WASHINGTON — More than 2,000 guests including world leaders, aristocrats and celebrities witnessed as King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.
As guests arrived, the church buzzed with excitement and was abloom with fragrant flowers and colorful hats. Among them were U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, eight current and former British prime ministers as well as Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Emma Thompson.
Hundreds of heads of state attended the ceremony, including Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia. President Joe Biden did not attend the ceremony, keeping alive the streak of a president never attending a British royal coronation.
"American Idol" judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were also in attendance.
The pair are headlining the Coronation Concert, a massive event at Windsor Castle that celebrates the newly crowned royals.
The concert starts on Sunday before a crowd of 20,000 people and will be broadcast live to the rest of the world. Perry and Richie join a collection of global icons and artists performing at the show.
Both Perry and Richie have close royal ties with King Charles, serving as ambassadors to the King's charities.
According to the BBC, the Coronation Concert is aimed to "celebrate a new chapter in the nation's history, with themes of love, respect and optimism." The concert will also feature a "Lighting up the Nation" show which will illuminate signature locations across the U.K. using lasers, projectors and drone displays.