A formal confirmation
 
After ascending the throne last year, King Charles III will now be crowned as Great Britain’s new monarch.
 
The coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6. It will be the 40th such event in Westminster Abbey, which has hosted these ceremonies since 1066. Charles was 4 years old when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned seven decades ago. The history-making moment, broadcast in black and white, drew millions of viewers.
 
Now 74, Charles will have the solid gold St. Edwards Crown placed on his head for the first time. The PBS NewsHour will livestream the event, but pro tip: Make sure to set your clocks.
 
This newsletter was compiled by Joshua Barajas.

King Charles III’s coronation will take place at 11 a.m. U.K. local time. You can watch the coronation here or in the player above.

Tune into coverage of the service, beginning at 2 a.m. EDT.

If you want to watch the ceremony live in the U.S., set an alarm! Stateside, the event will start in the early morning hours at 3 a.m. PDT and 6 a.m. EDT.

You can also follow our post-coronation coverage on Twitter and Facebook, and see our past royals coverage on YouTube.
 
What to expect
 
Charles has ruled since his mother Elizabeth, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died in September.
 
During the service, presided by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Charles will be anointed with oil, and bestowed with some of Britain’s greatest treasures. The lavish ornamentation, including some of the largest diamonds in the world, lend powerful symbolism to this ancient ritual. But their histories tell a more complicated story — some steeped in the legacy of colonialism.

Charles’ wife, Camilla, will also be crowned Saturday and will become “Queen Camilla,” as the invitations to the event signaled. Charles will have a solid gold-framed crown — adorned with colorful gemstones and a velvet cap — placed on his head. The St. Edwards Crown, which weighs 4.9 pounds, is used only during the service, and was also the inspiration for the #coronation emoji.

The event is expected to last around two hours, which is shorter than Elizabeth’s three-hour coronation in 1953. Charles' coronation, while still expected to be full of pomp and pageantry, will have a smaller in-person audience than his mother’s ceremony.

Most of the British royal family is expected to attend, including Prince Harry, although Meghan and their two children will not. Heads of state will also attend, although no U.S. president has ever attended a British coronation — including President Joe Biden. However, first lady Jill Biden will attend.

Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh religious leaders will also be involved in the coronation, in an effort to acknowledge the many faiths in Great Britain.

What you won’t see in the live stream: The many who will ignore — or protest — the festivities. The U.K. is the only European country to hold a coronation ceremony for its monarchy. And some protesters plan on chanting “Not my king” as the royal procession follows its route, underscoring how opposition or indifference toward the monarchy has grown.