Palace seats for veterans and NHS staff

THOUSANDS of Armed Forces veterans and NHS workers are to get a spot in front of Buckingham Palace to watch the coronation.

UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said about 3,800 seats that will be in a specially-built grandstand at the Queen Victoria Memorial have been offered to public servants “as a mark of the nation’s profound gratitude”.

Veterans, NHS and social care workers, plus representatives of charitable organisations with links to the royal family will be among the invited guests, while another 354 uniformed cadet forces will be offered the chance to watch the coronation procession at Admiralty Arch.

The coveted spots mean they will get a special view of key moments, including the processions, the appearance of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony and the Armed Forces fly past.

They will also get to see the King and Queen Consort travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach drawn by six Windsor Grey horses, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. The royal couple will travel back to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach.

Invites from the Royal British Legion (RBL) and individuals or organisations that have contributed to the UK Government’s Veterans Strategy have gone out to veterans.

Philippa Rawlinson, the RBL’s director of remembrance, said: “The Armed Forces hold great importance to the nation as they work to protect us, our freedoms and our society’s way of life. We know that it will be a great privilege for members of the Armed Forces community to see their new Commander in Chief on this significant day.”

It is expected that central London will be packed with royal fans and big screens will be placed in royal parks so they can watch the day’s events.

More than 57 locations across the UK will have big screens, including Cardiff.