King Charles III was officially announced as Britain's monarch Saturday, in a ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism — and, for the first time, broadcast live.Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, but the accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.The ceremony at St. James's Palace, a royal residence in London, is attended by the Accession Council, made up of senior politicians and officials who advise the monarch. They met without Charles, officially confirming his title, King Charles III. The king will then join them to make a series of oaths and declarations.It's the first time the ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne.Charles is accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, and his eldest son Prince William. William is now heir to the throne and known by the title Charles long held, Prince of Wales.Video above: Timeline of King Charles III's lifeAfter the ceremony, an official will read the proclamation aloud from a balcony at St. James's Palace. It will also be read out in the medieval City of London and at other locations across the U.K.Two days after the 96-year-old queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland following an unprecedented 70 years on the throne, people still came in their thousands to pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace in London. The scene was repeated at other royal residences across the U.K. and at British embassies around the world.The monarch set the tone for his reign on Friday, vowing in a televised address to carry on the queen's "lifelong service," with his own modernizing stamp.Charles looked to both the past — noting his mother's unwavering "dedication and devotion as sovereign" — and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of constancy while signaling that his will be a 21st-century monarchy.He reflected on how the country had changed dramatically during the queen's reign into a society "of many cultures and many faiths," and pledged to serve people in Britain and the 14 other countries where he is king "whatever may be your background or beliefs."He also tried to overcome a reputation for aloofness in his first hours as monarch, spending time shaking hands with some of the thousands who came to leave flowers and pay tribute to the queen at the gates of Buckingham Palace. He was greeted with shouts of "Well done, Charlie!" and "God save the king!" One woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.Britain is holding a period of mourning for the queen, with days of carefully choreographed ceremonies marking the death of the only monarch most people have ever known.In the next few days the queen's body will be brought from Balmoral, first to Edinburgh and then to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around Sept. 19.In his speech, Charles struck a personal note, speaking of his sorrow at the loss of "my darling Mama.""Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years," he said, ending with a quote from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" — "May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'"

Cheering crowds greeted King Charles III on Tuesday in Northern Ireland on his tour of the four parts of the United Kingdom, where the visit drew a rare moment of unity from politicians in a region with a contested British and Irish identity that is deeply divided over the monarchy.Hundreds of people lined the street leading to Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, the royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland, in the latest outpouring of affection following Queen Elizabeth II's death on Sept. 8. The area in front of the gates to the castle was carpeted with hundreds of floral tributes.Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, got out of their car to meet villagers — waving to the crowd and sometimes using both hands to reach out to people, including schoolchildren in bright blue uniforms. Charles even petted a corgi — famously his late mother's favorite breed of dog — held up by one person, and some chanted "God save the king!""Today means so much to me and my family, just to be present in my home village with my children to witness the arrival of the new king is a truly historic moment for us all," said Hillsborough resident Robin Campbell as he waited for Charles.But he added: "It is also a day tinged with great sadness as we witness a loving son coming to our village while we are all in mourning for the loss of a truly magnificent queen and his loving mother."While there was a warm welcome in Hillsborough, the British monarchy draws mixed emotions in Northern Ireland, where there are two main communities: mostly Protestant unionists who consider themselves British and largely Roman Catholic nationalists who see themselves as Irish.Video above: Queen Elizabeth's hearse arrives in EdinburghThat split fueled three decades of violence known as "the Troubles" involving paramilitary groups on both sides and U.K. security forces, in which 3,600 people died. The royal family was touched personally by the violence: Lord Louis Mountbatten, a cousin of the queen and a much-loved mentor to Charles, was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.A deep sectarian divide remains, a quarter century after Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement.For some Irish nationalists, the British monarch represents an oppressive foreign power. But others acknowledge the queen's role in forging peace. On a visit to Northern Ireland in 2012, she shook hands with Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness, a former IRA commander – a once-unthinkable moment of reconciliation.Alex Maskey, a Sinn Fein politician who is speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, said the queen had "demonstrated how individual acts of positive leadership can help break down barriers and encourage reconciliation." In a sign of how far Northern Ireland has come on the road to peace, representatives of Sinn Fein are attending commemorative events for the queen and meeting the king on Tuesday.Maskey expressed condolences to the king at an event in Hillsborough Castle attended by leaders from all the main political parties in Northern Ireland.Charles responded that his mother "felt deeply, I know, the significance of the role she herself played in bringing together those whom history had separated, and in extending a hand to make possible the healing of long-held hurts."He said he would draw on his mother's "shining example" and "seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland." Still, not everyone was welcoming the new king.On the Falls Road in Belfast, a nationalist stronghold, several walls are decorated with murals of Bobby Sands, an IRA member who died while on a hunger strike in prison in 1981, and others killed in the Troubles."No, he's not our king. Bobby Sands was our king here," said 52-year-old Bobby Jones. "Queen never done nothing for us. Never did. None of the royals do."Later, Charles and Northern Ireland politicians are to attend a "service of reflection" for the queen at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast.The president and prime minister of the neighboring Republic of Ireland also are due to attend, despite tense relations between Dublin and London over Brexit. Since Britain left the European Union in 2020, the U.K. and the EU have been wrangling over trade rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that shares a border with a member of the bloc.On Monday night, Charles and siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward briefly stood vigil around their mother's flag-draped coffin in St. Giles Cathedral as members of the public filed past.Video above: King Charles says he feels the 'weight of history'The following morning, a man wearing a suit adorned with medals stood silently, bowed his head and moved on. A woman dabbed away tears with a handkerchief. Another woman with two young children in school uniforms walked slowly past the coffin.In the line of mourners outside the cathedral in the historic heart of Edinburgh, Sheila McLeay called the queen "a wonderful ambassador for our country.""She was such an example for every single one of us. She was dignified. She was just, she was beautiful inside and out. And I have known her all of my life. And I miss her very much," she added.The queen's coffin was scheduled to leave Scotland later Tuesday to be flown back to London and driven to her official London home, Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday, it will be taken through central London to Parliament, where the queen will lie in state until her funeral in Westminster Abbey on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line up to pay their last respects at the coffin.The Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster that will carry the coffin has been used to evacuate people from Afghanistan and to take humanitarian aid and weapons to Ukraine following Russia's invasion, U.K. Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said.Early Tuesday, scores of workers cleaned litter and weeds from the road from the air force base where the plane carrying the coffin will land.

Cheering crowds greeted King Charles III on Tuesday in Northern Ireland on his tour of the four parts of the United Kingdom, where the visit drew a rare moment of unity from politicians in a region with a contested British and Irish identity that is deeply divided over the monarchy.

Hundreds of people lined the street leading to Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, the royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland, in the latest outpouring of affection following Queen Elizabeth II's death on Sept. 8. The area in front of the gates to the castle was carpeted with hundreds of floral tributes.

Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, got out of their car to meet villagers — waving to the crowd and sometimes using both hands to reach out to people, including schoolchildren in bright blue uniforms.

Charles even petted a corgi — famously his late mother's favorite breed of dog — held up by one person, and some chanted "God save the king!"

"Today means so much to me and my family, just to be present in my home village with my children to witness the arrival of the new king is a truly historic moment for us all," said Hillsborough resident Robin Campbell as he waited for Charles.

But he added: "It is also a day tinged with great sadness as we witness a loving son coming to our village while we are all in mourning for the loss of a truly magnificent queen and his loving mother."

While there was a warm welcome in Hillsborough, the British monarchy draws mixed emotions in Northern Ireland, where there are two main communities: mostly Protestant unionists who consider themselves British and largely Roman Catholic nationalists who see themselves as Irish.

Video above: Queen Elizabeth's hearse arrives in Edinburgh

That split fueled three decades of violence known as "the Troubles" involving paramilitary groups on both sides and U.K. security forces, in which 3,600 people died. The royal family was touched personally by the violence: Lord Louis Mountbatten, a cousin of the queen and a much-loved mentor to Charles, was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.

A deep sectarian divide remains, a quarter century after Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement.

For some Irish nationalists, the British monarch represents an oppressive foreign power. But others acknowledge the queen's role in forging peace. On a visit to Northern Ireland in 2012, she shook hands with Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness, a former IRA commander – a once-unthinkable moment of reconciliation.

Alex Maskey, a Sinn Fein politician who is speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, said the queen had "demonstrated how individual acts of positive leadership can help break down barriers and encourage reconciliation."

In a sign of how far Northern Ireland has come on the road to peace, representatives of Sinn Fein are attending commemorative events for the queen and meeting the king on Tuesday.

Maskey expressed condolences to the king at an event in Hillsborough Castle attended by leaders from all the main political parties in Northern Ireland.

Charles responded that his mother "felt deeply, I know, the significance of the role she herself played in bringing together those whom history had separated, and in extending a hand to make possible the healing of long-held hurts."

He said he would draw on his mother's "shining example" and "seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland."

Still, not everyone was welcoming the new king.

On the Falls Road in Belfast, a nationalist stronghold, several walls are decorated with murals of Bobby Sands, an IRA member who died while on a hunger strike in prison in 1981, and others killed in the Troubles.

"No, he's not our king. Bobby Sands was our king here," said 52-year-old Bobby Jones. "Queen never done nothing for us. Never did. None of the royals do."

Later, Charles and Northern Ireland politicians are to attend a "service of reflection" for the queen at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast.

The president and prime minister of the neighboring Republic of Ireland also are due to attend, despite tense relations between Dublin and London over Brexit. Since Britain left the European Union in 2020, the U.K. and the EU have been wrangling over trade rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that shares a border with a member of the bloc.

On Monday night, Charles and siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward briefly stood vigil around their mother's flag-draped coffin in St. Giles Cathedral as members of the public filed past.

Video above: King Charles says he feels the 'weight of history'

The following morning, a man wearing a suit adorned with medals stood silently, bowed his head and moved on. A woman dabbed away tears with a handkerchief. Another woman with two young children in school uniforms walked slowly past the coffin.

In the line of mourners outside the cathedral in the historic heart of Edinburgh, Sheila McLeay called the queen "a wonderful ambassador for our country."

"She was such an example for every single one of us. She was dignified. She was just, she was beautiful inside and out. And I have known her all of my life. And I miss her very much," she added.

The queen's coffin was scheduled to leave Scotland later Tuesday to be flown back to London and driven to her official London home, Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday, it will be taken through central London to Parliament, where the queen will lie in state until her funeral in Westminster Abbey on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line up to pay their last respects at the coffin.

The Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster that will carry the coffin has been used to evacuate people from Afghanistan and to take humanitarian aid and weapons to Ukraine following Russia's invasion, U.K. Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said.

Early Tuesday, scores of workers cleaned litter and weeds from the road from the air force base where the plane carrying the coffin will land.

In retrospect, it seems as if she was preparing us all along.Whether it was due to age, ill health or a sense that the end was near, Queen Elizabeth II spent much of the last two years tying up loose ends, trying to make sure the family firm would keep ticking along after her death. The transition began slowly, with the queen turning over more public duties to her son and heir, now King Charles III, as she entered her twilight years. But it moved into overdrive in 2022 as Elizabeth celebrated 70 years on the throne. First she expressed her wish that Charles' wife, Camilla, be known as queen consort after her death, and then the future king took center stage during four days of Platinum Jubilee festivities."Elizabeth II was preparing the ground for the succession,'' historian Ed Owens said. "We saw a lot more of Charles in the last 10 years stepping in for his mother in a number of key situations at key public events. And that, I think, was partly intentional in that the monarch … wanted her son to sort of gravitate naturally into the limelight, to make this seem as best as possible as though it was a seamless transition.''Charles' increased role began gradually when the queen began cutting back on long-haul flights, resulting in the then Prince of Wales taking her place at a 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka.The queen became head of the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 independent countries with links to the former British Empire, when she ascended the throne and championed its role in world affairs throughout her reign.In 2018, Elizabeth expressed her "sincere wish" that Charles would follow her as head of the Commonwealth and its leaders agreed.The previous year, Charles represented the queen at the annual Remembrance Day ceremony honoring the nation's war dead, laying the monarch's wreath at the foot of the Cenotaph in London. It was the first time the queen hadn't performed the solemn ritual, marked by columns of aging veterans marching past the monument, other than when she was pregnant or out of the country.But what had been a subtle shift became more obvious after the coronavirus pandemic led Elizabeth to take refuge at Windsor Castle outside London and the death of her husband, Prince Philip, reminded the nation of the queen's mortality.That was underscored by the image of Elizabeth, her face hidden behind a black mask, sitting alone in St. George's Chapel as she mourned the loss of the man who had been her "strength and stay" for over 73 years.On the anniversary of her accession to the throne in February, the queen moved to end the long-running controversy over the status of Charles' wife.Camilla has been a divisive figure in Britain because her long-term relationship with Charles was blamed for the breakdown of his first marriage to the widely beloved Princess Diana. The mother of Princes William and Harry died in a Paris car crash in 1997, five years after her messy split with Charles.When Charles married Camilla in 2005, he made it known that he wanted his wife to become queen when he ascended the throne. Diana's fans objected, saying it would dishonor the princess.But the public attitude toward Camilla, 75, has warmed in recent years as she took on roles at more than 100 charities, focusing on issues ranging from literacy to domestic violence. Her down-to-earth style and sense of humor have softened Charles' stuffy image and made him appear more relaxed.When the queen weighed in on Feb. 6., she obliquely recognized that her reign would come to an end."When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me," she said. "And it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as queen consort as she continues her own loyal service."Video: King Charles, Prince William greet mournersLate last year, Elizabeth was seen using a walking stick for the first time, and in April she revealed that a bout with COVID-19 had left her feeling "very tired and exhausted."In May, the queen delegated one of her most important public duties to Charles, asking him to preside over the state opening of Parliament and deliver the annual Queen's Speech laying out the government's legislative program. The event is a symbol of the monarch's constitutional role as head of state and is accompanied by centuries of tradition designed to demonstrate the strength of Britain's political institutions.When it came time for the Platinum Jubilee, the palace let it be known that the queen's ongoing "mobility issues" would limit her role.Instead, Charles took center stage. He donned full military uniform to review the troops during the queen's ceremonial birthday parade, sat in the position of honor at the front of St. Paul's Cathedral for a service celebrating her reign and led salutes to his mother at a gala concert, appearing with Camilla by his side.After her death, Charles and Camilla were greeted warmly by crowds of mourners outside Buckingham Palace, with the new monarch shaking hands and chatting with well-wishers who broke into a chorus of "God Save the King."The reaction, and Charles' first days in his new role, suggest that the public is, at least for now, on board, former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole said this week outside the palace."Look at the thousands of people who have come here of their own accord,'' he said, waving a hand at the crowds. "They're not being bused in. They're not being ordered to be here. They're not being given little flags to wave. This is not North Korea. This is not a parade for Putin in Red Square. These people have come to express their respect for the dead queen and show, a very big word, affection."___Follow AP's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II and other stories on the British monarch at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii

The United Kingdom's royal family turns the page on a new chapter Saturday with the coronation of King Charles III.Watch live coverage of the coronation ceremony in the video player above.Charles ascended the throne when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last year. The coronation is a religious ceremony that provides a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England.Here is the latest on the coronation of King Charles III (all times eastern):5:53 a.m.Prince Harry has arrived at Westminster Abbey for his father’s coronation.The Duke of Sussex was wearing a black three-piece set of tails and military medals on his chest.His wife, Meghan, stayed behind in California with their young children.Harry, who quit his official duties with the royal family over intense scrutiny from the British media, is not playing a role in the service.The prince further alienated himself by publishing his explosive bestselling memoir, “Spare,” in which he spilled family secrets.5:49 a.m.King Charles III has arrived at Westminster Abbey to be crowned in a ceremony steeped in 1,000 years of tradition. 5:24 a.m.King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, have started their short ride in the gilded Diamond Jubilee Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, where they will be anointed and crowned in a ceremony steeped in history.They are being escorted by the Sovereign’s Escort, comprising of about 160 soldiers on horseback. The Household Cavalry Mounted Band is leading the military procession.It’s a much smaller procession than the one planned for the return route from the abbey, when some 4,000 troops will feature in a spectacular display of pageantry.The state coach Charles and Camilla are traveling in was created in 2012 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne. The procession will take about half an hour. 5:17 a.m.First Lady Jill Biden arrived at the coronation ceremony for King Charles III.Biden wore periwinkle blue Ralph Lauren skirt suit accessorized with a coordinating hair bow and was accompanied by her granddaughter Finnegan Biden. Inside the Abbey, the pair were seated next to Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska in an icy blue dress and coat pairing.Video below: Jill Biden arrives at coronation4:46 a.m.Military bands are marching down central London streets and hundreds of servicemen and servicewomen are beginning to take their positions along the procession route ahead of King Charles III’s coronation.Soldiers in distinctive red tunics and bearskin hats are lining the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, where hundreds of royal fans have braved wet weather and gathered early to secure the best viewing spot.The Royal Navy and Royal Marines are stationed at nearby Admiralty Arch, and the Royal Air Force are lining the route to Westminster Abbey.Other soldiers forming the Sovereign’s Escort will escort Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, from the palace to Westminster Abbey around 10:20 a.m. 4:35 a.m. King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, have arrived in a motorcade at Buckingham Palace ahead of their coronation.Loud cheers erupted among the crowds of wellwishers lining the Mall, the grand avenue leading to the palace, as the line of cars drove by. Charles and Camilla were seen waving at the crowds from within their Bentley.The couple are expected to depart from the palace in the Diamond Jubilee state coach later this morning to Westminster Abbey, where they will be crowned.Meanwhile at the abbey, many politicians and celebrities have arrived and taken their seats. Musicians have started warming up ahead of the ceremony, which is due to begin at 11 a.m. local time. 4:27 a.m.Crowds are growing outside Buckingham Palace and guests are arriving at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III.People who camped overnight overnight for a view of the royals awoke to cloudy skies that gave way to sun and some light rain.Fans carrying flags and clad in the colors of the Union Jack were arriving by train in London hours before the ceremony that begins when Charles and Camilla, queen consort, depart from the palace in a gilded horse-drawn carriage.The royal couple will be chauffeured on the 1.3-mile (2-kilometer) route through central London to Westminster Abbey for the two-hour ceremony.The church buzzed with excitement and was abloom with fragrant flowers and colorful hats. Invited guests streaming into the abbey including recognizable celebrities such as Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Lionel Richie and Nick Cave, and others including judges in wigs, soldiers with gleaming medals attached to red tunics and members of the House of Lords in their red robes. CNN contributed to this report.

LONDON —

The United Kingdom's royal family turns the page on a new chapter Saturday with the coronation of King Charles III.

Watch live coverage of the coronation ceremony in the video player above.

Charles ascended the throne when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last year. The coronation is a religious ceremony that provides a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England.

Here is the latest on the coronation of King Charles III (all times eastern):

5:53 a.m.

Prince Harry has arrived at Westminster Abbey for his father’s coronation.

The Duke of Sussex was wearing a black three-piece set of tails and military medals on his chest.

His wife, Meghan, stayed behind in California with their young children.

Harry, who quit his official duties with the royal family over intense scrutiny from the British media, is not playing a role in the service.

The prince further alienated himself by publishing his explosive bestselling memoir, “Spare,” in which he spilled family secrets.

Getty ImagesWPA Pool

5:49 a.m.

King Charles III has arrived at Westminster Abbey to be crowned in a ceremony steeped in 1,000 years of tradition.

5:24 a.m.

King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, have started their short ride in the gilded Diamond Jubilee Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, where they will be anointed and crowned in a ceremony steeped in history.

They are being escorted by the Sovereign’s Escort, comprising of about 160 soldiers on horseback. The Household Cavalry Mounted Band is leading the military procession.

It’s a much smaller procession than the one planned for the return route from the abbey, when some 4,000 troops will feature in a spectacular display of pageantry.

The state coach Charles and Camilla are traveling in was created in 2012 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne. The procession will take about half an hour.

Samir Hussein

5:17 a.m.

First Lady Jill Biden arrived at the coronation ceremony for King Charles III.

Biden wore periwinkle blue Ralph Lauren skirt suit accessorized with a coordinating hair bow and was accompanied by her granddaughter Finnegan Biden.

Inside the Abbey, the pair were seated next to Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska in an icy blue dress and coat pairing.

Video below: Jill Biden arrives at coronation

4:46 a.m.

Military bands are marching down central London streets and hundreds of servicemen and servicewomen are beginning to take their positions along the procession route ahead of King Charles III’s coronation.

Soldiers in distinctive red tunics and bearskin hats are lining the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, where hundreds of royal fans have braved wet weather and gathered early to secure the best viewing spot.

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines are stationed at nearby Admiralty Arch, and the Royal Air Force are lining the route to Westminster Abbey.

Other soldiers forming the Sovereign’s Escort will escort Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, from the palace to Westminster Abbey around 10:20 a.m.

AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

4:35 a.m.

King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, have arrived in a motorcade at Buckingham Palace ahead of their coronation.

Loud cheers erupted among the crowds of wellwishers lining the Mall, the grand avenue leading to the palace, as the line of cars drove by. Charles and Camilla were seen waving at the crowds from within their Bentley.

The couple are expected to depart from the palace in the Diamond Jubilee state coach later this morning to Westminster Abbey, where they will be crowned.

Meanwhile at the abbey, many politicians and celebrities have arrived and taken their seats. Musicians have started warming up ahead of the ceremony, which is due to begin at 11 a.m. local time.

4:27 a.m.

Crowds are growing outside Buckingham Palace and guests are arriving at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III.

People who camped overnight overnight for a view of the royals awoke to cloudy skies that gave way to sun and some light rain.

Fans carrying flags and clad in the colors of the Union Jack were arriving by train in London hours before the ceremony that begins when Charles and Camilla, queen consort, depart from the palace in a gilded horse-drawn carriage.

The royal couple will be chauffeured on the 1.3-mile (2-kilometer) route through central London to Westminster Abbey for the two-hour ceremony.

The church buzzed with excitement and was abloom with fragrant flowers and colorful hats. Invited guests streaming into the abbey including recognizable celebrities such as Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Lionel Richie and Nick Cave, and others including judges in wigs, soldiers with gleaming medals attached to red tunics and members of the House of Lords in their red robes.

CNN contributed to this report.