King Charles’ coronation procession will be just 1.3 miles, one-quarter of the 5.2 miles his mother traveled in 1953.
The shorter route means that even if a much smaller crowd turns out this time, the May 6 event will still be packed, with huge pressure on prime spots expected to lead to devoted fans camping out for nights in advance.
The king and queen will travel from the palace to Westminster Abbey via Trafalgar Square for the 11 a.m. service, before traveling back by the same route in reverse, using the so-called Gold State Coach, a horse-drawn wagon made in 1762 of gilded timber and weighing eight tons that is used exclusively by monarchs.
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The much shorter route has raised fears that many royal fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the new king and queen may be denied the opportunity, although the decision of the organizers to follow the same route in both directions means those who do secure a spot will see the new monarchs twice.
There will be no ticket system, according to a report in the Telegraph, which almost makes it look like the palace is encouraging attendees to camp out for days in advance to whip up excitement around the event.
The smaller route echoes the overall smaller scale of proceedings: The 1953 coronation had 8,000 guests seated on bleachers built inside the abbey, but this time just 2,000 will be attending, all seated at ground level.
It has been confirmed that Queen Camilla will handle an ancient ivory scepter known as the Rod with Dove during the service, defying speculation it might be dropped from the ceremony owing to Charles’ anti-poaching campaigns.
