His Majesty King Hamad yesterday left for the UK to attend the coronation of King Charles III at the invitation of the British monarch.
Millions of people across the UK and beyond are preparing to celebrate the coronation – a symbolic ceremony combining a religious service and pageantry.
It is being held at Westminster Abbey tomorrow and King Charles, who will be crowned along with Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be the 40th reigning monarch crowned there since 1066.
The day of splendour and formality will feature customs dating back more than 1,000 years.
Bahrain maintains strong relations with the UK and Prince Charles had arrived in the kingdom, along with Princess Camilla, in 2007 and 2016. He held meetings with His Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Hundreds of royal fans have started camping out in central London ahead of the coronation, which will be the biggest ceremonial event since that staged for Queen Elizabeth in 1953.
Across the capital and many parts of Britain, shops and public areas are bedecked with Union Flag bunting and street parties have been planned. Giant screens will show the ceremony at 30 sites around the nation.
Millions thronged the streets of London in 1953 and some 27 million people watched the televised ceremony for Elizabeth, which was for many the first time they had watched any event on TV.
For those already lining the Mall, the grand boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace, there was a prevailing sense that this would be a special moment.
US President Joe Biden will not attend, but more than 100 other heads of state have accepted invitations to the king’s coronation, with the 2,300-strong guest list also including UK parliamentarians, celebrities and a large number of community and charity representatives.
Mr Biden will be represented by the first lady, Jill Biden, and she will be joined by the presidents of France, Germany, Italy and the prime ministers of the current 15 Commonwealth realms.
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