King Charles III's coronation: Will we get a bank holiday?

It will take place in Westminster Abbey, eight months after the monarch’s accession and the death of the Queen.

Previous coronations have typically been held on week days. Queen Elizabeth II’s took place on a Tuesday, June 2, 1953.

However, King Charles’ will be held on a Saturday. This means that the actual day of the coronation will not be a bank holiday.

It remains unconfirmed as to whether or not the surrounding days will be.

The Palace said: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday May 6, 2023.

“The coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“The ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside the Queen Consort.

“The coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."

According to the Telegraph, the government has said a bank holiday is “still under consideration”, with one source saying it is “likely but not guaranteed”.

Earlier in the month, the Telegraph also reported that there has been “a bit of an issue” in deciding whether or not to create a bank holiday for the coronation, with plans to move an existing May bank holiday or hold a Saturday service to minimise the effect to the economy.

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg told the Telegraph last week: “The coronation is an important symbolic act with constitutional resonance about the stability of our system.

“To have a day off for that is perfectly reasonable, and the effect on growth will not be enormous.”

May 6 is also the birthday of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie – Charles’s grandson – who will be turning four years old on the day.

The date was also the wedding anniversary of the late Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, while the King’s grandfather George VI held his coronation in the month of May.