Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark have arrived at Buckingham Palace for a reception
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The presence of so many reigning kings and queens is a result of King Charles’ decision to break with a 900-year royal tradition that prevented crowned royals from attending the coronation. Among the 2,000-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey will be representatives from nine European monarchies; the royal families of Bhutan, Jordan, Tonga and Thailand; the Māori king of New Zealand; the Imperial House of Japan; as well as the former royal houses of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece – just to name a few.
The reception at Buckingham Palace allows those who are not attending the service to still be part of the historic moment of King Charles’ coronation. Former Queen of the Netherlands Princess Beatrix, for example, will not be part of the congregation at Westminster Abbey but was joined by Princess Catharina-Amalia tonight. Tomorrow the Dutch royal family will be represented by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Willem-Alexander, Máxima and Beatrix all attended the Queen’s funeral.
The Belgian royal family will follow a similar approach. Princess Elizabeth, the 21-year-old future Queen and a student at Oxford University, accompanied her father, King Philippe, to the reception tonight. Tomorrow he will be accompanied by his wife Queen Mathilde.