King Charles III's coronation: How to watch and what to expect

May 2 (UPI) -- King Charles III will officially be crowned to the throne of England in the first British coronation in 70 years this weekend.

Coverage of the proceedings will begin at 5 a.m. EDT Saturday, with broadcasts set from the BBC and all of the major American networks.

How to watch

Networks, including the BBC, CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC, have all released special coverage plans for the historic occasion.

Anderson Cooper will report for CNN from outside Buckingham Palace with analysis provided by several of the network's British correspondents.

Savannah Guthrie will be NBC's lead anchor in London, while Michelle Miller, Dana Jacobson and Jeff Glor will co-host coverage for CBS.

Each network plans broader coverage in the days leading up to the coronation and has announced plans to stream Saturday's events on online platforms, where they will remain for repeat viewing.

What to expect

Charles, the former prince of Wales, ascended the throne last September upon the death of his 96-year-old mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch.

Saturday's ceremony is the first British coronation since the late Elizabeth claimed the throne 70 years ago.

The day will begin before sunrise, with Charles and his wife Camilla, who will also be crowned as queen consort, leaving Buckingham Palace in Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee State Coach at 5:30 a.m. EDT

From there, a procession will lead down the Mall and around Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary before arriving at Westminster Abbey for the official coronation service, which begins at 6 a.m. EDT and should last about 90 minutes.

During that time, Charles will sign a royal oath to serve the British people before the St. Edward's Crown is placed ceremoniously upon his head.

Next, the Queen Mary's Crown will be bestowed on Camilla, while Charles will switch to the Imperial State Crown at the end of the rituals.

Charles and Camilla will lead a second procession in the Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace, and receive a royal salute from the British Armed Forces on the way.

The government guest list includes a who's who among politicians, celebrities, religious leaders and other notable figures from around the world, including French President Emmanuel Macron, and First Lady Jill Biden, who will officially represent the United States.

Prince Harry plans to attend his father's coronation but will do so without his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the royal family said previously in a statement.

Several foreign royal families from Monaco, Spain, Japan and Sweden are also expected to attend.

The coronation will be followed by a parade through London, leading back to Buckingham Palace, where the king and queen consort are expected to emerge from a castle balcony to wave to the cheering crowds.

Various celebrations are planned throughout the weekend, including a concert at Windsor Castle featuring U.S. music stars Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, while Monday has been declared a national holiday.