronation concert

• Princess Charlotte stuns in whimsical coronation concert dress

• ‘Pa, we are all so proud of you’: Prince William’s touching speech to father at coronation concert in full

• Coronation concert: Stars’ best fashion moments

King Charles’s first official portrait after coronation unveiled

Monday 8 May 2023 17:53 , Sam Rkaina

Buckingham Palace has shared the first official portrait of the King marking his coronation.

The image, by Hugo Burnand, showed the monarch seated in his full regalia – wearing the Imperial State Crown, holding the Orb and Sceptre with Cross, and dressed in his regal purple tunic and Robe of Estate.

The King and Queen also pledged to rededicate their lives to service as Charles called the nation’s support throughout the historic celebrations “the greatest possible coronation gift”.

As the weekend of festivities came to a close, Charles issued a special written coronation message, saying: “We thank you, each and every one.”

Traditional official portraits marking the crowning of Charles III and Queen Camilla were released to round off the monarchy’s landmark occasion.

Among them, the King was captured in his full regalia – wearing the Imperial State Crown, holding the Orb and Sceptre with Cross, and dressed in his regal purple tunic and Robe of Estate, seated on a Throne Chair in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.

Camilla was pictured alongside the King, and also in a solo portrait, wearing Queen Mary’s Crown, with the train of her lengthy embroidered Robe of Estate spread in front of her.

Queen Camilla appears to comfort Princess Charlotte after she stumbles while curtsying to King Charles

08:45 , Peony Hirwani

Queen Camilla offered Princess Charlotte a comforting gesture after the eight year old stumbled while curtsying to King Charles III.

On Sunday 7 May, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the coronation concert for the newly crowned King and Queen along with their two eldest children, Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, eight.

Ahead of the star-studded concert, William, Kate and their children greeted the King and Queen with curtsies and bows as the monarch and his wife made their way to their front row seats in the royal box next to the Waleses.

Read more:

Queen Camilla appears to comfort Princess Charlotte after curtsy stumble

Prince Louis digs in to help out as King thanks Britain for coronation parties

08:05 , Peony Hirwani

Prince Louis took control of a digger as royals joined the Big Help Out day of volunteering on Monday, while his grandfather the King issued “sincere and heartfelt thanks” to the nation for the coronation festivities.

The young royal joined Prince George and Princess Charlotte in helping renovate a Scout hut site in Slough, Berkshire, under the watchful eye of their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Read more:

Prince Louis digs in to help out as King thanks Britain for coronation parties

Briton’s share memories of the Queen’s coronation as King Charles III officially ascends the throne

07:25 , Peony Hirwani

As King Charles III officially ascends the throne today, Britons have been remembering the atmosphere on the coronation day of Queen Elizabeth II 70 years ago.

Natalie Thomas writes.

King Charles III’s coronation stirs memories of the Queen’s 70 years ago

Princess of Wales reveals her nickname for Prince Louis

06:45 , Peony Hirwani

British line of succession 2023: Who is next heir to the throne?

06:00 , Emily Atkinson

King Charles III and Queen Camilla have been officially crowned in their coronation.

His Majesty ascended the throne last September after the death of his mother.

When Queen Elizabeth II died last September, Britain bid goodbye to its longest-reigning monarch.

In Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne, the British line of succession has seen many changes.

The royal line of succession has decided who will be the next king or queen of Great Britain for hundreds of years, and now with new generation of royals, there is a now long list of people who could be our next monarch.

From Prince William to Princess Eugenie and everyone in between, Furvah Shah runs through everyone in line for the British throne:

British line of succession 2023: Who is next heir to the throne?

Watch | Coronation concert: All the best jibes at the King

05:00 , Emily Atkinson

Harry and Meghan’s friend shares Archie birthday post as King and Queen crowned

04:00 , Emily Atkinson

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s friend and photographer Misan Harriman has wished the couple’s son Prince Archie a happy birthday with a poignant photo of the child touching a portrait of his late grandmother, Princess Diana.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son celebrates his fourth birthday on 6 May, which happens to be the same day as King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation.

The timing of the two events meant that Prince Harry made a brief solo trip to the UK to attend his father’s coronation, while Meghan remained in California with the couple’s two children, Archie and Princess Lilibet, one.

Chelsea Ritschel has more:

Harry and Meghan’s friend shares Archie birthday post

Briton’s share memories of the Queen’s coronation as King Charles III officially ascends the throne

03:00 , Emily Atkinson

Pamela Tawse was 18 and still in her nurse’s uniform and cap when she made her way to central London after her night shift, eager to catch a glimpse of the new Queen Elizabeth on the day of her coronation.

It was the huge crescendo of noise she remembers today, aged 88, twinkling in delight as she thinks back to a time when Britain, still enduring rationing eight years after the end of the Second World War, turned out in force to see the opulence and glamour of the start of a historic reign.

“We climbed over the barricades and the crowds were really deep,” Tawse recounted.

Read on here:

King Charles III’s coronation stirs memories of the Queen’s 70 years ago

Watch | Cameras forced to cut away during coronation concert blunder

02:00 , Emily Atkinson

Multimillion-pound coronation ‘a slap in the face’

01:00 , Emily Atkinson

The King’s coronation is set to cost many millions – and it falls to taxpayers to foot the bill.

But with no budget revealed for the historic national state occasion, and the government not commenting on the expected total cost, the amount of public funds due to be spent remains unknown.

Some predictions suggest Operation Golden Orb – the crowning of Charles III and the Queen Consort – could cost the nation between £50-100m.

Lauren Elston reports:

How much was spent on the King’s coronation?

Watch | Prince Louis tries archery while on first royal engagement

Tuesday 9 May 2023 00:00 , Emily Atkinson

Coronation champion nurse reflects on ‘electric’ Windsor concert

Monday 8 May 2023 23:00 , Emily Atkinson

A nurse who was invited to the “electric” Coronation Concert as a coronation champion has spoken fondly of how everyone was “singing along” and cheering for the Prince of Wales when he gave his speech for the King.

Michelle Beaver, 51, and her husband Peter, 55, travelled from Liverpool to Windsor to attend Sunday’s concert, donning red T-shirts adorned with the words Queen and King respectively, and holding flags given to them by volunteers.

More on this story here:

Coronation champion nurse reflects on ‘electric’ Windsor concert

Fans joke Prince Louis learns antics from father after William waves flag in front of Prince George’s face

Monday 8 May 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson

Royal fans have joked that Prince Louis learns his “antics” from his father Prince William after the Prince of Wales was seen waving a Union Jack flag in front of his son Prince George’s face during the coronation concert.

On Sunday 7 May, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their two eldest children, Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, eight, joined the newly crowned King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the first row of the royal box for the star-studded concert on the lawn of Windsor Castle.

Chelsea Ritschel has the details:

Fans think this is proof Prince Louis learns amusing antics from Prince William

The sweet moment Prince Louis reaches for Princess of Wales’s hand during first royal engagement

Monday 8 May 2023 21:39 , Sam Rkaina

Prince Louis embarked on his first-ever royal engagement while volunteering for the Big Help Out initiative on Monday -- with a little help from his mother.

The Prince and Princess of Wales delighted volunteers at the 3rd Upton Scout Group in Slough on 8 May, when they brought along their three children to renovate a Scout hut as part of the Big Help Out – a special bank holiday set aside for volunteering in honour of King Charles III’s coronation.

The family outing marked Prince Louis’ first-ever royal engagement. The five-year-old got his hands dirty shovelling, painting, and eating s’mores.

Click here for the full story.

Watch | King Charles III and Queen Camilla appear on American Idol during coronation concert

Monday 8 May 2023 21:30 , Emily Atkinson

Kate reacts to Prince William’s ‘goofy’ dad joke during coronation concert speech

Monday 8 May 2023 21:00 , Emily Atkinson

Kate Middleton couldn’t help but laugh after her husband the Prince of Wales made the ultimate dad joke during his coronation concert speech.

On Sunday (7 May), an extravagant concert was held on the grounds of Windsor Castle in celebration of King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation. The star-studded lineup of performers included Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Take That, and Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

Taking to the stage in front of 20,000 people at Windsor Castle’s East Lawn, Prince William made a touching tribute to his father and praised his dedication to the crown, as well as his environmental and charity work.

Meredith Clark reports:

Kate reacts to Prince William’s ‘goofy’ dad joke during coronation concert speech

Duke of Edinburgh admits he was concerned Miss Piggy would crash royal box

Monday 8 May 2023 20:30 , Emily Atkinson

The Duke of Edinburgh admitted he was concerned about the royal box being crashed by Miss Piggy during the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.

The duke aired his concern about the amorous Muppet as he and the Duchess of Edinburgh spoke to puppy raisers at a Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Training Centre.

Although Miss Piggy did not end up joining the royal box during the concert, Kermit the Frog could be seen waving and dancing in front of the duke.

Speaking at a charity event in Reading, the duke said: “Everybody in the royal box was nervous when Miss Piggy would turn up.

“There was an empty seat just behind me and we didn’t know who it was for.

“We suddenly thought it could be her and once we started that rumour, everyone around us was very nervous.”

Speaking about how the coronation ceremony went on Saturday, Edward said: “It all went very well and even if it was shorter than the last one, I don’t think anyone could have possibly spotted anything that was missing.”

Labour under pressure to say whether it would ditch ‘chilling’ protest law after coronation arrests

Monday 8 May 2023 20:20 , Sam Rkaina

Labour is under pressure to say whether it would scrap the Tories’ new anti-protest law – accused by other opposition parties of being “spineless” in the face of the “chilling” crackdown.

The Public Order Act has been thrust into the headlines after the arrest of republican campaigners before King Charles III’s coronation sparked widespread outrage.

Labour frontbencher Andrew Gwynne said on Monday that a Labour government would “look very carefully at this legislation” – arguing that “we need to see how it’s working”.

Click here for the full story.

Queen Camilla appears to comfort Princess Charlotte after she stumbles while curtsying to King Charles

Monday 8 May 2023 20:10 , Sam Rkaina

Queen Camilla offered Princess Charlotte a comforting gesture after the eight year old stumbled while curtsying to King Charles III.

On Sunday 7 May, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the coronation concert for the newly crowned King and Queen along with their two eldest children, Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, eight.

Ahead of the star-studded concert, William, Kate and their children greeted the King and Queen with curtsies and bows as the monarch and his wife made their way to their front row seats in the royal box next to the Waleses.

Click here for the full story.

Watch | Lip reader reveals what sweet Prince Louis was really shouting from coronation carriage

Monday 8 May 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines says King Charles as head of state is ‘absurd’

Monday 8 May 2023 19:38 , Sam Rkaina

The prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines said having King Charles III as head of state is “an absurdity”.

Ralph Gonsalves said he wanted to see the Caribbean country severed from the British monarchy within his lifetime, adding he would welcome an apology from the UK state for past injustices relating to slavery.

“It’s something that I’m hoping to see consummated, the severing of the umbilical cord between our country and the British monarch,” he told BBC Radio 4’s the World At One programme.

Click here for the full story.

Voices | In favour of abolishing the monarchy? History says it’s a bad idea

Monday 8 May 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

In most examples of the abolition of monarchies in major countries, their demise was followed by a strengthening of the right and the erosion of democracy, justice, equality and liberty, warns David Keys.

Opinion: Abolishing the monarchy? History says it’s a bad idea

Rishi Sunak backs Met Police amid criticism of ‘bid to disrupt protest’ during coronation

Monday 8 May 2023 19:28 , Sam Rkaina

Archbishop of Canterbury joins Big Help Out wearing Bon Jovi apron

Monday 8 May 2023 19:00 , Emily Atkinson

The Archbishop of Canterbury donned a denim Bon Jovi apron as he served lunch at a homeless charity as part of the Big Help Out.

Just two days after crowning the King, Justin Welby protected his clerical collar with the pinny which featured the rockers’ winged emblem as he lent a hand at Catching Lives in Canterbury.

Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop’s office, said it was delighted with the “enthusiasm and support” for the King and Queen’s “joyful and inspiring” coronation service.

The Archbishop, who is patron of the charity, was joined by his wife, Caroline, as he handed over plates of cottage pie while working in the kitchen during the national volunteering drive on Monday at the end of the coronation weekend.

A Lambeth Palace spokesperson said: “We are delighted with the enthusiasm and support for King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation - at Westminster Abbey, up and down the country and around the world - as we marked this historic moment in our national life.

“We give thanks for a beautiful service that was both sacred and solemn, joyful and inspiring, and suffused with the love of God.”

The spokesperson added that the archbishop and bishops “loved” spending time with communities at the Big Lunch and the Big Help Out, with the events inspired by the coronation’s themes of unity and loving service.

Watch | Prince William cracks dad joke during coronation concert speech

Monday 8 May 2023 18:30 , Emily Atkinson

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty surprise volunteers at lunch club

Monday 8 May 2023 17:50 , Emily Atkinson

Diners at a local lunch club in Hertfordshire have said they feel “really fortunate” after a surprise visit by the prime minister as part of the Big Help Out.

Local residents, most of them elderly, were served lamb casserole and wine by “very special guests” Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, in the dining room of Mill End Community Centre in Rickmansworth.

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) runs a lunch club at the centre from Monday to Friday, predominantly for people in the community who are removed from family networks.

Mr Sunak and Ms Murty chopped parsnips and strawberries in the kitchen in black aprons before joining the room in a toast which ended in the group saying “long live the King” and giving three cheers.

The local councils that spent the most money on the King’s Coronation

Monday 8 May 2023 17:20 , Emily Atkinson

Local councils across the UK are set to spend more than £3.8 million of their own money on coronation events with research suggesting that some spent tens of thousands of pounds on events over the bank holiday weekend.

The findings from openDemocracy come amid the cost-of-living crisis, which has seen councils warned that they will need to find an extra £2.4bn this year to cover energy price rises and inflationary cost pressures.

My colleague Martha McHardy takes a look at the Bank Holiday’s biggest spenders:

How much did my council spend on the coronation?

Fans thank Princess Eugenie for including photos of Prince Harry in her coronation round-up

Monday 8 May 2023 16:50 , Emily Atkinson

Princess Eugenie has been praised for including photographs of the Duke of Sussex attending the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in her social media post about the big day.

Eugenie, the younger daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, was at the coronation on Saturday (6 May) with her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

The heavily pregnant princess was also seen entering Westminster Abbey with her cousin Prince Harry, who attended his father’s crowning without his wife, Meghan Markle.

Kate Ng reports:

Fans thank Eugenie for including photos of Harry in her coronation round-up

Ed Sheeran reveals he never ‘turned down’ performing at the King’s coronation concert

Monday 8 May 2023 16:20 , Emily Atkinson

Ed Sheeran has insisted he never ‘turned down’ performing at the coronation concert - but simply wasn’t asked.

Media reports over the last few weeks suggested the singer had snubbed the royal affair, but appeared on SiriusXM over the bank holiday weekend to clear things up.

“I assume if they went online and went ‘what’s Ed doing on May 6’ they would go ‘oh he’s playing in Dallas’ so I think that’s what’s happened”, he said.

“I never ever turned it down. I wasn’t asked but yeah, I am excited to tune into that. Historic, isn’t it?”

Sophie Thompson has more:

Ed Sheeran reveals he never ‘turned down’ performing at the King’s coronation concert