King Charles III has been the new British monarch since the moment of his mother's death, but even after the burial of Queen Elizabeth II, he is likely to wait months before his coronation.
The coronation ceremony will be the culmination of the current moment of change in the monarchy, and a sign that official mourning for the Queen has ended.
Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in February 1952, but was not crowned until June 1953.
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Likewise, Charles, despite having now been acclaimed as King of the UK and the Commonwealth nations - including Australia - may not be crowned until next year.
For the past 900 years the coronation has been held in London's Westminster Abbey, the BBC reports.
The first monarch crowned there was William the Conqueror, and Charles will be the 40th.
It is an Anglican religious service, presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At the climax of the ceremony, he will place St Edward's Crown on Charles's head - a solid gold crown, dating from 1661.
This is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels and is only worn by the monarch. It weighs a hefty 2.23kg.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was heralded as the start of a new 'Elizabethan era' for Britain with a young and beautiful new monarch.
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Just 25 when she ascended the throne in February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II was 27 — and a mum of two young children — when she was officially sworn in on a rainy day in London
The pomp and ceremony of her coronation provided a welcome distraction for Britons who had endured the upheaval of World War II and was ground breaking.
It was the first and only British coronation to be fully televised, as TV cameras weren't allowed inside the abbey during her parents' coronation.
The Queen gave her permission for this radical move, against official advice - revealing the monarch's willingness to move with the times.
The coronation unified Britain as 10.4 million people watched in the homes of friends and neighbours, and 1.5 million watched in public places such as pubs and cinemas.
And it was the first major world event to be broadcast globally. In the United States 85 million people watched recordings of the highlights.
The ceremony wasn't only a big moment for the Queen; it also saw a young Prince Charles make history.
The new king, then four, became the first royal child to witness their mother being crowned sovereign. His sister Princess Anne was too young to attend the coronation.
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Charles was one of more than 8000 people, representing 129 nations and territories, who gathered inside the Abbey to witness the coronation ceremony.
Now King Charles III will take centre stage at his coronation.
For many British and Commonwealth citizens, the hope will be it can be a similar unifying event to his mother's amid economic disruption and the upheaval of the Ukraine war.
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