Kate stuns ahead of King Charles' big day at Buckingham Palace lunch

Time to get the party started! Kate stuns ahead of King’s big day as she joins William, Charles and Camilla at Buckingham Palace lunch after Westminster Abbey Coronation rehearsal

King Charles III and senior royals including the Princess of Wales were all smiles at a Buckingham Palace lunch for VIPs today.

His Majesty was joined by working royals at a special lunch for prime ministers and governors general at the Palace from midday, just after the heavens opened on London.

There were 42 attendees in total, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australia’s republican Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins. 

Charles, Queen Consort Camilla and Prince William had been at Westminster Abbey this morning for final  rehearsals ahead of the Coronation tomorrow, around the time  Prince Harry may have landed in the UK.

His Majesty and his wife waved to crowds as he was driven down The Mall to the church for further preparations, before a run of diplomatic duties including hosting a Buckingham Palace lunch for VIPs. 

But the monarch looked shocked by the heavy rain as he then joined by working royals at a special lunch for prime ministers and governors general at the Palace from midday, just after the heavens opened on London.

After today’s lunch, the King, who is head of the Commonwealth, will also attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government leaders meeting and garden reception at London’s Marlborough House this afternoon.

King Charles looked happy to be hosting a lunch for prime ministers and governors general at Buckingham Palace

The Princess of Wales speaks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Kate was joined by Prince William at the event

Princess of Wales speaks to world leaders

Britain’s King Charles reacts to a joke while chatting with VIPs at the Palace

King Charles III  is driven from St James’s Palace on The Mall, waving to the crowds gathering for his Coronation. Some said his serious expression at one point could have been to do with the torrential rain in London today

Prince William, Prince of Wales leaves Westminster Abbey

Queen Consort Camilla was all smiles as she headed to Westminster Abbey with her husband

A private jet that may have carried Harry to the UK is pictured at Farnborough Airport today

Westminster Abbey staff and police take cover from the rain in Central London today

Pedestrians are caught in a heavy downpour in Westminster a day before the Coronation 

Drenched crowds outside Westminster Abbey

The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were also at the event, which took place 24 hours before the coronation.

Completing the royal contingent were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

READ MORE: Has Prince Harry landed in the UK? Private jet from California touches down in UK

Guests arrived in the white drawing room before a drinks reception in the music room followed by lunch in the blue drawing room.

Mr Sunak was laughing and chatting with guests while Kate, wearing a white dress, spoke to leaders including Mr Albanese and Mr Hipkins.

William, the Prince of Wales was also photographed in the back of a car being driven to the Abbey today. 

Meanwhile Prince Harry may have already landed in the UK for his 24-hour visit for the Coronation – leaving his wife and two children at home.

The Duke of Sussex is intending to fly back to California straight after the historic ceremony ends tomorrow afternoon so he can make it back to see Archie on his fourth birthday.

This morning a private jet from Van Nuys airport in California landed at Farnborough, the airport closest to Windsor Castle. Van Nuys is just an hour from Harry and Meghan’s Montecito mansion, but it is not yet known if he was on board.

Some 100 heads of state are descending on London for the coronation on Saturday, with representatives from 203 countries due to attend. 

Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko were among those checking in at their London hotel this morning.

On the eve of the coronation, the King and the Royal Family will host a reception for foreign royalty and other overseas dignitaries at the Palace tonight.

French president Emmanuel Macron, Germany and Italy’s ceremonial presidents Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella and Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif will be among those in Westminster Abbey.

Chinese vice-president Han Zheng, who presided over a civil liberties crackdown in Hong Kong, is also on the King’s guest list, in a move branded ‘outrageous’ by Conservative MPs.

Excitement for the Coronation risks being overshadowed by a furious row about China’s involvement.

Beijing yesterday confirmed it was sending Mr Han, accused of overseeing a brutal clampdown on freedom in Hong Kong, to attend the event tomorrow.

Lord Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, said China’s decision to nominate Mr Han to come to London for the celebration showed does not give ‘two hoots’ about the UK.

The Daily Mail also revealed today that Chinese-made surveillance cameras banned from UK Government departments will be ‘spying’ on the Coronation crowds.

Some 38 of the Hikvision devices have been placed across the parade route from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square, sparking national security fears.

U.S. First Lady Jill Biden arrives in a rainy Downing Street

She hugged and kissed Akshata Murty, the wife of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak outside No 10

Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko arrive at their London hotel. Some 100 heads of state are descending on London for the King and Queen Consort’s coronation on Saturday

But while the royals took part in last minute rehearsals, Prince Andrew was driving around Windsor

Huge crowds have gathered on The Mall, where people have been sleeping in tents or on the floor for several days

Royal fans dressed with different Union Jack-coloured items pose for pictures along the procession route on The Mall today

Charles has a long day of engagements on the eve of the biggest day of his life

Czech President Petr Pavel and wife Eva flying economy to London for the Coronation

Hikvision has worked closely with China’s military in the past and British MPs have said its cameras have been deployed in Uighur internment camps in Xinjiang province.

The US Government has banned the company from all federal agencies, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden ordered all Ministries last November to remove Hikvision cameras over security concerns.

Lord Patten said the decision to send Mr Han, and the Foreign Office’s offer to engage with him, reflects how China sees the UK.

‘It’s an indication of the fact that, however much you grovel to China, however much you try to give them face, they don’t give a toss about giving us face because they could have sent lots of other people,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme.

‘There are, after all, 1.4billion of them and they chose to send the guy who’s responsible for breaking their word about Hong Kong.

‘If it wasn’t deliberate, then it shows how casually they actually treat us anyway. So, however hard we try to lean over backwards, horizontally sometimes, to accommodate their own political narrative, I don’t think they really give two hoots about us.’

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