A royal spectacle: celebrating the coronation in Knightsbridge

London is currently gripped by royal fever, with the historic coronation of His Majesty King Charles III taking place on Saturday 6 May. As well as an additional bank holiday on Monday 8 (conveniently sandwiched between the two other May bank holidays), there’s plenty of activity going on in the capital to celebrate this momentous occasion. In Knightsbridge, home to many a regal establishment and Royal Warrant holder, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Here are a few ideas to join in the celebrations.

The five-star hotel is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the coronation, with a limited-edition Time for Tea with Highgrove afternoon tea available at The Rosebery until 14 May. The delicious new menu celebrates British heritage and traditional dishes served at the royal table, and includes Clarence Court egg truffle sandwiches and the signature King’s Cypher strawberry bavarois. Not to be outdone, maverick chef Heston Blumenthal has also devised a Royal Cooking menu for his eponymous restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. In true Heston fashion, the creative five-course feast features reinvented dishes served at British coronation banquets throughout history and includes veal sweetbreads (enjoyed by King James II) and a King Charles III-inspired trifle. A little insider tip: if you swing by The Rosebery or Mandarin Bar between the hours of 19.48 and 20.23 from 5-8 May, you can sample some coronation-inspired canapés. Why such specific times? They represent the monarch’s year of birth and coronation respectively. 

The Coronation Afternoon Tea is priced at £95pp and is available from 17 April until 14 May 2023. The Royal Cooking menu at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is priced at £155pp (excluding drinks) and is available from 1 May until June 2023.

High-street favourite Ted Baker has released an exclusive new collection to commemorate the coronation. The 100 per cent cotton range features an elegant rose design with red, white and blue detailing and includes pieces for men and women, such as T-shirts, jumpers and a dress. Best of all, the stylish and subtly patriotic design will remain in fashion long after you’ve taken the bunting down.

Fancy a weekend staycation fit for royalty? The Lanesborough has launched a special Coronation Celebration package, which includes private transfer from London Heathrow or St Pancras International, dedicated 24-hour butler service, a bottle of champagne on arrival and a sumptuous five-course Coronation dinner at The Lanesborough Grill. Guests will also have access to the hotel’s luxurious club and spa. Even if you can’t make a full weekend of it, make sure you swing by the intimate Library Bar to sample the brand-new martini-style cocktail, The King’s Coronation, created especially to mark the occasion. And don’t miss the chance to enjoy the special-edition menu devised by executive chef Shay Cooper at The Lanesborough Grill, which centres around quintessentially British produce such as Dorset crab, Wye Valley asparagus and quality British beef with all the trimmings. 

The Coronation Celebration package starts from £1,212 per room per night based on two people sharing one Deluxe Room between 2–12 May 2023. The King Charles III Coronation menu at The Lanesborough Grill is available from 2–12 May at £125pp (excluding drinks) for non-residents.

Travelling between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, the official coronation procession on 6 May will be a relatively short one that will centre around The Mall. But did you know that you can catch the royal household’s horses stretching their legs (and no doubt practising for the big day) free of charge in Hyde Park? The King’s Life Guard leaves Hyde Park Barracks at 10.28 every weekday and rides to Horse Guards Parade, passing through Hyde Park Corner and along Constitution Hill and The Mall. The ceremony of the Changing of The King’s Life Guard then takes place on Horse Guards Parade at 11am.

It seems that enjoying a spot of afternoon tea is the optimum way to celebrate the upcoming coronation. So save a space in your diary (and your tummy) for the limited-edition Regal Ritual Afternoon Tea, served in the Knightsbridge Lounge at The Park Tower hotel. This sumptuous feast was created by chef Gautam Chaudhary, with regal twists on the great British tradition. Tuck into delicate finger sandwiches, croissants and a selection of fine pastries and sweet treats, including the pièce de résistance – a lavender-scented white-chocolate panna cotta with shortbread crown. Many of the ingredients have been locally and sustainably sourced, including herbs gathered from the hotel’s own garden and ethically grown chocolate. His Majesty would no doubt approve. 

Available from 2–6pm daily until August 2023. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. £39pp for the classic tea, £49 with a glass of champagne, £69 with a Lady Luck cocktail or, over the coronation weekend, the Henley Fizz cocktail.

restaurant’s stupendous Coronation Brunch, which is being served on the big day with live music and children’s entertainment from immersive events company Sharky & George. The menu is a veritable feast of Italian-inspired delicacies, including burrata, seared scallops, aubergine parmigiana and lobster tagliolini, as well as the option of free-flowing champagne for the grown-ups.

Sette is located on the ground floor of the Bulgari Hotel London, and the five-star bolthole will also be hosting coronation activites. On the day itself, the Bulgari will be screening the procession live from the hotel’s Private Cinema, and for the rest of the year it will be offering a private Royal Coronation Tour which retraces the famous route, including Westminster Abbey, the Royal Mall and Buckingham Palace.

The Coronation Brunch is available on Saturday 6 May from 12-3pm. The shared items three-course menu is priced at £65pp, shared items four-course menu at £80pp and the kids menu is £30. The Private Cinema will be open to restaurant and hotel guests from 10am until 5pm on Saturday 6 May. The Royal Coronation Tour can be organised through the concierge team.

Did you know that luxury department store Harvey Nichols has a fine dining offering on its Fifth Floor? Launching on 2 May and available until 4 June is a limited-edition new Coronation Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nichols, created in partnership with award-winning British winemaker Chapel Down. The classic serving includes traditional finger sandwiches and sweet treats such as layered honey cake and lemon cream with homemade butter biscuit. Freshly baked scones come with homemade rhubarb jam, lemon curd and lashings of Cornish clotted cream. All washed down with a crisp glass of Chapel Down Three Graces sparkling wine. Fancy enjoying this afternoon tea from the comfort of home or in Hyde Park on a sunny day? Harvey Nichols has also devised a takeaway Coronation Afternoon Tea Hat Box, available for collection from the Fifth Floor. 

The Coronation Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nichols is available from 12-5.30pm from 2 May until 4 June at £45pp. The Coronation Afternoon Tea Hat Box costs £50 for two people, with the option of adding a chilled bottle of Chapel Down for £34.