Flight restrictions to be imposed over central London for King Charles’ coronation

Flight restrictions have been imposed above central London this weekend for King Charles’ coronation.

The restrictions will ban light aircraft and drones from flying below 2,500 feet in an area over the capital on Friday and Saturday (5 and 6 May), which includes Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.

The ban comes “on advice from the Metropolitan Police Service”, according to a notice to pilots published online today. The restrictions will be in force from 9am on Friday until 9pm on Saturday due to the coronation.

The coronation service will be held on Saturday at Westminster Abbey following a procession from Buckingham Palace. Other restrictions on that day include some relating to a helicopter flight from London to Chippenham, which is believed to be for the Queen Consort to travel to her Wiltshire home.

There are also curbs on airspace usage due to a flypast of more than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – including the Red Arrows – over The Mall at around 2.15pm on Saturday.

It is understood that the airspace restrictions will impact light aircraft pilots and drone users, but commercial flights should not be affected. This is in contrast to the day of the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, which saw more than 100 Heathrow Airport flights cancelled to prevent aircraft noise disturbing proceedings at Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle.

It comes as the first glimpses of the Coronation celebrations were unveiled today after overnight rehearsals took place in central London. Hundreds of soldiers, including many on horseback, marched from Buckingham Palace past Trafalgar Square and Downing Street to Westminster Abbey in the early hours of Wednesday morning (3 May).

The Diamond Jubilee State Coach and Gold State Coach were marched down the Mall shortly after 12.20am as part of the preparations, giving royal fans a sneak peek of the Coronation parade.

Buckingham Palace remained mostly silent as soldiers quietly maintained protocol until a regiment playing the bagpipes brought the area to life shortly after 2.30am.

Other soldiers were spotted parading in Parliament Square and practised changing position as Big Ben chimed, while artillery regiments rehearsed moving cannons on horseback and soldiers were seen pretending to fire the ceremonial weapons. The Gold State Coach was spotted passing Buckingham Palace shortly after 3.20am.

The rehearsal took place hours after a man was arrested outside Buckingham Palace after throwing suspected shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds. The man was held by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon after he was searched and a knife was found, but he was not carrying a gun.

Cordons were put in place and Scotland Yard said a controlled explosion was carried out as a precaution as the man had a “suspicious bag”.