Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a visit to the United Kingdom next week to attend the coronation of King Charles III, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday.

Charles, 74, became king after the death of Queen Elizabeth last year in September. As per royal tradition, a British monarch’s coronation takes place some months later, after national mourning and intense preparations.

King Charles III’s coronation ceremony will be held at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6. The event is expected to be attended by heads of state from around the world, including Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Hungary and Australia.

Earlier, Buckingham Palace said that Prince Harry will also be attending the coronation but without his wife Meghan. The announcement came after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the couple’s attendance, who quit royal duties in early 2020.

In a press briefing today, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a visit to the United Kingdom to attend the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on May 6, 2023.”

She went on to say that during the visit, the premier will also participate in an event for Commonwealth leaders on May 5.

“He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders participating in these celebrations,” she said.

Baloch stated that Pakistan and the UK shared a long history of relations strongly anchored in the dynamic Pakistani-British community.

“We see the British monarch and the royal family as friends of Pakistan and its people and look forward to further strengthening of ties between Pakistan and the United Kingdom,” she added.

The PM had met King Charles III last year in London and offered his condolences over the passing of Queen Elizabeth.

Additional input from AFP