U.K. to Celebrate Coronation of King Charles III with Public Holiday on May 8

Buckingham Palace has announced that the coronation of King Charles III will take place on Saturday, May 8. The date was agreed upon by the U.K. government, the Church of England and the royal household, and to celebrate, people in the U.K. will be given a public holiday on Monday, May 8.

The coronation of King Charles III will be a historic event, as he will be the first British monarch to be crowned since Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. To mark the occasion, celebratory lunches will be held across the U.K. and other Commonwealth countries that weekend, and on May 7, a special service will be held at Westminster Abbey.

When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had their first child, Archie, he wasn’t granted a royal title. The assumption many made was that Prince Harry and Meghan declined a title to allow their new son to live a more normal life, away from the limelight and official duties. It’s not clear whether one was offered by Queen Elizabeth II and refused, or not offered at all.

The custom would have been for the monarch to offer a title such as Earl to someone so high up the line of succession, with a few small tweaks expected for the modern age. However, the royal source at the time didn’t elaborate on the matter.

The coronation of King Charles III will be a momentous occasion for the British royal family and the U.K. as a whole. The public holiday on Monday, May 8 will give people the opportunity to celebrate the event and join in the festivities.