King Charles III coronation: What is happening in Wales?

King Charles III coronation will involve special church services, a beach party and other events are being held across Wales this weekend to mark the coronation of King Charles III.

The Church in Wales called it a “significant and happy” occasion with bells ringing for the King and Queen.

Bells at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, began ringing two hours before the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, which began at 11:00 BST.

At St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, they rang for the ceremony.

Bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel will be giving the first performance in the Welsh language at a coronation.

Alongside the Choir of Westminster Abbey, he will perform the Coronation Kyrie, described by Welsh composer, Paul Mealor, as a “cry from the deep soul of the hills and valleys of Wales”.

“I will enjoy that one minute of singing in my mother tongue after the procession that arrives into Westminster Abbey – I’m first on,” Terfel told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“In my performance I want to bring something that is beneficial to Wales and I’m really looking to perform.”

People across Wales will come together ahead of the Coronation, although an outdoor screening of the official ceremony was cancelled outside the Friars Walk shopping centre in Newport due to the weather.

Organisers of a beach party in Barmouth, Gwynedd, will be hoping for better conditions in the north of the country, where there will be a community lunch on the seafront followed by music from DJs.

Cardiff will be the centre of Wales’ coronation celebrations with 40 events over the Bank Holiday weekend, including a 21-round royal gun salute at Cardiff Castle at noon, a public screening of the coronation ceremony in London and another of the subsequent concert taking place at Roald Dahl Plass.

However, a “Not My King” protest will also take place in Cardiff, with people expected to gather on Queen Street from 12:30 ahead of a planned march.

And Welsh independence and republican stickers have been plastered on a Royal Mail postbox in Cardiff, one of four in the UK repainted to mark the coronation.

It had drawn criticism for its location – outside the Owain Glyndwr pub – named after the last native Welsh person to hold the title Prince of Wales.

And a planned event at Caldicot Castle in Monmouthshire, is no longer happening after it “failed to raise any money whatsoever” towards its £3,000 running costs.

Meanwhile, Anne Daley, from Cardiff, 65, has been camping in London since Monday to see Coronation events for herself.

“We’ve been camping in the park which has been eventful,” she said.

“We’ve seen King Charles go up and down a few times… King Charles was beaming.”

Also camping on the route is Rachel Walters, 53, from Cardigan, Ceredigion.

She said: “I’m here to experience all the pomp and ceremony.

“I came to the jubilee and the Queen’s funeral, so wasn’t going to miss this.”

On Saturday afternoon there will be a party on the green at Llandaff Cathedral between 13:00 and 19:00, with refreshments, stalls, games, and music from the cathedral’s choristers.

The Bishop of St Asaph will lead a civic Coronation Evensong at St Asaph Cathedral in Denbighshire from 15:30.

A reception with refreshments will follow a choir and orchestra performance of Coronation anthems at Brecon Cathedral, Powys.

The bells of St Giles Parish Church will ring at 15:00 and Sunday at 11:00, followed by a service and afternoon lunch party.

There will also be a procession to the church from St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral where a service will feature the Rhos Orpheus male choir.

St Mary’s Priory Church in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, will hold prayers for the new King and Queen and a Festal Evensong starting from 17:00 on Sunday.

Coronation music, including Hubert Parry’s anthem I Was Glad will be followed by a champagne and canapé reception in the town’s Priory Centre.

In Swansea, a civic service will be held at St Mary’s Church where the Dunvant male choir will perform with the church choir.

The post office in Llandovery, near Charles and Camilla’s royal estate at Llwynywermod, Carmarthenshire, will be draped in flags, bunting and balloons for the weekend.

But not everyone will be taking part or even following any of the coronation ceremonies, including republican Owen Williams from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

“We won’t be taking any notice of it,” he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“Instead of a coronation, I’d prefer and election. Instead of Charles, I’d prefer a choice.

“It’s just simple – it’s democracy.”