King Charles' milestone day in history did not go without its critics.
King Charles' historic day did not go without some criticism.
On Saturday, the firstborn son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip was set to be crowned king, officially marking his reign as sovereign eight months after the death of his mother, the longest-serving monarch in British history.
Amid Charles' procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, the site of the milestone occasion, however, the 74-year-old royal was met with disapproval from protesters situated in a sea of onlookers along the route.
Protesters, some appearing to be affiliated with the British group Republic, were photographed holding "Not My King" signs. Another person was spotted holding a sign in support of Virginia Giuffre, who filed a lawsuit against Charles' younger brother, Prince Andrew, in 2021, alleging she was sexually abused by him. He denied her allegations and the lawsuit was settled out of court in 2022.
There were also signs in support of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. Following her and Prince Harry's bombshell exit as senior working members of the royal family in 2020, the former American actress will not be in attendance at the coronation. Instead, she will remain in California with the couple's two children as their son, Prince Archie, is celebrating his fourth birthday today.
Meanwhile, Harry was seen arriving inside Westminster Abbey behind cousin Princess Eugenie and in front of Princess Beatrice. His older brother, heir apparent Prince William, processed alongside wife Kate Middleton behind his father into the church.
Although the actual anointment during the coronation ceremony is not broadcast publicly, plenty of special programming and live footage from the ceremony will be available to watch live on May 6, starting at 5 a.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. Audiences will also be able to view coverage on CBS News, including the concert featuring Katy Perry and Lionel Richie on Sunday, May 7. Additionally, others can watch the coronation online on these streaming platforms.
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