Away from London, Britain came together to celebrate coronation

Gun salutes and flag waving welcomed the crowning of King Charles III, as Nicky Harley joined royal watchers in Leeds

People watch the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on a big screen on the grounds of Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast. PA

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Thousands lined the streets and filled gardens and squares across Britain to celebrate the coronation.

London may have been the epicentre of the ceremony, but King Charles III’s loyal subjects showed their support from afar.

Many watched the coronation of King Charles III on more than 60 big screens across the UK in Cardiff, Belfast, Bristol, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

In Leeds, West Yorkshire, veterans who had met the king came to show their support.

For Ian Bailey, 45, it was a poignant moment.

He has met the king on numerous occasions during his military service in the Gulf and Northern Ireland.

“I’ve met him a lot over the years and today felt quite emotional and personal seeing him crowned king,” he said.

“I’m glad the city of Leeds came to celebrate this moment. I feel proud my city came together for this moment of history.”

He was not alone in wanting to share in this moment of history.

Across the country gun salutes were carried out, and vigorous flag-waving and glamourous attire was shown in every city.

At Edinburgh Castle, a 21-round royal salute was fired a minute after midday as the king was crowned.

In Balmoral, where Queen Elizabeth II died last year, well-wishers arrived at the royal estate from around the globe to take in the atmosphere.

About 2,000 people marked the occasion at Cardiff Castle, where visitors watched the coronation service and processions to and from Westminster Abbey.

Shamus Devoy, 23, was in Leeds to watch the queen’s funeral on the big screens and felt he had to come back today to enjoy happier times.

“I just felt like it is part of history,” he told The National.

“I came for the queen’s funeral to Leeds and it’s lovely to be back here in happier times to celebrate this. For the funeral we had rain, which was fitting for the occasion, but today, we have sun. Everyone is in such a joyous mood.

“I didn’t want to go to London due to the expense and planning and here in Yorkshire we can still celebrate together. It’s already been a great show of classic pageantry and I would hate to think that in 60 years time, when my grandkids ask where I was, that I told them I slept in and played my X-Box.”

In York, people stood with pride for the National Anthem and cheered as the king was crowned.

But for the crowd in Leeds it was the royal grandchildren who won the day.

“George has been my favourite today,” Jenny Jenkinson, 47, from Leeds, said.

“We’d all been looking forward to seeing cheeky Louis too. We’ve had a truly lovely day.”

“I feel it has been about pomp and ceremony but it has been relaxed, it is a proud moment, it’s what the British are about. It has been really well organised.”