The Coronation of King Charles will be ' a religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry' according to Buckingham Palace which has revealed more details about this year's event.

Alongside the official service at Westminster Abbey will be parades, balcony appearances, a concert at Windsor Castle, street parties, community lunches and a chance to celebrate volunteering in Great Britain.

With a bank holiday already scheduled for Monday, May 8 and plans to also let pubs open longer - plans for the coronation later this spring are now moving forward rapidly.

Here's everything we know about the long weekend so far:

Saturday, May 6

The coronation service itself will be held at Wesminster Abbey - the same venue chosen for the late Queen's funeral in September last year - and be attended by members of the royal family, world leaders and royalty from around the world alongside friends of King Charles and those connected to the organisations and charities he supports.

It will take place on the morning of Saturday, May 6 - signalling the start of three days of celebrations across the UK and the Commonwealth.

While Charles was automatically appointed King when his mother died, his coronation cements his position as head of the Church of England and marks the transfer of titles and powers to the new monarch.

The King and The Queen Consort will arrive at Westminster Abbey in a procession from Buckingham Palace known as ‘The King’s Procession’. An even bigger ceremonial procession, involving other members of the royal family, will then return the couple to Buckingham Palace after the service, which is expected to be conducted in part by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Once the royal family have returned to the palace The King and his Queen Consort, accompanied by other family members and senior royals, will appear on the balcony to greet crowds in the Mall below to conclude Saturday's official ceremonial events.

Sunday, May 7

After a busy day in central London the day before, focus will then shift to neighbouring Windsor for a concert staged and broadcast live by the BBC and reflective of that held as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

The concert will take place at Windsor Castle and is expected to bring together global music icons, some of the world' biggest entertainers alongside performers from the world of dance and stars of both stage and screen.

A public audience will be invited - including volunteers from the King and Queen Consort's many charities - while a national ballot for tickets will also be held to give several thousand members of the public the chance to also grab a free pair of passes to the event. Details about the national ticket ballot and full concert line-up will be released, say organisers, 'in due course'.

The concert will also include an exclusive performance by The Coronation Choir - a group created from keen community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom, such as Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. A new television programme, documenting the creation of The Coronation Choir, will tell the stories of the people representing it later this year.

For those not lucky enough to grab a free pair of tickets to the Coronation Concert and all its performances - the entire event will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

Lighting up the Nation

In the same way that thousands of Jubilee beacons were lit for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee last June - iconic locations across the country are expected to be lit up on Sunday night using projections, lasers, drone displays and special illuminations.

The Coronation Big Lunch

Sunday will also mark the day that neighbours and communities will be encouraged to get together to share food and fun with Coronation Big Lunches.

Billed as a 'nationwide act of celebration and friendship' it is hoped that anything from a cup of tea with a neighbour to a full-scale street party will prompt people to reach out to others they live near.

It is hoped thousands of events - under the banner of the Coronation Big Lunch - will take place in every corner of the country in streets, gardens, parks and community spaces in the same way people were encouraged to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

To help people plan their own events a special website is being launched to walk people through the options for a community get together.

Monday, May 8

King Charles hopes to create a 'lasting volunteering legacy' from the coronation weekend - prompting the new one-off bank holiday on Monday, May 8 to be dedicated to a celebration of volunteering.

The Big Help Out is being organised by The Together Coalition alongside the Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and faith groups from across the United Kingdom to highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities.

The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and perhaps join work happening in their local area.