Why have they put sand on the roads in London for King Charles' coronation? | The Sun

FOR an event as important as King Charles' coronation, every part of the day has been perfectly planned.

And that includes covering the roads of London in sand. But why does this happen? Here's everything you need to know.

Why is there sand on the road in London for King Charles' coronation?

Royal fans lining the streets of London on May 6, to catch a glimpse of the coronation celebrations may be left wondering why some of the capital's streets are covered in sand.

And this isn't the first time it has happened.

In September 2022, many parts of the procession route to Westminster Abbey for the Queen's funeral were also covered in sand

Many royal fans have speculated the use of sand is to help the horses maintain grip and prevent slipping when walking.

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One person responding to a query on Twitter wrote: “It’s for the horses. They don’t slip on sand but they do on tarmac.

"It’s easier to clean up horse poo and it muffles the sound of their hooves. Mostly to stop them slipping.”

Another added: “Portions of the procession routes covered with sand to make it easy for the horses to move.”

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Horses have always played an important role in the Royal Family – and today is no different.

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After the coronation, the King and Queen Camilla will travel in the Gold State Coach pulled by eight Windsor Greys.

And The Royal Mews, which looks after the beloved animals, have announced exactly which horses will be pulling the dazzling carriage.

Icon, Shadow, Milford Haven, Echo, Knightsbridge, Tyrone, Meg and Newark are the eight selected Windsor Greys – and they will be centre-stage during the Coronation Procession.

The first six horses listed are set to pull the Diamond Jubilee State Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, while Meg and Newark will join for the return journey in the Gold State Coach.

The extra horses for the Gold State Coach are due to its weight of four tonnes.

Ahead of the historic celebrations, photographs of each horse were shared to the Royal Family's official Instagram account, along with the year each was born.

Clips of the specially selected horses rehearsing for the big day were also shared to the royal's social media accounts.

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