King Charles's complete Coronation guest list

King Charles’s Coronation guest list: More than 2,000 attend ceremony at Westminster Abbey

From foreign royals to charity leaders, the invitees to reflected a modern and multicultural Britain

Coronation
Over 2,000 guests attended King Charles's Coronation at Westminster Abbey

More than 2,200 people were invited to the Coronation of King Charles.

The final guest list included members of the Royal family, representatives from 203 countries and approximately 100 heads of state.

Dame Emma Thompson, Katy Perry and Ant and Dec were among the first celebrities to arrive in Westminster Abbey.

They were joined by other famous guests including Lionel Richie, Dame Judi Dench and Nick Cave.

Ms Perry, who is performing at Sunday's Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, was seen chatting to British Vogue's editor-in-chief Edward Enninful and wearing a pale pink suit with a matching hat and opera gloves.

Mr Enninful is a global ambassador of the King’s longtime charity and a friend of the Duchess of Sussex.

Katy Perry attended the ceremony at Westminster Abbey
Katy Perry attending the ceremony at Westminster Abbey Credit: POOL

Lady Susan Hussey, the late Queen Elizabeth II's right hand woman, also arrived at the Abbey wearing a blue skirt and blazer with a matching hat.

Ant and Dec were guests at the ceremony as goodwill ambassadors for the Prince’s Trust. Arriving at the Abbey, Ant joked: "There might be a bushtucker trial in there!"

Ant and Dec laughing as guests start to arrive
Ant and Dec laughing as guests start to arrive Credit: Mark Large

Ambassador Jay Blades, best known as presenter of the BBC series The Repair Shop and well-known champion for restoration and recycling, was also one of the beneficiaries from the Prince’s Foundation attending.  

Other celebrities spotted at the event included Dame Emma Thompson's husband Greg Wise, and the actor and director Sir Kenneth Brannagh.

In addition to the guests seated in the Abbey, 400 young people representing charitable organisations nominated by the King and Queen had the opportunity to watch the service and processions from inside St Margaret’s Church, next to Westminster Abbey.

Television presenter Jay Blades is an ambassador for the Prince's Foundation
Television presenter Jay Blades attending the event Credit: Jeff Spicer

But one high-profile individual who did not attend is the Duchess of Sussex, who remained in California with her children.

Announcing her absence, the Palace said: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6. 

“The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”

Here, we detail all the guests who attended the ceremony.

Members of the royal family appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Members of the royal family appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation of King Charles Credit: Owen Humphreys

British Royal family

While King Charles's Coronation was a slimmed-down event in comparison to 1953, nearly the entire Royal family was out in force.

Members from across the family - including Prince Harry, extended cousins and grandchildren - attended the ceremony.

Princess Charlotte and Princess Louis accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales
Princess Charlotte and Princess Louis accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales Credit: POOL

The Duke of Sussex took his seat in the third row for the coronation of his father the King, two rows behind his brother the Prince of Wales with his cousin Princess Eugenie's husband, Jack Brooksbank, together with Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Harry, wearing medals pinned to his suit jacket, chatted to his cousin Beatrice and her husband as he entered Westminster Abbey on Saturday in the drizzling rain.

He also nodded and smiled to guests as he walked down the nave of the abbey.

Prince Harry was sat in the third row in the Abbey during the ceremony
Prince Harry was sat in the third row in the Abbey during the ceremony Credit: BEN STANSALL

Also in the third row, at the other end from Harry, was the Duke of York, who stopped using the title His Royal Highness in an official capacity in January 2022. He wore his Order of the Garter robe.

Prince William and Kate sat in the front row at the abbey for the historic ceremony.

Prince George was the youngest future king to play an official role at a Coronation, having been named one of his grandfather’s four Pages of Honour.

The nine-year-old was tasked with carrying the King’s robes alongside three other Pages of Honour - schoolboys Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, Nicholas Barclay, 13, and Ralph Tollemache, 12. All three are the sons of His Majesty’s friends.

Prince George acted as one of the King’s four page boys
Prince George acted as one of the King’s four page boys Credit: MARK LARGE

Also in the front row to see Charles and Camilla crowned was the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

In the second row were the Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The Prince and Princes of Wales appeared wearing formal robes and mantels to the coronation ceremony. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were also in the Abbey.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were in the second row
The Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were in the second row Credit: Yui Mok

Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence were there, as were Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.
 

However, the Duchess of Sussex did not attend the event, remaining in California with her children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one. 

There were many factors that influenced the Duchess’s decision not to attend the Coronation, but chief among them was the desire to celebrate Archie’s fourth birthday, which falls on the same day as the Coronation, The Telegraph understands. 

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Meanwhile, the Duchess of York also missed the Coronation, but was expected to be included in a private Royal family celebration after the investiture. 

She said in an interview last month that she understands why she was not invited, as “you can’t have it both ways”.

“Being divorced … I don't think you can have it both ways,” she told ITV’s Good Morning Britain. “I am divorced and I’m really loving being divorced to my ex-husband - not from him but to him, it’s important to differentiate.

“Just because I’m not there on the state occasion, but in private I can be there, and that's a lovely feeling to be part of, it really is.

“As I said, you can’t have it both ways. You mustn’t sit on the fence - you're either in or out, don’t muck around.”

She also revealed that she planned to mark the occasion by “having a little tea room and coronation chicken sandwich and putting out the bunting”.

She added: “I also love to watch it on the telly because you hear a lot on the telly.”

A source close to the Duchess also confirmed: “She is not invited but she will see various members of the family later on the big day.”

While many members of the family attended the ceremony, only working royals appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a fly-past, in line with King Charles's wish for a more streamlined monarchy.

Camilla's Family
Camilla's children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, will be in attendance alongside their children

Queen Consort's family and friends

Camilla's family were set to get equal billing at the Coronation, with a number of her grandchildren thrust into the limelight for the first time with official duties.  

The Queen chose to include as her own Pages of Honour her three grandsons, twins Gus and Louis Lopes, 13, and Freddy Parker Bowles, 13, as well as her great-nephew, Arthur Elliot, 10.

Meanwhile, Camilla chose her sister and a close friend to support her during the Coronation service as Ladies in Attendance.

The Queen travels from Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach
The Queen travels from Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach Credit: LISI NIESNER

Her younger sibling Annabel Elliot, 74, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne, 68, attended Camilla alongside her pages.

Lady Lansdowne, a deputy lieutenant of Wiltshire, is godmother to Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes and one of the Queen’s six official “companions”.

She spoke out in defence of the Queen, insisting in an interview that she was not hurt by Prince Harry’s accusations that she was “dangerous” and a “villain” who “left bodies in the streets”.

The Queen appointed six of her closest friends as “Queen’s companions” last November, replacing the traditional role of ladies-in-waiting. Companions have lighter duties, accompanying her to only a few key events.

Foreign royals 

Members of foreign royal families were also invited to the ceremony in a historic break with tradition. 

Convention dating back centuries stated that a coronation should be a sacred ceremony between a monarch and their people in the presence of God.

King Felipe VI of Spain (C) and Queen Leizia arrive with other foreign royals at Westminster Abbey
King Felipe VI of Spain (C) and Queen Leizia arrive with other foreign royals at Westminster Abbey Credit: AARON CHOWN

King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan; King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain; and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden all attended the Coronation. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco were also in attendance.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands were also present in the Abbey.

British MPs and peers 

Seven former prime ministers gathered to attend the coronation, including Liz Truss, whose brief tenure in No 10 included the late Queen's death and the King's accession.

Ms Truss followed her predecessors Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major into Westminster Abbey.

Former prime minister Theresa May and her husband Philip (front), former prime minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, and former prime minister Liz Truss with her husband Hugh O'Leary
Former prime minister Theresa May and her husband Philip (front), former prime minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, and former prime minister Liz Truss with her husband Hugh O'Leary Credit: Aaron Chown
Seven former prime ministers gathered to attend the coronation
Seven former prime ministers gathered to attend the coronation Credit: WPA Pool

The UK has seven living former prime ministers for the first time, a sign of the political turbulence of recent years, which included Ms Truss breaking the record for the shortest term in office, with just 49 days in No 10.

The former prime ministers entered the abbey in the order they served.

Sir John, whose wife Norma was absent, was seen chatting to Sir Tony's wife Cherie Blair.

The Blairs exchanged greetings with Mr Brown and his wife Sarah, with relations between the former Downing Street neighbours appearing warmer than during their rivalry in the New Labour era.

David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron
David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron Credit: WPA Pool

Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha were next into the abbey, following a brief chat with the Archbishop of Canterbury, while Mrs May and her husband Sir Philip followed them.

Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie, who left No 10 less than a year ago, followed in the procession of former PMs.

Parliamentarians were in uproar after learning that only a minority were invited to the ceremony itself. Members lobbied the Cabinet Office to argue their case, convinced that they have a right to attend.

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy arrive for the Coronation
Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy arrive for the Coronation Credit: Andy Rain/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

It was initially planned that just 20 MPs and 20 peers would get a ticket for Westminster Abbey. But these numbers were more than doubled, according to those with knowledge of the event. 

Officials found a way to allow far greater numbers of MPs and peers to feel involved in the proceedings, by creating up to 400 tickets for them to stand in a cordoned-off area of Parliament Square, just outside the carriage gate entrance to Parliament.

An extra event for MPs and peers was also held in Westminster Hall on Tuesday ahead of the Coronation. 

The King met politicians including Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, and Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader. 

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Foreign heads of state

Foreign leaders who attended the event included Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia and Chris Hipkins, the prime minister of New Zealand. President Lula da Silva of Brazil and Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, were also guests.

The Irish premier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, was in attendance, as was Andrzej Duda, the Polish president.

All three presidents of the EU – Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola and Charles Michel – were also in attendance.

First Lady of the United States, Dr Jill Biden and her grand daughter Finnegan Biden
First Lady of the United States, Dr Jill Biden and her grand daughter Finnegan Biden Credit: POOL

The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, became the first Irish head of state to attend a coronation.

While President Biden was not present, he was represented by his wife, First Lady Jill Biden. She appeared with her granddaughter Finnegan Biden.

Members of the public

Representatives from many of the King's charity affiliations and a large cross section from the voluntary sector were present at the ceremony. 

The King invited people from all parts of the Prince’s Trust to attend the service, including five beneficiaries from Britain, five international beneficiaries, as well as three people from the Trust’s Canadian, Australian and New Zealand branches. 

Meanwhile, six representatives from the Prince’s Foundation, the King’s educational charity established in 1986, were also in attendance.

Separately, it was announced on April 8 that over 1,250 volunteers and young people had been invited to either attend the ceremony itself or be part of one of its surrounding events. 

Buckingham Palace revealed 450 ‘Covid heroes’ had been invited to attend the service.

They include, Max Woosey, 13, who slept in a tent at his Devon home to raise more than £750,000 for his grandmother’s hospice during the pandemic, and Manju Malhi, a professional chef who offered remote cookery classes during lockdown. 

Additionally, 400 young people representing charitable organisations had the opportunity to watch the Coronation service and procession at a special private viewing from St Margaret’s Church.

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Also invited to watch from St Margaret’s were 200 young people involved with The Prince’s Trust, The Prince’s Foundation, Barnardo’s, The National Literacy Trust and Ebony Horse Club.

Another 200 young people from the Scout Association, Girlguiding UK, St John Ambulance and the National Citizen Service attended, having been nominated by the Government for their contribution to Coronation Day.

The four organisations selected are providing stewarding, route lining and first aid services on Coronation Day across London.

Separately, Joanna Lumley attended the Coronation ceremony, before presenting coverage of the celebrations on Sky News. 

The broadcaster announced that the Absolutely Fabulous star would be joining correspondents Alastair Bruce, Kay Burley and Anna Botting as a special guest.

“The actress will join the Sky News line-up on Saturday fresh from attending the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey as a guest of the King and Queen Consort,” it said. 

Meanwhile, refugees and the NHS will be at the heart of the star-studded concert taking place at Windsor Castle on May 8, the day after the Coronation. 

One of the highlights will be the performance of the Coronation Choir, a diverse group drawing together singers from the nation’s community choirs, including refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs.

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