Aotearoa will have a new head of state soon, with the coronation of King Charles III in May. Here’s how to watch the once-in-a-generation event.
Whatever your thoughts on the Windsors, there’s no denying that the coronation of a new monarch is a big deal, one that hasn’t been seen for some 70 years.
Next month, this once-in-a-generation event will have viewers glued to screens throughout the United Kingdom, Commonwealth, and around the world as the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort takes place on Saturday 6 May. The royal procession will depart between 9:30pm and 10:00pm from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation. The ceremony itself will begin at 10:00pm and is expected to last around three hours.
New Zealand viewers will be able to watch the Coronation on Saturday 6 May at 10pm on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+. They will be broadcasting/streaming BBC’s coverage of the Coronation, and its lead-up—as well as what happens next.
Once the ceremony has concluded, the newly crowned Charles and Camilla will head back up the Mall to the palace. There, members of the royal family will gather on the balcony to wave to crowds and watch the traditional flypast, which will include over 60 aircraft from the British Army, Royal Airforce and Royal Navy.
As well as the ceremony itself, TVNZ has a big lineup of Coronation viewing over the weekend, including other key events from the UK and an opportunity to share local perspectives from Aotearoa.
TVNZ’s coverage commences on Friday 5 May from 7:30pm, with a trio of specials: The Repair Shop: King Charles Special, My King Charles III and King Charles III: A New Era.
The following day, royal-themed viewing gets underway a whopping 13 hours before the ceremony itself with Platinum Party at the Palace at 10am. Throughout the day TVNZ will also screen Fergie & Meghan: Inconvenient Royals, Catherine Our Queen in Waiting and Charles and the Women Who Could Have Been Queen.
Coverage of the Coronation build-up begins at 7pm on TVNZ 1, TVNZ+ and 1News.co.nz with 1News Presents: Their Majesties’ Coronation. Hosted by Melissa Stokes and Daniel Faitaua, this which will preview the event, including crosses to TVNZ’s Europe Correspondent Mei Heron, Australia Correspondent Andrew Macfarlane and other 1News journos and Kiwis around Aotearoa. As the formalities approach later in the evening, this local coverage will hand over to the BBC broadcast of the Coronation at around 8:45pm (BBC coverage will also be available on TVNZ+ from the earlier time of 6:30pm)
On Sunday, highlights will be available at 3.20pm, Sunday 7 May, TVNZ 1.
And, on Monday 8 May, TVNZ will screen The Coronation Concert at 8pm on TVNZ 1. Onstage within the grounds of Windsor Castle, the line-up includes Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Riding and more.
For full info on each of the specials mentioned above, here’s TVNZ’s media release:
TVNZ is proud to mark the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort with a broad range of compelling and entertaining programmes to help Kiwis share in the significance of this once-in-a-generation occasion.
With programming available across TVNZ 1, TVNZ+ and 1News Online, TVNZ will deliver the full glory of the Coronation for viewers across Aotearoa.
The special line-up of coverage starts on Friday 5 May, with the highly anticipated The Repair Shop: King Charles Special (7.30pm, TVNZ 1). Jay Blades and the expert team of The Repair Shop craftspeople meet up with HRH The Prince of Wales (before his accession to the Throne) to explore their shared passion of preserving heritage craft skills.
Following on is My King Charles III (8.30pm, TVNZ 1), a fascinating documentary that paints a uniquely intimate picture of the man behind the crown, capturing Charles’ life from his early years in the palace, his playboy twenties, and his troubled first marriage, while examining his role in smoothing recent royal troubles and the future he now faces.
Then, King Charles III: A New Era (9.40pm, TVNZ 1) reveals a new side to King Charles III and his unparalleled journey toward kingship. The ground-breaking and moving documentary includes a never-before-seen interview with King Charles’ former butler, Grant Harrold, as he paints an intimate picture of the new monarch.
On Saturday 6 May, viewers can indulge in their royal obsession with a musical extravaganza and a range of fascinating documentaries before a spectacular evening of programming ahead of the Coronation itself.
Relive the delights of Platinum Party at the Palace (10am, TVNZ 1), a celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign, featuring performances from Queen, Alicia Keys, George Ezra and more, plus appearances from the likes of Sir David Attenborough and Dame Julie Andrews.
Fergie & Meghan: Inconvenient Royals (2.05pm, TVNZ 1) explores the parallels between Sarah, Duchess of York and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Both women brought vivacity to their royal duties, but these refreshing characteristics became the subject of criticism.
Catherine Our Queen in Waiting (3pm, TVNZ 1) profiles the Princess of Wales and explores how she has managed to transform herself from the nervous woman the world saw when her engagement to Prince William was announced, into the modern, elegant, diplomatic figure we see now.
Charles and the Women Who Could Have Been Queen (4pm, TVNZ 1) explores Charles’ search for a bride. In 1969, Prince Charles challenged himself to find a bride by the age of 30. He missed his target by two years, marrying Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, but prior to that, he is said to have romanced at least 20 women and proposed to two of them.
Heading into the evening, viewers can join Melissa Stokes and Daniel Faitaua for the 1News Presents: Their Majesties’ Coronation (7pm, TVNZ 1, TVNZ+ and 1News.co.nz). They’ll look ahead to a right royal celebration and give viewers a front row seat to all the excitement and ceremonial proceedings unfolding from London. TVNZ’s Europe Correspondent Mei Heron will be reporting live on the events from the UK and the build-up to the spectacle of the Coronation. Australia Correspondent Andrew Macfarlane will show how Australians are marking the event, while other members of the 1News team will be with New Zealanders as they celebrate this momentous occasion.
As the evening progresses and the Coronation commences, we join the BBC’s coverage so New Zealand viewers can witness all of the ceremonial events as they unfold throughout the day, from the early military movements to the formal processions in the lead up to the Westminster Abbey service.
In Westminster Abbey, thousands of guests from the UK and around the world will gather, including politicians past and present, faith leaders, The King and Queen Consort’s patronages and members of the Royal Family. With the arrival of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort, the Coronation will be captured in all its majesty as we welcome the newly crowned monarchs. Highlights will also be available at 3.20pm, Sunday 7 May, TVNZ 1.
On Monday 8 May, The Coronation Concert (8pm, TVNZ 1) will see the biggest and brightest stars take to the stage within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The eclectic line-up of artists includes British pop group Take That, international superstar Lionel Richie, global pop icon Katy Perry, international opera star Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and singer/songwriter Freya Ridings. The concert will also see a world-class orchestra play a host of musical favourites alongside world-class entertainers and performers.
1NEWS will provide comprehensive coverage on-air and online across the days leading up to and beyond the Coronation. From Breakfast all the way through to Tonight, the 1News team will bring viewers the latest pictures and news from the UK, while 1News.co.nz will provide live updates, pictures and highlights of all the big moments from this historic event. Wherever viewers are and however they choose to watch, 1News has got every audience covered.
