King and Queen attend full run-through of Coronation service at Westminster Abbey
It may have proved chaotic during the first run-through, but by the second, everything suddenly fell into place.
The King and Queen would have been forgiven for allowing themselves a sigh of relief on Wednesday night after the first full rehearsals of the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey were hailed a success.
One participant, who did not want to be identified, admitted that after the first walk through, they felt mildly concerned.
“It was chaotic to start with,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh God, how are we going from here to…’
“It just seemed a bit difficult to get going and was hard work getting everyone lined up, but once it was going it flowed so beautifully the second time round.
“We fell into place immediately. I know that on the day it will work.”
Their Majesties were all smiles as they attended the earlier part of the rehearsal on Wednesday morning, waving to onlookers and chatting animatedly with church officials outside the Abbey.
The couple were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, for a run-through of the service. The Princess Royal was also present.
With just three days to go, the family appeared relaxed as they prepared to run through the two-hour ceremony and the complex choreography that will be required of them on the day.
They were greeted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, before being shown inside the gothic church, where Charles and Camilla will be crowned on Saturday.
After the royals left, around 100 other participants, including peers, aristocrats and members of the clergy who will play a role in the ceremony arrived for their own run through.
The starring roles of the King and Queen were played by two women, thought to be church officials.
The rehearsal finished with the National Anthem, which will bring the ceremony to a close. And despite the pews being empty and everyone being dressed down, the moment proved emotional.
On Thursday, all involved, including the Royal family, are expected to return for a dress rehearsal.
It comes after the military staged a rehearsal of the processions to and from Buckingham Palace in the dead of night, with thousands of soldiers marching in their striking red and black uniforms through the deserted London streets.
The Band of the Household Cavalry led the parade to the backdrop of the national anthem just after 12.20am.
Onlookers desperate for a first glimpse of the spectacle filtered through St James's Park to find a spot along the Mall, many of them families of the soldiers on parade.
They fell silent, captivated, as the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which will carry the King from the palace to the Abbey, emerged into view, pulled along the route by six Windsor Grey horses.
Earlier in the evening, commuters at Waterloo watched as 6,000 soldiers marched through the station, having arrived in London from stations including Aldershot for the rehearsal.
While the rehearsals proved that practice makes perfect, no one can control the weather.
The RAF flypast is at risk of being cancelled over the gloomy forecast.
Officials at the RAF and MoD are in talks with Buckingham Palace over the finale of the Coronation parade, which would see the Red Arrows fly over central London as the Royal family watch from the palace balcony.
The Met Office has forecast grey cloud on Saturday afternoon over London, with bursts of rain.
Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, told MPs in the House of Commons that the Coronation would be a “moment of extraordinary national pride” and an opportunity to “look to the future in the spirit of service, unity and hope.”
Only homage of royal blood
Prince William will kneel before his father, placing his own hands between his hands, before vowing to be his “liege man of life and limb” in the only homage of royal blood of the ceremony.
He will also help clothe the King in his golden Robe Royal, also known as the Imperial Mantle, ahead of his crowning.
All of those involved have taken part in several previous rehearsals at Buckingham Palace, where a raised platform has been built in the ballroom as an exact replica of that in Westminster Abbey.
A replica orb and sceptre as well as stand-in coronation chairs were also used.
The rehearsals are understood to have been informal, with each participant - from page boys to bishops to those presenting the regalia - running through their own segments and given the opportunity to ask plenty of questions.
The King and Queen have attended three rehearsals at the palace, practising with their real crowns as well as replacements, in order to get used to the weight.
In 1953, the Abbey was shut entirely for months while stands were erected inside to accommodate the 8,000 guests.
Elizabeth II is said to have sneaked inside late at night to rehearse, while hundreds crowded into Westminster to catch a glimpse of her arriving for daytime rehearsals nearer the day.
Meanwhile, the Princess Royal has been appointed the Senior Colonel of the Household Division by the King, the palace announced.
