Thousands of royal wellwishers have clapped and cheered along The Mall as the King and Queen Consort left Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach

King Charles and Camilla smiled and waved at those who gathered near the palace - with many having camped overnight with the hope of securing a perfect spot to view the monarch.

The King is wearing a deep scarlet robe which was previously worn by his grandfather King George VI.

The procession, which began at around 10:20am, will take 33 minutes and a total of 200 personnel and horses are involved.

By the time the King and Queen Consort arrive around 100 heads of state, kings and queens from across the globe, celebrities, everyday heroes and family and friends of the royal couple will be among over 2,000 guests in the abbey.

King to be crowned during ceremony of 'sacred wonder' - live updates

The service starts at 11am and invited guests include David and Victoria Beckham, French President Emmanuel Macron, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Actress Dame Emma Thompson, musicians Lionel Richie, Nick Cave and a cheery-looking Ant and Dec, in their smart morning suits, are among the celebrities who have arrived at Westminster Abbey.

British actor Stephen Fry, musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber and the US First Lady Jill Biden have also arrived.

However, President Biden himself will not be attending.

It comes after Waterloo Station started buzzing into life shortly after 5am as thousands of members of the public descended on the capital with hats, dresses, flags and even clothes for dogs emblazoned with Union Flags.

Those arriving weren't quite as keen as the hundreds of royal fans who camped out in The Mall near Buckingham Palace overnight.

'It's like dancing with God'

Among the members of the public who have arrived in London for the coronation is a man who identified himself as a relative of the King.

The man, who did not want to be named, had secured a coveted invite to the ceremony,

"On days like today, so filled with joy and excitement, it is like dancing with God," he said.

'It makes me proud to be British'

Meanwhile, six friends from the US who are studying at St Mary's University in Twickenham said they are going to the coronation because it's "a once in a lifetime thing".

"How could we be in England and not go to the coronation?"

Lisa Cole from Hampshire had travelled with her dog Milo for the occasion.

Dressed in a Union flag scarf, it was not Milo's first royal event - he had also attended the Queen's funeral in September.

"I love the Royal Family. Everyone moans about them but it [makes me] proud to be British," Ms Cole said.

Protesters arrested ahead of ceremony

It comes as Republican protesters have been arrested just hours before the coronation, after police seized lock-on devices which would make it hard to remove from their place of demonstration.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed four people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on St Martin's Lane and that lock-on devices were seized.

The force also said they made a number of breaching-the-peace arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace and a further three arrests in the Wellington Arch area on suspicion of possessing articles to cause criminal damage.

Meanwhile, 5,000 military personnel will have arrived at Waterloo by train before the ceremony.

They will lead the processions which will accompany the King and Queen Consort to and from Westminster Abbey.

Those who have already arrived have been seen marching over Westminster Bridge.

The military personnel are members of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Forces, and have taken part in the biggest movement of military personnel on Britain's railways since Sir Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965.

The soldiers, sailors and aviators arrived to the sound of a special announcement recorded by the King and Queen Consort, which is being played at stations across Britain this weekend.

The nation's armed forces have promised a "spectacular" military display when the King and Queen Consort travel by carriage through the streets of the capital.

King Charles is preparing to be crowned in a ceremony which will be watched by millions of people across the world.

During the ceremony, the St Edward's Crown, which dates back to 1661, will be placed on the monarch's head as cries of "God Save The King" will ring out around the abbey and his wife will become Queen Camilla.

The crowned couple will then ride in the four-tonne Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace in a mile-long procession featuring 4,000 ceremonial troops.

'Precision and detail'

The event is the military's largest ceremonial operation since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, with 9,000 servicemen and women deployed.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "It will be spectacular and with the precision and detail you would expect, we have taken key lessons and best bits from previous coronations, the Platinum Jubilee, Her Late Majesty's funeral and added them to our plan."

A massive security and policing operation, dubbed Golden Orb, is under way that will see 11,500 police officers on duty alongside more than 9,000 military personnel taking part in the ceremony.

Meanwhile, preparations have been in full swing at Buckingham Palace where staff have been adorning its famous balcony with red and gold draping ahead of the Royal Family's appearance later.

Military bands can be heard practising ahead of the procession while street cleaners have been working to ensure the area in front of the palace was ready.

The King, Queen and other royals are expected to make an appearance on the famous balcony after returning from the service - but it's still unclear which members have made the cut.

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Doubts over six-minute flypast

Speculation has been rife as to why the palace has not yet announced which members of the royal clan will appear on the famous balcony.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, who are no longer working royals, will not have any formal role at the coronation but will attend the service.

Anticipation continues over whether the six-minute flypast, featuring more than 60 aircraft which are due to soar over London, will go ahead amid concerns of wet weather which could mean it is cancelled at the last minute.

Elsewhere in the country thousands of street parties will take place to celebrate the occasion with coronation-themed cakes, activities and decorations.

While many people will gather to celebrate the occasion, the coronation is taking place amid a cost of living crisis and public scepticism, particularly among the young, about the role and relevance of the monarchy.

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