King's coronation will take place on 6 May - and Queen Consort will be crowned alongside Charles III

The coronation of King Charles III will take place next year on Saturday 6 May, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

The religious ceremony will be held at London's Westminster Abbey, and conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

The King will be crowned alongside his wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort.

It is thought the coronation will be more modest and shorter than previous ceremonies, with some suggesting it will last one hour.

The palace said the ceremony would "reflect the monarch's role today and looks towards the future" while staying "rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry".

It has still not been confirmed whether there will be a bank holiday to mark the day, although the fact it falls on a weekend might suggest this is unlikely.

The Queen's coronation on 2 June 1953 took three hours with a congregation of 8,000 dignitaries. The event was broadcast live on television, attracting record-breaking audiences around the world.

Thousands lined the streets for a glimpse of the Queen in the gold state coach, which has been used for coronations since George IV.

It is not known whether the coach will be used this time.

Read more:
What will happen at King's coronation?
Why will Camilla be crowned?
The life of Queen Elizabeth - a 'selfless' monarch who made Britain proud

Although the King succeeded to the throne when the Queen died, the coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch's regal power.

Charles will be anointed with holy oil, blessed and consecrated by the archbishop.

He will be crowned with St Edward's Crown. During the ceremony, Camilla will also be anointed and crowned.

The date of the coronation is also the birthday of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son Archie - the King's grandson - who will be turning four on the day.

There is also no detail yet on who will attend the ceremony, including whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be invited or be able to travel from California to attend.

The date was also the wedding anniversary of the late Queen's sister, Princess Margaret. The coronation of George VI, the King's grandfather, was also in May.

The service has been held in Westminster Abbey for 900 years.

It is understood the coronation next year will include parts of the traditional service while incorporating elements that recognise "the spirit of our times".

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The King will be 74 next May, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history.