King's Coronation as it happened: Charles crowned in spectacular ceremony after Prince Harry booed

The newly crowned King and Queen are smiling at the thousands lining the streets on their way back to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach.

The Princess Royal followed behind on horseback in her role as Gold Stick and Colonel The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1S Dragoons).

Next came the carriage with the Prince and Princess of Wales inside, along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Five-year-old Louis was waving from the window.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also returned to Buckingham Palace by coach.

The military flypast over Buckingham Palace - due to start any moment now - has been scaled down because of the weather, my colleague Matthew Mohan-Hickson reports. It will now be formed of helicopters and The Red Arrows, the Ministry of Defence has said.

It had been feared in recent days that due to the latest forecast it could be axed. The head of the RAF said earlier in the week that there was a "50/50" chance it would be cancelled.

Sailors, soldiers, and aviators from across the UK and the breadth of the Commonwealth acompanied Charles and Camilla to and from Westminster Abbey. Later in the day, military personnel will conduct a six-minute flypast of more than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – flying over The Mall in central London.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace noted the operation will be “spectacular”, saying: “We can be enormously proud of the professionalism and precision of our armed forces as they honour His Majesty, their new commander-in-chief. From the procession on The Mall, to the flypast over London, with gun salutes at sea and across the country, it will be a spectacular and fitting tribute and a privilege to take part in for all those involved and watching from afar.”

King Charles greeted a delirious crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony, replicating the iconic moment from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years on.

Members of the public were seen running to gather in front of Buckingham Palace to get a glimpse of the royal family on the balcony.

The rain was coming down heavily but the crowds appeared jubilant as the clamoured to get a coveted spot in front of the palace.

RAF helicopters and the Red Arrows performed a flypast after King Charles had appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony. This was a slimmed down version of the performance, due to the low cloud and rain. Charles and Camilla actually struggled to look up at the mesmeric display due to the crowns on their heads.

The King and the Queen are set to enjoy a post-coronation lunch with the royal family and Camilla’s nearest and dearest at Buckingham Palace after completing their public duties, Matthew Mohan-Hickson reports.

After leaving the balcony, official photographs will be taken by their favourite photographer Hugo Burnand in the Throne Room and the Green Drawing Room. Portraits of the couple and group shots of senior royals and those who played a part in the coronation service will be arranged, before the King and Queen enjoy a cup of tea.

Then Charles and Camilla will then retire for private time with their extended family, enjoying an informal lunch. Head royal chef Mark Flanagan will be in charge of catering for the royal party.

They will be joined by a host of royals, as well as Camilla’s relatives including, most likely, her sister and trusted confidante Annabel Elliot, her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her grandchildren, for the private celebration with their blended family. The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be among the family heading back to the famous royal residence following the historic ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

Is this Penny Mordaunt’s ‘Pippa Middleton’ moment at the King’s coronation, my colleague Marina Licht writes for our sister site PeopleWorld.

King Charles is unquestionably the star of his own coronation, but there is one other woman taking centre stage, and no, you may be surprised to read, it is not Queen Camilla. It is instead Penny Mordaunt, the Lord President of the Privy Council. 

Penny Mordaunt has become the first woman in history to carry and present the Jewelled Sword of Offering at a coronation. According to The Scotsman, “The sword is blessed by the Archbishop and presented to the King by Ms Mordaunt-the first time the sword has been carried and presented by a woman.”

As of writing, Penny Mordaunt is receiving widespread praise for her role. One Twitter user wrote “Hugely impressed by Penny Mordaunt’s dignity and gravitas.” Another fan said “She is winning the day, my friends.” whilst another said: “Penny Mordaunt different class today!!!”

Without taking anything away from the gravitas of Penny Mordaunt’s role, I also have to discuss with you her overall outfit. I think she looked incredibly chic in a teal dress and cape with leaf print, with matching headpiece. 

The colour of the outfit is ‘Poseidon,’ which is reportedly a deliberate reference to her Portsmouth constituency and was designed by Safiyaa, which has also been worn by Meghan Markle in the past. 

Penny’s choice of outfit was perfect for the occasion and in many ways reminded me of a certain Pippa Middleton’s dress at the wedding of her sister, Kate Middleton. Whether it was intentional or not, like Pippa, I think Penny without question took a little bit of the limelight away from Queen Camilla. 

Read Marina's full piece here.

My colleague Alex Nelson has written a review of the BBC's coverage, comparing it with the seminal TV moment of the Queen's coronation 70 years ago.

Alex writes: "The BBC’s coverage was once again the place to turn. The corporation tried to be sure of that, allegedly “restricting” access to the pool footage for the event before an “eleventh-hour” agreement was reached with major broadcasters meaning video of the coronation could be shared with their online audiences.

Delivered with a level of enthusiasm pitched almost perfectly to satiate all viewers, from the staunchest royal supporter to the curious republican, the commentary was peppered with informative facts that explained the significance of each ritual, and the cultural context of all of the ceremony’s quirks.

In terms of cinematography, the coverage - now in ultra-HD, something viewers of the Queen’s coronation couldn’t even have dreamed of - viewers were treated to a visual feast of stunning shots and close-ups, thanks to the sheer number of cameras deployed.

No angle was left uncovered during the ceremony itself, giving audiences a chance to appreciate the grand splendour of the event’s wider picture, as well as the smallest details, from the intricate designs on the royal garments to the symbolic artefacts used throughout.

For an impartial BBC, you would think that perhaps some nod could have been given to those in attendance who do not necessarily agree with the pomp and pageantry of it all. But it was at least fun to see producers who, through a feat of strategic camera placement and impeccable timing expertly avoided capturing any glimpse of the anti-monarchy protestors in Trafalgar Square. A masterclass in selective coverage.

It’s become increasingly challenging for traditional broadcasters to compete with the instantaneous updates and real-time footage shared by the general public on social media, but the BBC proved that there is still a place for meticulously planned live productions."

Read Alex's full piece here.