A number of famous faces have arrived at Westminster Abbey ahead of King Charles III’s Coronation.
TV presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have joined other celebrity guests including Dame Emma Thompson, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Dame Judi Dench and Stephen Fry at the service.
The TV duo are attending in their capacity as goodwill ambassadors for the Prince’s Trust, a role they took up in 2021 after two decades working with the charity.
US singer Katy Perry, Australian musician Nick Cave, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, BBC director-general Tim Davie, actress Dame Joanna Lumley and singer Lionel Richie, who will perform at the coronation concert on Sunday, were also in attendance.
Before the ceremony, McPartlin and Donnelly told Good Morning Britain it was an “honour and a privilege” to be invited to the event in central London.
McPartlin added that the Prince’s Trust is the “best legacy” for the King to leave.
“He started the Prince’s Trust with his Navy pension back in 1976 and since then, the Prince’s Trust has grown every year and it’s now worldwide,” he said.
“We’re just very proud to be part of it and we can see now first-hand how it does help young people in this country and around the world.”
Oscar-winning actress Dame Emma, wearing a red floral jacket and her damehood medal and insignia, was accompanied by her husband, actor Greg Wise, for the ceremony.
Spice Girl Melanie Brown also spoke to ITV outside the abbey, recounting the girl group’s famous encounter with Charles in 1997.
She said: “I think because we were all so excited on the day we all just kind of freaked out a bit, and broke protocol, and I gave him a kiss and then Geri gave him a kiss and pinched his bum… we were just overwhelmed with excitedness. I don’t think I’d do that again though… we were all just too excited.”
Fry told BBC News he was grateful to have been invited to the “thousand-year-old ceremony, so rooted in the history of our islands”.
Other notable faces expected to be in the audience include David and Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney, Rowan Atkinson and Bear Grylls.
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