Easy last-minute coronation party ideas
King Charles III’s coronation is almost upon us and what better way to celebrate the bonus bank holiday weekend than to host a royal-themed party. Don't worry if you've left it until the last minute – we’ve got some brilliant and easy coronation party ideas that will impress your guests.
The coronation takes place on Saturday 6th May 2023 with celebrations expected to last until Monday 8th May, an additional bank holiday in the UK for the occasion.
You may want to go all out and host a screening party on the day itself when the ceremony is on TV. Alternatively, as part of the coronation Big Lunch celebrations, which run from 6th to 8th of May, you could hold a coronation party or street party on another day of the long weekend.
Whenever you decide, we have all the expert coronation-themed party ideas you need for hosting a royally good get together. The good news is you don’t need to spend a fortune or have spent weeks planning to put on a brilliant celebration that friends and family will love.
From coronation decorations you can easily make yourself to tasty food that’s easy to prepare, here's how to get the party started
Coronation craft ideas
If, like us, you love to make things yourself, try these coronation crafts to add a special touch to the proceedings. We’ve got lots of inspiration for easy coronation decorations to create. They could also double up as a party activity for the King’s coronation if you have a crafty crowd heading to yours!
“Simple craft projects make the perfect addition to your coronation celebrations – your guests are guaranteed to be impressed by your efforts!” says Prima’s Craft Editor Imogen Cooper.
“Why not try making some bunting to string above the table, or make a small token for everyone attending your street party. Put your crafting skills to good use for a coronation tablescape fit for a king!”
Explore our coronation craft ideas to inspire you:
If you'll have kids coming along, you could print out some of the free coronation tool kit sheets – black and white one-page illustrations that can be coloured in with some featuring puzzles. Set them up on a tuff spot or covered table with some crayons as a little activity corner.
Coronation party food ideas
A buffet or grazing table is a good make-ahead option that can work whatever the weather and is a great way to celebrate the coronation. Whether you buy in, whip up your own or a combo of both, there are some crowd pleasers that are bound to go down well.
"An easy way to cut costs and keep your cool is to ask everyone to bring an element of the feast," says Prima's Cookery Editor Emma Franklin. "But remember to oversee what people are bringing to avoid an unbalanced spread and repetition. Friends and family will want to help reduce stress and to feel they have contributed, so doing this ticks many boxes."
Emma also suggests asking for RSVPs so you can estimate how much food you'll actually need: "If you’re planning on hosting a larger party, get an accurate headcount so you can cater drinks and food accordingly, otherwise the temptation will be to over-cater and overspend."
If you want to go the official route, the coronation quiche recipe features spinach, broad beans and tarragon. Sausage rolls, vegetable tarts and picnic pies would also be great additions, whether you buy in or make yourself.
Add a touch of afternoon tea finesse with a selection of finger sandwiches with fillings such as smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise, coronation chicken or traditional cucumber.
Bowls of salads, slaw, potatoes, dips, cheeses, crisps and pickles are an easy way to bulk out the offering.
For desserts, everything from trifle, pavlova or fresh scones served with jam and cream would go down a treat. Or how about a traditional Victoria sponge cake with a filling of jam and whipped cream. Top with cream and fashion a Union Jack or crown shape out berries for the top – it'll make a fab centrepiece!
And when it comes to coronation drinks, Emma advises: "Don’t go overboard on your drinks selection – alcohol is a major expense in entertaining and quickly adds up, and you really don’t need to offer a cocktail cabinet full of options. Pick a couple of drinks (including soft options) and encourage everyone to bring a bottle of their favourite tipple."
Coronation party decorations
Although not essential, plenty of people will enjoy decking homes and gardens out in red, white and blue for the coronation as they turn to the Union Jack for inspiration. Of course, purple is also considered a regal colour and a splash of gold in recognition of the crown would add a touch of sparkle to your decorations.
Whichever colour theme you choose, bunting is the quintessential coronation party decoration. It’s great for decorating indoor and outdoor spaces, plus it’s easy enough to make your own from fabric (watch our no-sew coronation bunting video) or create paper bunting for the big day. Paper chains are also super easy to make when it comes to coronation party ideas and a great way to get kids involved with the prep.
From balloons to pompoms, table confetti and napkins, there are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to give a colourful nod to the coronation theme.
"If you’re planning on celebrating al fresco always, ALWAYS prepare a back-up plan for what you’ll do if it rains," says Emma. "Whether it’s borrowing or hiring a small gazebo, or just clearing space in your front room and having a big umbrella or three to hand so barbecuing can continue whatever the weather, it’s better to be prepared than not."
We love any excuse to deck our homes out with some fresh flowers – and they’re a fitting tribute to a King known for his appreciation of gardening.
“King Charles has spoken of his love of delphiniums and their glorious colours. Highgrove House also features four acres of wildflowers, so be sure to include them," says florist Millie Durbak, from Prestige Flowers.
“The late Queen had a lily-of-the-valley feature in her coronation bouquet, and some Royal experts predict the King might feature this in some way at his coronation to pay tribute.
“Meanwhile, Camilla, Queen Consort, has previously spoken about her love of alchemilla mollis, also known as lady’s mantle. It’s a plant but can also look great in a vase.”
And for a bit of fun, how about a likeness of His Majesty at your ceremony? If you love knitting, try our free King Charles knitting pattern or snap up a cardboard cut out of the King like this one from Argos that costs £36.99. Standing at 181cm tall, it’s a decoration that’s bound to grab guests’ attention and be a fun focal point for party pictures.
Coronation playlist
Set up a wireless bluetooth speaker and tune into the official coronation playlist put together by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. Yes, there are some party tunes approved for the coronation weekend and they’re available to stream on Spotify. The track list includes:
Come Together – The Beatles
Daddy Cool – Boney M.
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Let’s Dance – David Bowey
Celestial – Ed Sheeran
One Day Like This – Elbow
Mr Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra
Starry Eyed – Ellie Goulding
Starlight – Emeli Sandé
Dance All Over Me – George Ezra
Slave To The Rhythm – Grace Jones
Treat People With Kindness – Harry Styles
Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
Our House – Madness
It’s A Beautiful Day – Michael Bublé
All over the World – Pet Shop Boys
We Are The Champions – Queen
People Get Ready – Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart
Space Man – Sam Ryder
Gold – Spandau Ballet
Say You’ll Be There – Spice Girls
Shine – Take That
Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks
Love Reign O’er Me – The Who
Green Green Grass Of Home – Tom Jones
King – Years & Years
If you'd rather be a bit more individual when it comes to your music choices, put your own playlist together ahead of time. You could ask guests to suggest songs and create your own coronation party playlist. On the day, they could put requests on pieces of paper that they then pop in a hat (or crown!) for the home DJ to play.
However you celebrate, have a fabulous coronation weekend!
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