Charles and Camilla beam to the crowd as they make their way to Westminster Abbey with only 24 hours to go until the coronation when Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive in London
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A grinning King Charles is back at Westminster Abbey today with Queen Consort Camilla for a busy series of diplomatic duties, including hosting a Buckingham Palace luncheon for VIPs later.
His Majesty and his wife smiled and waved to the crowd as he was driven through The Mall to the church where he will be crowned in 24 hours.
The monarch will be joined by working royals at a special luncheon for the Empire’s prime ministers and governors-general at the palace from noon.
The King, who is head of the Commonwealth, will also attend a meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government and a garden reception at London’s Marlborough House this afternoon.
Some 100 heads of state will come to London on Saturday for the historic coronation of the king and queen, with international representatives from 203 countries.
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako were among those who checked into their London hotel this morning.
King Charles III is expelled from St James Palace on The Mall, waving to the crowds gathering for his coronation
Queen Consort Camilla was also all smiles as she headed to Westminster Abbey with her husband
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at their hotel in London. About 100 heads of state will come to London on Saturday for the historic coronation of the King and Queen
A huge crowd has gathered on The Mall, where people have been sleeping in tents or on the ground for several days
And on the eve of the coronation, the king and royal family will host a glittering reception for foreign royalty and other overseas dignitaries at the palace this evening.
French President Emmanuel Macron, the ceremonial presidents of Germany and Italy Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be among those in Westminster Abbey.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who led the crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, is also on the King’s guest list, but the move has been labeled “outrageous” by Conservative MPs.
Excitement for the king’s coronation threatens to be overshadowed by a furious row over China’s involvement in the historic event.
Beijing confirmed yesterday that it has sent controversial Vice President Han Zheng, accused of overseeing a brutal crackdown on freedom in Hong Kong, to attend the event tomorrow (SAT).
Lord Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, said China’s decision to nominate Mr Han to come to London for the Westminster Abbey celebrations showed the UK doesn’t give “two hoots”.
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail revealed today that Chinese-made surveillance cameras banned from British government departments will “spy” on coronation crowds.
Some 38 of the Hikvision devices have been placed over the parade route from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square, fueling national security fears.
Charles has a long day of engagements on the eve of the biggest day of his life
Hikvision has worked closely with the Chinese military in the past, and British MPs have said its cameras have been deployed in Uyghur internment camps in Xinjiang province.
The US government has banned the company from all federal agencies and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden last November ordered all government departments to remove Hikvision cameras over security concerns.
Lord Patten said the decision to send Mr Han – and the Foreign Office’s offer to go with him – reflected how China views the UK.
“It’s indicative of the fact that no matter how much you cringe at China, no matter how much you try to give them face, they don’t give a damn about giving us a face because they could have sent a lot of other people,” he said. he told the BBC. Radio 4’s World At One programme.
“It’s 1.4 billion, after all, and they chose to send the man responsible for breaking their word on Hong Kong.
“If it wasn’t intentional, then it shows how casually they actually treat us. So no matter how hard we try to sit back, sometimes horizontally, to accommodate their own political narrative, I don’t think they really care about us.”
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