The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be broadcast live on a giant screen on the De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) campus as part of a city-wide programme of events to mark the historic occasion.
Coverage of the ceremony from Westminster Abbey will be shown on the large screen on Mill Lane from 10am tomorrow, Saturday 6 May, with the procession through London due to start at 10.15am.
The event will conclude with the flypast over Buckingham Palace, and our big screen coverage will end at 3pm, subject to weather conditions.
The outdoor screening of the coronation is taking place in partnership with De Montfort University and thanks to funding from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, which is coordinating celebratory events across the country.
A spokesperson for De Montfort University said: “We are honoured to be showing the Coronation of King Charles III on the big screen on the DMU campus, providing a focal point for people to meet and celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion together as a community.”
The campus is dressed with bunting and there will be a number of picnic tables for those wanting to bring their own Coronation snacks while watching the ceremony.
Leicester City Council has worked in conjunction with DMU on staging the event on the large screen and is running other events in the city to mark the Coronation.
The screen is on the side of the Vijay Patel Arts Tower
Celebrations will continue on Sunday 7 May with a special Coronation Party at Leicester’s historic Belgrave Hall. The family-friendly garden party will include hobby-horse racing, outdoor games, and arts and crafts with a royal theme. Visitors are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy it in the hall’s beautiful gardens.
Belgrave Hall’s Coronation Party runs from 11am until 3pm, with a £3 charge for children’s activities. People can pre-book online or pay with cash on the day.
On Monday, 8 May, the Guildhall will mark the coronation and the extra bank holiday with merriment, a maypole (12 noon to 1.30pm) and Morris dancing.
The Guildhall’s Coronation Celebrations run from 11am – 2.30pm and include family-friendly craft activities (until 2pm). A £2 entry charge applies.
The fun will then continue at 2.30pm with a bank holiday Ceilidh, featuring music from East Midlands-based 3 Around 3. Pre-book your tickets or pay at the door (£6). Under 16s can take part in the event – which runs until 4.30pm - free of charge.
Visitors to Leicester’s libraries and community centres will also be invited to record their hopes for the reign of King Charles III. Each venue will display a Coronation poster, with space for people to post their thoughts. The comments will be incorporated into a book that will be kept in the local studies area of Leicester Central Library.
Messages of congratulations to the King and Queen can be sent via a book of online greetings that’s being collated by the city council. The online book will be open for signing until 15 May.
Members of the public are also invited to join a special Coronation Service at St Mary de Castro church on Thursday 11 May at 5.30pm. All are welcome.
Mike Dalzell, Leicester City Council’s director of tourism, culture and inward investment, said: “Whether you want to make bunting for your street party, watch the coronation ceremony on a big screen, or just want to enjoy the extra bank holiday with family and friends, there’s something for you in Leicester over the coronation weekend.
“Our libraries and museums have got lots of free and low-cost ideas to help you mark this historic occasion, so check out our website to find out what’s on.”
Coronation events taking place in Leicester are listed at leicester.gov.uk/coronation, while the new King’s visits to Leicester over the years are remembered on the Story of Leicester website.
Information about how the Coronation Weekend will be marked nationally is available at royal.uk/coronation-weekend
Posted on Friday 5 May 2023