How to apply for free tickets for King Charles' Coronation concert at Windsor Castle
Some 10,000 free tickets are up for grabs for the star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle, the BBC has announced. The national ballot for the live televised musical extravaganza on Sunday May 7 – the day after the King is crowned – opens at 7am on Friday February 10.
It will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, with the line-up due to be revealed in the coming weeks.
We explain how you can get a ticket for the historic concert and who is eligible for the event:
How many tickets are up for grab and who is eligible to apply for them?
There will be 5,000 pairs of tickets in the online ballot, run by Ticketmaster, which will be open to applicants aged 18 or over from 7am on Friday February 10.
Each successful applicant in the ballot will be able to nominate a guest, giving a total of 10,000 tickets. The nominated guest cannot be younger than 11, as of February 10 2023.
The ballot is open to UK residents and those in the Channel Isles, the Isle of Man and people with a British Forces postal address.
Members of the public are invited to apply by visiting www.bbc.co.uk/coronationconcert with the ballot closing just before midnight on February 28.
How will the tickets be allocated?
Winners will be allocated based on the geographical spread of the UK’s population and not on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applicants do not have a greater or lesser chance if they live in a sparsely populated area or a more highly populated one.
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What will happen if you are successful in the ballot?
Applicants will be asked to provide their guest's name and details, alongside their own, at the application stage.
There may be pre-event security checks carried out on applicants and their guests by other parties, including the Royal Household.
Applicants whose name have been drawn in the ballot will be informed by mid April, and then will have to claim the tickets within two weeks and confirm attendance to the coronation concert.
What will the outdoor concert be like?
The outdoor concert will begin mid-evening and last for around two to three hours.
The event – staged on the castle’s East Lawn and featuring global “music icons and contemporary stars” – is the first time a concert has been held in the grounds of the Berkshire royal residence, the BBC said.
Umbrellas, folding chairs and large flags will be banned from the arena. The standing area is uncovered and open to the elements, with concert-goers warned to bring a waterproof coat in case it rains.
There is no dress code, but on a list of frequently asked questions on the BBC website, guests are urged to “please avoid wearing clothing with large slogans and offensive wording”.
Revellers will not be able to bring alcohol or food in with them, but will be able to buy food and drink inside and can bring in an empty water bottle to fill up at the water fountains.