King Charles III surprises crowd outside Buckingham Palace

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III surprised a crowd of fans Friday assembled outside Buckingham Palace who had begun gathering a day ahead of his coronation.

The king, his eldest son, Prince William, and daughter-in-law, Kate, stopped for a walkabout to shake hands and speak briefly with the adoring throng.

Many of those in the crowd planned to spend Friday night hoping for a prime perch for the procession Saturday, with a view of the newly crowned monarch and Camilla, his wife, waving from the balcony of the palace after returning from the ceremony.

The stop was made after a luncheon that followed the final rehearsal for the service at Westminster Abbey.