Which royals from around the world could attend coronation of Charles?

There will be no shortage of royal faces at Charles' coronation. Despite a reduced guest list, a mere 2000 - as opposed to the late Queen Elizabeth II's guest list of 8000 at her 1953 coronation - there are still plans to ensure as many worldwide reigning monarchs as possible are invited.

In the past, it would have been convention for no other crowned royals to be in attendance during a British coronation. This was due to the ceremony being seen as a sacred event between the people and the monarch in the presence of God.

King Charles III, however, has modernised the ceremony by inviting his royal friends from abroad. These royal invitations to the coronation include European monarchs, Arab states, Asia, as well as the Middle East.

It appeared to be a confirmation of attendance to May's coronation by Prince Albert of Monaco, when he said to People in January 2023, "I'm certain that it's going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one. I'm certain His Majesty will add his own 'personal touches' to the ceremonies," he added. "But what those will be, I'm sure I don't know."

There are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as head of state, as of 2023 figures. There are 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, nine in the Americas, six in Oceania, and three in Africa. Will they all be invited? Probably, although not all will attend.

We look at who is likely to go to the coronation from worldwide royal families.

Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene, Princess of Monaco

Prince Albert was in attendance at Queen Elizabeth's funeral in September 2022, alongside his wife, Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer. They have twins, a son and a daughter. He appeared to confirm in People in January that the couple will attend, although whether the children, who are only eight years old, will be there is uncertain.

King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan

This royal couple from the Middle East, in the country of Jordan - which is ranked the fifth-freest Arab country - were at the Queen's funeral last year. Queen Rania told CNN at the time that Elizabeth II's advice to her when she was beginning her reign was to "always be there" and have "a sense of duty and discipline". The couple has four children and two are getting married in 2023.

The King and Queen of Bhutan

The Dragon King and his wife, who is known as the 'Kate Middleton of the Himalayas', made a rare appearance at Elizabeth II's funeral last year. His wife, Jetsun Pema, is the youngest queen consort in the world at the age of 32. They have two sons, who are expected to stay at home due to their young age.

The Sultan of Brunei

Hassanal Bolkiah is a single man, having gone through three marriages and divorces. He would, therefore, be attending the event as a lone monarch. He does have five sons and seven daughters, as well as 18 grandchildren, so he'll maybe have one family member alongside him during a coronation attendance, if he does go along on 6 May.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands

The Dutch king got his hands on the crown after his mother, Beatrix, abdicated in 2013, and is expected to attend with his wife, Queen Maxima. The Queen of the Netherlands enjoys a colourful wardrobe and is often photographed in weird and wonderful hats... a fact she will probably maximise if she attends the coronation. Although Beatrix abdicated, she may well also attend the coronation alongside her son and his wife.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain

King Felipe is, in fact, a distant cousin of King Charles, and so an even greater reason for being in attendance at the coronation. The couple came over to the UK to pay their respects at Elizabeth's funeral. They are very likely to be at Charles' big day.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan

When the abdication of Naruhito's father occurred in 2019, dozens of foreign dignitaries were in attendance, and he was the first Japanese emperor to abdicate since 1817. Naruhito and Masako have been married for more than 30 years, but he almost didn't win her hand in wedded bliss. She refused his proposal twice, before agreeing to marry him, as she'd enjoyed an international career in economics. They have one daughter, Aiko, but she will never inherit the throne as daughters cannot reign. Instead, the role of emperor will go to Naruhito's brother, Fumihito, who is currently the Crown Prince of Japan.