Tomorrow will be the most important day in the reign of King Charles III. All his life he has been expecting it but he never knew when it would come. The main problem for a Prince of Wales is that uncertainty of timing. That he waited until he was 73, now 74, means he is somewhat more than well prepared for this momentous late-life elevation.
The coronation of a monarch is a momentous occasion. It is the inauguration of a new reign and the renewal of the contract between the king and the country. Britain has not seen such an occasion within the living memory of most of us.
The last time Britain celebrated a coronation, Winston Churchill was prime minister, the structure of DNA had only recently been discovered, and Blackpool were celebrating winning the FA Cup following the legendary Stanley Matthews Final.