Newspaper headlines: The King's 'day of destiny' finally arrives

By BBC News
Staff
King Charles looks in great spirits on the front page of the Times as he met the crowds during a walkabout in central London on Friday. The paper notes how the the new monarch will finally fulfil his destiny of being crowned on Saturday after 74 years of training.
The Daily Mirror leads on a large image of the crown the King will wear for the Coronation, adding a poignant caption that he will not only bear the weight of it but also "the weight of history".
The Daily Mail also says on its front page that the King is preparing for his "day of destiny", along with a picture of Charles looking regal in his youth - perhaps to show he has been waiting for this day for a long time.
The Sun fills its front page with King Charles and Queen Camilla's crowns as the world gets ready to watch the first Coronation in 70 years. The paper also gives details about where some of the royals will be sitting in Westminster Abbey.
The i newspaper takes a slightly different approach with its coverage of the Coronation, as the front page leads on a poll questioning whether the UK is still supportive of the monarchy. The paper says 52% of those asked were still in favour of the Royal Family, while 23% described themselves as republican.
An Irish wolfhound named Seamus will play a lead role in the Coronation, according to the Daily Star. The front page shares some analysis that 130 million pints of beer could be drunk during the three-day weekend, but thousands of Britons may shun the Coronation and jet abroad instead.
A picture of the King beaming while greeting delighted well-wishes during his walkabout on The Mall fills most of the front page of the Daily Telegraph. The paper shares he will pledge to "not be served but to serve" during his Coronation vow on Saturday.
The Financial Times does not feature the Coronation on its front page and instead focuses on the results of Thursday's local elections in England. The paper analyses the Conservative Party's losses, but adds that Labour fell short of a gaining the kind of support necessary to win a parliamentary majority at the next general election.

"Day of destiny" is the main headline in the Times, the Daily Mail and the Daily Express.

While the Mail features on its front page a photograph of the King, aged 20, at his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969, the Times shows Charles meeting well wishers on The Mall on Friday.

According to the Times, while the Coronation will be a "less lavish affair" than his mother's, it will still be the biggest military ceremonial operation since the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1969.

The Daily Mirror's front page says Charles will "bear the weight of history... and the hopes of a nation".

Reuters
King Charles met delighted well-wishers at the Mall in London ahead of the Coronation

There's plenty of speculation about the Duke of Sussex's appearance at the ceremony. The Sun reports he has been "relegated" to the third row at Westminster Abbey - sat between Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie's husband, and Princess Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth's cousin.

Under the headline, "spare part", the Daily Mirror reports that the the Duke will fly back to the US within hours of seeing the King being crowned.

"Charles III in battle to secure future of monarchy", is i's lead. Polling for the paper suggests that while a majority of the UK public, 52%, still back the Royal Family - one in four has become less supportive under King Charles.

The Daily Express's Leo McKinstry makes the case for the monarchy. "No politician or party could be as powerful a force for national unity", he writes.