Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: CARL COURT / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP 17:13 pm, May 05, 2023

King Charles III, whose coronation takes place Saturday at Westminster Abbey, appeared on Friday in front of Buckingham Palace to treat himself to a surprise crowd bath with fans already gathered en masse waiting for this historic event. The 74-year-old monarch was accompanied by his eldest son William and his wife Kate.

On the eve of his coronation with great pomp, King Charles III appeared Friday in front of Buckingham Palace to offer himself a surprise crowd bath with fans already gathered en masse in anticipation of this historic event. The 74-year-old monarch, in a blue suit, was accompanied by his eldest son William and his wife Kate, who also took selfies and handshakes. Queen consort Camilla was not present.

A crowd bath of about twenty minutes

The monarchy's greatest admirers have sometimes camped for several days on the Mall, the long avenue that leads to Buckingham, to be in the front row on Saturday when the king leaves the palace to go to Westminster Abbey, where he will be crowned. When Charles, William and Kate arrived, some sang "God Save The King". The king exchanged with fans on one side of the Mall while William and Kate were on the other. The crowd bath lasted about twenty minutes before the trio left, by car, towards the palace.

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On Thursday, William and Kate had already allowed themselves a long crowd bath by going to a pub in Soho, a lively district in the center of the capital. In a controlled communication operation, the ultra-popular princely couple, who are trying to bring a glamorous and modern touch to an aging monarchy, had gone to the pub by taking the subway, an extremely rare fact that had made the headlines of the news channels.