One day before the coronation, many of Friday’s newspapers plump for the coronation on the front pages, along with an array of other stories.
The Daily Express echoes the words of the Dean of Westminster who said the King is “relaxed” ahead of the big day.
Front page – ‘Huge burden’ but King ‘relaxed’#TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/vCsP4doOFB pic.twitter.com/OhNebfjpMj
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 4, 2023
There is a note of caution in the Daily Mail, which calls China’s decision to send vice-president Han Zheng to the coronation as an “insult to Britain” after his role in restricting freedoms in Hong Kong.
Friday’s @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/FLgOh4GcKE
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) May 4, 2023
The Daily Telegraph focuses on the music at the coronation with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber saying he hopes his specially composed anthem will be sung in churches.
The front page of tomorrow’s Daily Telegraph:
Coronation anthem ‘is made for churches’#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/peK35V6LDk
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 4, 2023
While the Daily Star finds a different slant as it likens the King to football manager Sam Allardyce.
Cute dog pics needed! ? #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/uWlmA7S39W pic.twitter.com/HcM85sQRDt
— Daily Star (@dailystar) May 4, 2023
“Cheers” is the simple headline in The Sun over a picture of the Prince and Princess of Wales toasting the King during a visit to a pub, while it also mentions 400,000 servicemen, emergency services and royal staff receiving a coronation medal.
On tomorrow’s front page: Princess Kate and Prince William raise a pint for Charles’ coronationhttps://t.co/Wd1afO4CZu pic.twitter.com/cbYyFCyqRE
— The Sun (@TheSun) May 4, 2023
William and Kate’s trip to the pub via tube also makes the front of the Metro, which reveals the couple opted for cider at the Dog and Duck in Soho.
Tomorrow’s Paper Today ?
SEND HIM… HICTORIOUS
? William and Kate raise a glass to get coronation party started #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/C0LNO7mLxE
— Metro (@MetroUK) May 4, 2023
The Daily Mirror also features the royal couple’s trip to the pub, but it leads on what it calls the “obscene” profits reported by Shell.
Friday’s front page: Obscene https://t.co/9SgMQwTgXh#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/xz5j6Nnl0m
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 4, 2023
That story is also the choice of the i, which concentrates on the oil giant installing expensive pre-payment meters in homes while making a £32 billion profit.
Friday’s front page: Shell force-fitted 4,000 prepay meters in the UK while making £32 billion profit#TomorrowsPapersToday
Latest by @deankirby_: https://t.co/gjiIGJZIeP pic.twitter.com/wQ2dcsj17o
— i newspaper (@theipaper) May 4, 2023
The Times features a picture of Kate in the pub while reporting that coronation chicken is outstripping the new royal quiche at street parties, but leads on plans to use prisoners on day release to plug labour shortages.
Friday’s TIMES: “Prisoners to plug labour shortages under plan” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/LsOBWt13Uu
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 4, 2023
Artificial intelligence takes centre stage on the front of The Guardian which focuses on a review into its growing influence.
Guardian front page, Friday 5 May 2023: UK and US in challenge to tech firms over growing power of AI pic.twitter.com/QSRO2gLO7i
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 4, 2023
The only newspaper not to feature the coronation at all on the front is, not surprisingly, the Financial Times which focuses on the European Central Bank raising interest rates and warning the fight against inflation was not over.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK / international edition, Friday 5 May https://t.co/CDiLkS6RHZ pic.twitter.com/kXJo3QI1BY
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) May 4, 2023