London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026

Coronation: Military rehearse parade on replica route

Coronation: Military rehearse parade on replica route

Thousands of ceremonial troops have been rehearsing ahead of the King's Coronation, bringing together the largest parade of military personnel since Winston Churchill's funeral.

The troops practised at an airbase which had been transformed into a life-size replica of the procession route.

More than 7,000 troops took part.

Capt Jordan Charles Whiteman, whose grandfather had taken part in the late Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, said he felt "ecstatic" to be involved.

Organisers were creative in recreating the route with a pair of rugby posts acting as Buckingham Palace, a minibus standing in for the royal Gold State Coach and a set of cones replacing Admiralty Arch at the entrance to the Mall.

Troops from 34 Commonwealth nations practised at the airbase in Hampshire


On 6 May, the armed forces will accompany King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.

The route will be a quarter of the length of the late Queen's grand procession back in 1953.

Irish wolf hound Turlough Mor, also known as Seamus, rehearsed his role as the mascot of the Irish Guards


The rehearsal - which included sailors, soldiers and aviators - took place at RAF Odiham in Hampshire on Sunday.

The procession route was mapped out onto the airfield using a pace stick to ensure it was the exact distance.

Some 40 nations were represented, including troops from 34 Commonwealth countries and six overseas territories.

More rehearsals are scheduled to take place, partly at night, ahead of the big day.

More than 7,000 troops will be involved in the King's Coronation next week


Capt Whiteman said the coronation would be a very special day for his family as they reminisced about his grandfather, Sgt Charles White.

Despite dying before he was born, Capt Whiteman said his grandfather had shared some advice, passed down by his mother.

"What's been passed on is remember the nerves will keep you sharp and keep your wits about you.

"But also actually don't forget to actually enjoy the moment and enjoy the day - it certainly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he added.

The rehearsal was the first time all elements of the procession had been come together


Also taking part were identical twins Amy and Jessica McLenaghan - who will be in the procession, just one row apart.

The air engineer technicians said they applied at the same time and were really pleased to both be selected.

On the day there is going to be a mixture of emotions, said Amy, "but overall it is a proud moment to be a part of".

The rehearsal on Sunday was the only full daytime run-through of the big event

Guards carried flags from some of the Commonwealth countries

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Aides Say U.S. Has Discussed Offering Asylum to British Jews Amid Growing Antisemitism Concerns
UK Seeks Diplomatic De-escalation with Trump Over Greenland Tariff Threat
Prince Harry Returns to London as High Court Trial Begins Over Alleged Illegal Tabloid Snooping
High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills at Least Twenty-One and Injures Scores
Meghan Markle May Return to the U.K. This Summer as Security Review Advances
Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat Sparks EU Response and Risks Deep Transatlantic Rift
Prince Harry’s High Court Battle With Daily Mail Publisher Begins in London
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Presents Complex Challenges for the UK Economy
UK Prime Minister Starmer Rebukes Trump’s Greenland Tariff Strategy as Transatlantic Tensions Rise
Prince Harry’s Last Press Case in UK Court Signals Potential Turning Point in Media and Royal Relations
OpenAI to Begin Advertising in ChatGPT in Strategic Shift to New Revenue Model
GDP Growth Remains the Most Telling Barometer of Britain’s Economic Health
Prince William and Kate Middleton Stay Away as Prince Harry Visits London Amid Lingering Rift
Britain Braces for Colder Weather and Snow Risk as Temperatures Set to Plunge
Mass Protests Erupt as UK Nears Decision on China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London
Prince Harry to Return to UK to Testify in High-Profile Media Trial Against Associated Newspapers
Keir Starmer Rejects Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Completely Wrong’
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Prince Harry Returns to UK High Court as Final Privacy Trial Against Daily Mail Publisher Begins
Britain Confronts a Billion-Pound Wind Energy Paradox Amid Grid Constraints
The graduate 'jobpocalypse': Entry-level jobs are not shrinking. They are disappearing.
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
The Return of the Hands: Why the AI Age Is Rewriting the Meaning of “Real Work”
UK PM Kier Scammer Ridicules Tories With "Kamasutra"
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
United Kingdom and Norway Endorse NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Mission Including Greenland
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Planned Sale of Shell and Exxon’s UK Gas Assets to Viaro Energy Collapses Amid Regulatory and Market Hurdles
UK Intensifies Arctic Security Engagement as Trump’s Greenland Rhetoric Fuels Allied Concern
Meghan Markle Could Return to the UK for the First Time in Nearly Four Years If Security Is Secured
Meghan Markle Likely to Return to UK Only if Harry Secures Official Security Cover
UAE Restricts Funding for Emiratis to Study in UK Amid Fears Over Muslim Brotherhood Influence
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks to Safeguard Long-Term Agreement Stability
Starmer’s Push to Rally Support for Action Against Elon Musk’s X Faces Setback as Canada Shuns Ban
UK Free School Meals Expansion Faces Political and Budgetary Delays
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Prince Harry Seeks King Charles’ Support to Open Invictus Games on UK Return
Washington Holds Back as Britain and France Signal Willingness to Deploy Troops in Postwar Ukraine
Elon Musk Accuses UK Government of Suppressing Free Speech as X Faces Potential Ban Over AI-Generated Content
Russia Deploys Hypersonic Missile in Strike on Ukraine
OpenAI and SoftBank Commit One Billion Dollars to Energy and Data Centre Supplier
UK Prime Minister Starmer Reaffirms Support for Danish Sovereignty Over Greenland Amid U.S. Pressure
UK Support Bolsters U.S. Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker Marinera in Atlantic Strike on Sanctions Evasion
The Claim That Maduro’s Capture and Trial Violate International Law Is Either Legally Illiterate—or Deliberately Deceptive
UK Data Watchdog Probes Elon Musk’s X Over AI-Generated Grok Images Amid Surge in Non-Consensual Outputs
Prince Harry to Return to UK for Court Hearing Without Plans to Meet King Charles III
UK Confirms Support for US Seizure of Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
×