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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Caolán Magee in London

By the time Charles III leaves Saturday's coronation, not only will he have been crowned King of the United Kingdom -- but of more than a dozen Commonwealth countries as well.
 
Those realms, as they are known, include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
 
In the lead up to his coronation, the King has been holding audiences with the visiting leaders from the realms and welcomed them with a lunch at Buckingham Palace. On Saturday, they'll be represented through various processions.
 
Now, to be clear, these are constitutional monarchies, so the King's role in these nations is largely symbolic, with little to do with the day-to-day running of the country.
 
In the seven decades since the last coronation, the world is clearly a very different place and with those changes have come shifting attitudes to the monarchy. Over the course of the late Queen's 70-year reign, 17 countries removed her as head of state -- the last of which was Barbados, which severed ties with the crown and became a republic in 2021.
 
Back then, we traveled with the future King as he visited the country for the ceremonial transition on invitation from Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. For many in Barbados, the changeover had been a long time coming -- the severing of its final imperial links to Britain and an act of self-determination. It was about letting go of the past and moving forward as a nation.
 
Following the handover and the death of Elizabeth II, similar discussions have re-emerged in other former British colonies, nowhere perhaps more than in the Caribbean, where a number of countries have signaled an intention to replace the monarch.
 
Days after the death of the Queen, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda said he planned to hold a referendum on whether the country moves to become a republic in the next three years. Months before, in a somewhat tense encounter last March, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told a visiting Prince William and Kate that the country will attain its "true ambition" to be "independent."

Since then, Holness has pressed on, announcing a constitutional reform committee to assess how Jamaica might make the change.
 
Matthew J. Smith, a professor of history and an expert in transatlantic slavery at University College London, cites Jamaica's 60th anniversary of independence last year, as well as "a higher awareness of the legacies of colonialism, enslavement, debates over reparations," as a catalyst for change.

He told CNN: "There is a new generation -- born long after the Queen came to power -- so their affinity to the office of the monarchy is less than that of their parents' generation, or the generation before." 

Smith continued: "The idea that people in far-flung places are bound together by this conduit known as the British Empire is lost on people -- it doesn't have that glue any more. There will always be sections of society within Jamaica that will have some attachment to the monarchy, but the symbolic nature of the monarchy has faded amongst people in Jamaica."

But while there may now be political will and public opinion pushing the republican movements, many of the same Caribbean nations will probably still want to remain part of the wider Commonwealth -- a 56-member organization of mostly former British territories, designed to foster international cooperation and trade. While the late Queen's Commonwealth realms continued to shrink during her reign, membership of the Commonwealth itself expanded significantly, most recently with the additions of two former French colonies, Gabon and Togo. 

"There have been educational benefits through Commonwealth scholarships to study in the UK or other parts of the Commonwealth, and trading arrangements," Smith told CNN.

Despite these pragmatic links, Smith does not think the West Indies will be celebrating the symbolism of Charles' coronation.

Instead, the event will be an early test both of how the King will be received in Britain and the realms abroad, and whether enthusiasm, apathy or opposition to the monarchy will shape his reign.

💎 These are the priceless symbols that will be seen at the coronation.

The coronation will be a theatrical affair unlike anything the nation has seen for nearly seven decades. A dazzling collection of sacred regalia usually kept in the Tower of London will be presented to Charles during the ceremony, formalizing his metamorphosis from prince to monarch. Want to get your head around how they'll all play into the ancient ritual? Check out our explainer here.

Royal superfans are already camping outside the palace.

Days before the coronation, huge numbers started gathering in central London. On Wednesday afternoon, well-wishers flocked to The Mall, waving flags and wearing crowns, with one goal in mind: securing a prime position for Saturday. 

"We don't have anything like this in America," Donna Werner, 71, told CNN. She traveled to London from Connecticut, and has adored the royal family since the days of Princess Diana. Werner has made the trip to London to camp out for every royal wedding ever since. "My friends at home think it's silly, but I love it: the country, the history and the people," she said. "They know it's my thing."

Meanwhile, 58-year-old Kerry Evans, pictured below left, is originally from Northern Ireland and now lives in London. For every royal milestone, she joins her friend Bartly, whom she met nearly five years ago while camping out for Harry and Meghan's wedding, to celebrate the royals among the crowds. As the busy mother of two autistic sons, she said going to royal events was a way of taking a little time for herself.  

"These events are great because it is totally the opposite feeling from what my life is. Celebrating the royal family is a release -- so the monarchy has become a big part of my life," she said. 

King Charles III's coronation will be a glorious display of British pageantry, with thousands gathering at Westminster Abbey and the surrounding streets of central London. 

⏰ Don't forget! CNN's special coverage will air from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. London time (5 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET) on May 6, with the ceremony itself set to begin at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET).

📺 Watch: Have you ever wondered how the royal family makes its money?

Well, it's complicated. Max breaks down the sources of royal wealth, explaining the differences between them, why some are contentious and whether they are taxed. Watch the video below to find out more:

Not everyone here is thrilled about the coronation.

All the opulent pageantry of the coronation will display the monarchy's wealth at a time when stubbornly high inflation, years of wage stagnation and the sudden and steep rise in energy prices have left millions of Brits on the brink of poverty.

Yet the UK government is getting ready to spend tens of millions of taxpayers' money on a glitzy event celebrating one very, very rich man: King Charles III. It's a contrast that has not been lost on some Britons who are questioning that decision. (Extra read: CNN takes a look at what staging the coronation means for the UK economy.) 

👑 What do we know really know about Queen Camilla? 

With her husband's accession to the throne, Camilla has become Britain's Queen, taking on a new and more prominent role alongside her husband. Since she and Charles married in 2005, Camilla has worked hard as a senior royal, supporting Charles and championing charities helping women and children. 

But some in Britain find it hard to forget, or forgive, the couple's long-running extramarital affair and the pain it caused Charles' first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. So, what can we expect from the new Queen? Read the full story here. 

Test your knowledge.

As Britain's new monarch is crowned, would you know enough about the royal family to hold a conversation with the King at the coronation? Answer these important questions to find out.

💻 Read: Royals? They're just like us! Well, they're not, obviously -- but sometimes they do put down their tiaras, leave their palaces and join the hoi polloi at restaurants, bars and even theme parks. Read all about the Windsors' favorite London spots here.

🔍 Learn: A few weeks ago, the palace announced Charles and Camilla had picked a quiche to be their signature dish for the coronation. But the official coronation dish is becoming more unaffordable for the average Briton.

🤔 Ponder: One element of the ceremony will break decidedly with tradition -- British and Commonwealth citizens around the globe have been invited to recite a pledge of allegiance to the new monarch and his "heirs and successors." The invitation has, to put it mildly, not gone down well. 

New photos of King Charles III and Queen Camilla were released by Buckingham Palace ahead of their coronation. Taken by photographer Hugo Burnand in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, the series of images also featured solo portraits of Charles and Camilla sitting in blue upholstered chairs that date back to the 19th century.

"You know what you're getting because he's been practicing for a bit, and I don't think he'll change. He is committed to his own level of service, and that will remain true."

– Princess Anne

Princess Anne described how she thinks her brother will reign, in an interview ahead of the coronation. Comments by the Princess Royal, who is 16th in line to the British throne and is considered to be one of the hardest-working royals, were made during a wide-ranging interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC on Monday. Read more here.