Where to celebrate and watch King Charles III's coronation in Prague

May 6, 2023, is a historic date for the UK. The country will hold its first monarchial coronation in almost exactly 70 years, with millions around the globe set to witness the crowning of King Charles III.

Many Brits living in Czechia (an estimated 7,000) or simply those with an interest in the British royal family will be eager to watch and commemorate the momentous event on Saturday. Here's how you can take part tomorrow.

The largest coronation-related event in Czechia will take place in Westfield Chodov, which begins at 9:30 a.m. and lasts around 12 hours.

The event describes an “all-day programme full of important British personalities, colours, tones, and flavours.” The festival will also feature several live concerts and dance performances, as well as special workshops for children in the English language.

One special guest at Chodov will be Czech Chef of the Year for 2022 Lukáš Čížek, who – along with chef for the British Embassy Michal Černý – will present a culinary show.

Other notable guests include the director of the Václav Havel Library, Michael Žantovský (who was also Czechia’s former ambassador to the UK), and the deputy editor of Forbes CZ, Irena Cápová.

The former official photographer of the British royal family will also be in attendance.

The festival will also have a musical element: in the evening, Scottish bagpipes band The Rebel Pipers will hold a performance, followed by The Beatles Revival Band.

The Caledonian Club, a Scottish group, will also perform traditional Scottish dances.

The festival will also see a fashion show of British brands that are based in Westfield Chodov.

Those who attend will also be able to see an exhibition of photographs from the life of the 74-year-old royal. Ambassador Field will also deliver a speech at Chodov on Saturday evening. A full itinerary of events can be found on the Facebook event or on the official website.

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) in Czechia will invite its registered members and their families to partake in a special coronation picnic at the gardens of the British Embassy in Prague 1 on the afternoon of Sunday, May 7. UK Ambassador to Czechia Matt Field will be in attendance.

Those feeling peckish for nibbles and want to treat themselves to some coronation-themed food can head over to the British Marks & Spencer's on Wenceslas Square, which offers a range of snacks, such as special coronation biscuits and sweets.

TV Nova will present a special televised broadcast of the entire coronation, starting at 10 a.m. Czech time.

You can also watch an online broadcast of the coronation on Česká televize (Czech Television). You can view several streams in the English language on YouTube.

E15.cz has already begun a live and frequently updated report on the coronation; you can find it on their website.

Those living in Prague can check out British pub Londoners in Prague 2 or The Down Under, an Australian bar in Vinohrady that will show the coronation upon request.

Since gaining independence, Czechia has welcomed several members of the UK’s royal family. 

In 1996, Queen Elizabeth II made her only state visit to the Czech Republic, where she was greeted by then-President Havel.

However, the queen was not the first member of the British royal family to travel to Czechia – five years earlier, Princess Diana and her son Charles visited Czechoslovakia, when Diana took a secret dip in the Podolí swimming pool.

King Charles III is no stranger to Czechia and has actively contributed to improving aspects of the country. He has been to Czechia five times, with his most recent visit in 2010. 

Taking a keen interest in architecture, Charles set up the Prague Heritage Fund with the goal of restoring Prague monuments. Together with Havel, the then-prince helped renovate the former monastery of Saint Bartholomew in Prague’s Old Town, the statue of Lutgardis on his namesake Charles Bridge, and the terrace gardens by Prague Castle.

Following his coronation, many in Czechia will hope that King Charles III will pay another visit soon – following an official invite from President Petr Pavel, this may well happen soon.