London – King Charles III. along with his son and heir William and his wife Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales made an unexpected stop to greet supporters outside Buckingham Palace on Friday afternoon, just a day before the monarch’s coronation ceremony.
Royals fans gathered along The Mall, a broad tree-lined avenue leading directly to Buckingham Palace’s front gates, and crowded towards the fences as they caught sight of the King’s Bentley State Limousine trundling towards the palace.
To their delight, the motorcade stopped and the king and prince and princess got out and walked to the fence.
The British King Charles III. greets well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace in London on May 5, 2023, a day before his coronation at Westminster Abbey. Toby Melville/AP
People have already camped out for several nights to reserve prime vantage points along the Mall, which makes up about half the route Saturday’s coronation processions will take, when the King and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, travel to and from Westminster Abbey to be carried .
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The crowd reacted in shock as the royals got out of their vehicles and chanted “God save the King” and “hip, hip hooray!”.
The King and Prince and Princess of Wales worked on opposite sides of the Mall and welcomed people from all over the world, including even the United States and Thailand.
William, the Prince of Wales, meets well-wishers during a walkabout on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2023, the day before his father King Charles III’s coronation ceremony. Toby Melville/Pool/Getty
Two women who actually managed to exchange a few words with the monarch after spending two nights at the mall told CBS News it was a “really wonderful” experience.
“I said to him, ‘Congratulations for tomorrow,’ and he turned to us and shook our hands,” Joan said, not wanting to give her full name.
“He asked if anyone stayed the night and my hair is sticking out and I said, ‘Yes!’ And he leaned down and shook my hand.”
According to the BBC, the royals’ security detail urged viewers to put their phones down to enjoy the moment.
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Shortly after the three royals showed up, they were back in their vehicles and continuing to Buckingham Palace.
CBS News’ Emmet Lyons contributed to this report.
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