Historic Coronation day rehearsal takes place at Halton

If you live within earshot of RAF Halton, you may have noticed a lot more band music coming from there in the week leading up to the Coronation in London on 6 May. Vital parts of the RAF’s preparation and practice for the coronation parades and security were taking place at the base.

Bands and marching sections from all over the RAF were gathered at Halton because of its open space and facilities. Its extensive roads and parade ground were large enough for the whole contingent to practise the precise movements and timings that would happen for real on the streets of London a few days later. A route was laid out to match the road sections, widths and turns of the London roads.

RAF Halton is often used to practise for such major ceremonial events – including the late Queen

Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in May 2022, and her state funeral later that year in September. Wendover News was invited with other press to watch one of the last full rehearsals at Halton on the Thursday prior to the coronation parade, and we took the picture featured here.

On the coronation day itself in London, the RAF, together with representatives of the other armed services, took part in the return procession ahead of King Charles and Queen Camilla as they left Westminster Abbey and travelled in the gold State Coach through the roads to Buckingham Palace. The procession ended in the Buckingham Palace garden, where the King received the salute and colours presentation from representatives of all the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces.