The King's coronation: the full military involvement in numbers
Members of the British Armed Forces are ready for the biggest ceremonial event of their lives, the coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort.
Every element of the military will be represented as two magnificent processions accompany Their Majesties to and from Westminster Abbey, where the coronation service takes place, and an RAF flypast will conclude official events.
Here are the numbers you need to know for the largest military ceremonial operation for 70 years...
More than 9,000 members of the UK Armed Forces are being deployed in ceremonial and supporting roles for the coronation.
Around 7,000 personnel are on ceremonial duties which include:
- More than 1,000 personnel to line the streets
- Around 200 personnel participating in the King's Procession to Westminster Abbey
- Around 4,000 personnel participating in the Coronation Procession from Westminster Abbey
- Around 200 personnel providing the Guard of Honour at Buckingham Palace
- More than 400 personnel performing gun salutes across the UK
- Around 200 personnel carrying the Standards, Colours, Guidons or Truncheon
Of these personnel:
- More than 900 are from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines
- Close to 4,000 are from the British Army
- More than 900 are from the Royal Air Force
More than 400 personnel from 39 British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth nations are also participating.
19 military bands are playing, separated by distance over a procession group length of more than a mile, they will need to strike up at the same time and maintain a constant 108-pace beat.
68 military aircraft from all three services, including the Red Arrows and the full Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, are taking part in a six-minute flypast down the Mall and over Buckingham Palace.
13 gun salutes from military bases in all four corners of the country and on His Majesty's ships at sea, will sound out to herald the moment when the King is crowned.
21 rounds will be fired to mark the coronation, with the exception of the Tower of London and Horse Guards Parade, where a 62-round salute and a six-gun salvo will fire respectively.
Around 250 military working horses are involved in processions throughout the day: 171 from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and 78 from The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Between 12 to 15 pounds (5.4 to 6.8 kg) of hay will be eaten by the horses, who will enjoy a bath and some carrots after their ceremonial duties are done.
One Irish Wolfhound who is the Irish Guards Regimental Mascot, named Turlough Mor (affectionately known as Seamus by the troops), will lead the Massed Pipes and Drums and the Senior Officer Cohort to Buckingham Palace Garden.
With more than 9,000 members of the UK Armed Forces deployed in ceremonial and supporting roles, all of those taking part are required to eat a hearty breakfast before beginning their duties.
Military and civilian chefs have prepared thousands of sausages, bacon, eggs and beans to sustain those who are taking part in the procession.
With everything combined, it is estimated that those taking part will consume enough breakfast, tea, coffee and water, weighing roughly 12.8 tonnes – which is nearly the same weight as two of the British Army's deadly Apache attack helicopters.
For those taking part in the coronation, each pair of boots will require up to two full tins of shoe polish to bull their ceremonial boots to inspection-ready standards.
Considering around 7,000 personnel are deployed on ceremonial duties, that will equate to more than 14,000 tins of black Kiwi polish.
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