King Charles III will be the 40th British monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey in central London since 1066.
While nearly all have been recorded in art and literature, only a handful have been photographed. Edward VII in the early 20th century was the first monarch to be photographed during his coronation.
Here are photographs of him and his successors, King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, during their coronations.
King Edward VII
The coronation for the elderly monarch and his wife Queen Alexandra was scheduled for June 26, 1902, but three days before it was due to take place, he had an emergency operation for a stomach abscess.
When the coronation eventually took place on August 9, 1902, foreign VIP guests did not return for the ceremony.
Despite enjoying a popular and successful reign, Edward, known for his overeating and heavy drinking, died from illness only eight years after his coronation.
King George V
The third in line to the throne when he was born, George V grew up not expecting to become king.
But his older brother, Albert Victor, died of pneumonia.
George ended up marrying his brother’s fiancé, Princess Mary of Teck, and they were crowned King and Queen on June 22, 1911.
Later in the year the royal couple were crowned Emperor and Empress of India in a lavish ceremony in Delhi.
King George VI and the uncrowned king
The death of King George V in 1937 heralded one of the monarch’s most controversial periods when his eldest son King Edward VIII succeeded him.
After ruling for less than one year, Edward VIII abdicated when he defied opposition from the British government and the Church of England and decided to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
The episode was known as the Abdication Crisis and at one point threatened to plunge the UK and the then British Empire into constitutional turmoil.
King Edward VIII was the first British monarch to abdicate and was later created the Duke of Windsor.
His coronation was scheduled for May 12, 1938, and ultimately went ahead, but with a different monarch.
Instead Edward’s younger brother was crowned King George VI and his wife became Queen Elizabeth.
The coronation was the first to be filmed, although it was not broadcast.
Queen Elizabeth II
She was only 25 when she ascended the throne, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1953.
In a sign of the changing times, Elizabeth’s coronation was the first to be televised, giving millions around the world the chance to witness her big moment.
It was the first major event most had seen on TV.
For the British public still struggling with the aftermath of World War II, the event was regarded as the beginning of a new Elizabethan Age.
More than 8000 people, representing 129 nations and territories, gathered inside Westminster Abbey to witness the coronation ceremony of the youthful new monarch.