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The Coronation of King Charles III; Supreme Court Halts Execution in Oklahoma; Trump Rape Trial. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired May 06, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares live in London, just hours away from witnessing history, as King Charles III is formally crowned.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): And I'm Michael Holmes at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'll have the day's other news, including a new push for peace in Sudan. It's all ahead on this special edition of CNN NEWSROOM.
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SOARES: It is coronation day here in the U.K. It is 6:00 am in the morning. A ceremony that will see, of course, King Charles III crowned just five hours away. Crowds have been gathering for days now to take out a spot to view the processions from Westminster Abbey. You can see the crowds already starting to gather.
I got on the Underground, the tube this morning, that was quite busy already. People draped Union Jacks with flags, some carrying ladders to get a view of the procession. On Friday, if you remember, Charles greeted well-wishers, a surprise visit for some not very far from where I am.
Onlookers shouted, "Three cheers for the king."
The Prince and Princess of Wales also on hand to meet with the crowds. The last coronation was 70 years ago. For many Britons, it will be the first time they've ever seen it. Here's what it really means for so many of them, have a look.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels really special just to be here with my family to spend such a special moment which could be once in a lifetime.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You all are going to camp out tonight?
Dan, you're one of the parents. How do you feel about camping out with this many little ones?
DAN, PARENT: Crazy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: A very excited family there. We have correspondents in place to cover every moment. Christina Macfarlane from Westminster Abbey, Nada Bashir at the mall.
Christina, first to you. We are getting a bit more of an idea of what we can expect in terms of the coronation, who will take part. Just talk us through.
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, that's right, Isa. I have to say, first of all, we've seen a couple of the headlines this morning and the papers here are calling this King Charles' Day of destination.
We know they've waited over 70 years for this moment, and we'll see an ancient ritual take place behind us here at Westminster Abbey. The great west door, you might see over my shoulder, a rain cover being erected. Rain is expected a little bit later on today.
Hopefully everyone will be in the abbey by that point because the doors open here at 7:30. We're expecting around 2,300 attendees. Just to talk you through very quickly through the ceremony itself, Isa, three things perhaps for our viewers to watch out for.
The more important parts of the ceremony will be the anointing of King Charles, the most sacred part of this service, anointed with holy oil by the silver spoon, the coronation spoon, dating back to the 12th century.
The crowning itself with the St. Edward's crown weighing some 2 kilograms on King Charles' head. One of the new aspects is the act of paying homage to King Charles.
This has been a rather controversial aspect of the coronation thus far, because, in a break with tradition, the organizers of the event had decided to invite the public to take part in swearing allegiance to the king.
Now typically this had been done by peers and lords beforehand. But they thought it would be a good idea to involve the public in this.
Now we can tell you this morning that Church of England have amended this, perhaps reading the public mood to say that the general public can now say, "God save King Charles" if they prefer, rather than the pledge itself. We'll wait and see what people choose to do a little later this morning.
SOARES: It wasn't that well received by many people that you and I were talking to. Let me go to Nada.
I can tell you, the Underground here was pretty busy. There were lots of families, a woman carrying a ladder draped in a Union Jack. Give me a sense of the mood where you are.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is certainly very crowded here. Hundreds more people are currently piling in through the mall, waiting to get a glimpse of that procession.
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BASHIR: We are expecting King Charles and Queen Camilla to make their way to Westminster Abbey, this is where everyone is waiting to catch a glimpse of that procession. They will make their back in the gold state carriage following that coronation ceremony.
Some people here have been queueing up for days, in the cold, in the rain. Many have tents set up. They've been spending the night. Others have just arrived this morning or overnight, waiting to catch a glimpse of the king or queen. We've been speaking to some of those waiting.
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BASHIR: You're all dressed up and ready.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.
BASHIR: Why was it so important for you to be part of this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like a chance of a lifetime. It's amazing to see the king actually be -- his coronation, to be part of it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My grandmother talked about the coronation of the queen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Such a royalist family. It just means everything for us to be here. All the major events for the queen, the jubilee, certainly her funeral. To be here, it's just a wonderful experience. Can't wait.
BASHIR: Definitely worth it for you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely, yes, yes.
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BASHIR: Waiting for the rain?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are, yes.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've got everything we need.
BASHIR: Enjoy the rest of your day. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much.
BASHIR: You can see just toward Buckingham Palace. It really is very crowded. Thousands have showed up, waiting for that procession. And of course, many people here are in high spirits. They're having a good time. They brought out their picnics, food and drinks, ready to spend the day here to celebrate the coronation. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, I love that you asked if they were ready for the rain, Nada. I've seen people with wellies, sunscreen, some a swimming costume, preparing for whatever weather, how British.
Nada Bashir and Christina Macfarlane, thank you to you both.
Rhys Mallows is with me now. He will be attending the coronation as a guest after his efforts to provide millions with hand sanitizer during the pandemic.
Great to have you on the show.
How excited are you about being part of this, going inside?
RHYS MALLOWS, COVID HERO: I'm incredibly excited. It's a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity. It's going to be fantastic. I don't really know what to expect, what the day's going to entail. I just can't wait to take in all those emotions, all that atmosphere.
SOARES: For our viewers to get a sense, you produce sanitizer. You did millions of bottles. Talk to us about the work you did in terms of community, how you stepped up at that moment.
MALLOWS: We produced enough hand sanitizer for 18 million hands. We started three weeks into the first wave. Absolutely no experience of producing hand sanitizer before. We were a distillery in Wales.
Then dedicated ourselves to doing something in the community. It was a great purpose to have when there was so much negative press. When we started to feel down, we had a great purpose, kept our staff employed, helped the community. It was a special moment.
SOARES: We see so many people who stood and up helped the community, particularly those who helped during the -- with the National Health Service here in the U.K.
When you got the invite, tell me about that moment, did it come as a surprise to you?
MALLOWS: Huge.
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SOARES: What, did you get a call?
Did you get the invite by post?
How was it? MALLOWS: First of all, I got invite via emails.
"If we did invite you, would you come?"
SOARES: Were you thinking, this must be fake?
MALLOWS: Looking at the office, who sent it to me?
None of them smiling. I was there a minute and realizes, no, this is true. Called my wife, called my mum, who did not believe me. Four, five weeks later it came in the post and it was announced. It's brilliant.
SOARES: A pinch-me moment.
MALLOWS: Massively, yes.
SOARES: We'll see -- we've heard so much about how the coronation, the ceremony will be much more slimmed down. It will have pageantry, the history that comes with it, tradition. But less (sic) peers, more normal people.
How important is that, do you think that it's reflected in the coronation today?
MALLOWS: I think it's really interesting. The coronation's going to have that pomp and pageantry. But to have lots more normal people, people in society, I think is really, really special. Maybe that will be the only time it happens, to have a community so involved. It's really nice. I get the chance to go, even better.
SOARES: What does that say about the monarch, the new monarch, what it means to him to have those people there and not peers and not politicians and so forth?
MALLOWS: I think it speaks to inclusion, trying to bring everyone into this event, that it's not selective. It's a more diverse, more inclusive, more homogeneous process in the country.
SOARES: You have to be quite early to make your way to Westminster Abbey.
What are you looking forward to?
What's that moment?
Who are you looking forward to meet?
MALLOWS: I'm looking forward to the music. I think that's going to set the mood, set the tone, the atmosphere. I think the music, all the anthems. That's going to be the special moment.
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SOARES: There will be lots of Celtic influence as well, as I've learnt, looking and studying the music. Have you met the king before?
MALLOWS: No.
SOARES: This is extra special for you.
MALLOWS: Yes, yes.
SOARES: I wasn't sure if you'd met him through your work in the community.
MALLOWS: No.
SOARES: It's a huge surprise, then, for you to get this invite.
MALLOWS: Huge, massive.
SOARES: No plus-ones?
MALLOWS: No, no plus-ones. My wife walks me there and back but that's about it.
SOARES: OK, so when you're inside, I'm guessing -- are you allowed phones?
MALLOWS: No phones.
SOARES: So you'll just be sitting there waiting for that moment.
Do you know where you'll be sitting?
MALLOWS: I don't.
SOARES: You don't know. You'll be told as you get there?
MALLOWS: Yes.
SOARES: This is going to be quite an occasion. You definitely are very dapper.
MALLOWS: Thank you.
SOARES: Congratulations.
MALLOWS: Thank you.
SOARES: Thank you for all your work for the community. Really appreciate it, Rhys.
MALLOWS: Thank you for having me.
SOARES: Still ahead this hour, thunderstorms, apparently, could literally rain on the king's parade. We'll have the forecast in London as the coronation is set to begin. At the moment, it looks relatively OK.
But who knows?
Plus portions of former U.S. President Donald Trump's video deposition have been made public in E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against him. We've got the story. You're watching CNN.
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HOLMES: Welcome back.
Russia is moving civilians away from the front lines in southern Ukraine as both sides gear up for Kyiv's expected counteroffensive. The evacuations are underway in towns and villages near Zaporizhzhya, one of the possible lines of Ukraine's attack.
Pro-Moscow officials say Kyiv has been stepping up artillery strikes there. CNN cannot independently confirm that as of now. The evacuations include some areas, where Russia has built heavy defensive lines in preparation for Ukraine's offensive.
To the southwest, dozens of cars and buses left the city of Kherson on Friday before a 58-hour curfew went into effect. It was imposed after back-to-back Russian artillery strikes killed more than 20 people this week.
Meanwhile, this photograph shows Ukrainian troops wrapping up their training on Patriot missiles, provided by its Western allies. The footage provides a rare glimpse of U.S. troops training Ukrainian forces.
And the leader of the Wagner mercenaries is raising the stakes in his public feud with Russia's military brass. On Friday, he posted an extraordinary video, lashing out at top military leaders for not sending enough ammunition to his forces.
Yevgeny Prigozhin claiming he was standing in front of bodies of Wagner troops killed in just one day. The video is extraordinary. He said tens of thousands of others were killed or wounded because Wagner is running low on ammunition and, because of that, he's had enough.
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YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN, FOUNDER, WAGNER GROUP (through translator): I am officially informing the defense minister, chief of the general staff and the supreme commander in chief that my guys will not be taking useless, unjustified losses in Bakhmut without ammunition. So on May 10, 2023, we are pulling out of Bakhmut.
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HOLMES: Wagner troops have been the spearhead of Russia's brutal offensive in Bakhmut, which has been underway for months now. Ukraine's military says a Wagner pullout would be a turning point in that battle if it were to happen.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have announced Sudan's warring factions have agreed to start preliminary talks in Jeddah in the coming hours. Washington and Riyadh calling on the Sudanese armed forces and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, to, quote, "actively engage in talks toward cease-fire and end to the conflict."
The violence has killed hundreds of people, wounded thousands more. A senior medical employee at a hospital in Khartoum state tells CNN the paramilitary RSF is trying to take control of hospitals to use them as bases of operation and to shield their forces from airstrikes.
They've already reportedly seized the largest maternity hospital in the country. The U.N. says more than 120,000 people have fled Sudan since fighting erupted in mid-April. The U.N.'s Refugee Agency urging neighboring countries to keep borders open for civilians fleeing the violence.
Several Red Cross planes arrived in Sudan on Friday, carrying desperately needed food and medical supplies.
Just two weeks before an Oklahoma man was scheduled to be executed, the U.S. Supreme Court put his execution on hold Friday; 60-year-old Richard Glossip was convicted and sentenced to death in 1998 for orchestrating a murder for hire plot.
Since then, he has endured nine execution dates, three last meals and two independent investigations that raised serious doubts about his conviction. During what he believed was a final visit with his wife, they were both told about the reprieve. Glossip spoke by phone with CNN's Brynn Gingras about that.
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BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How are you doing?
RICHARD GLOSSIP, OKLAHOMA DEATH ROW INMATE: I'm doing great. It's been a very interesting day, to say the least. My wife and I were down for our last visit together. And I had to take my property down for her to pick up.
And yes, she was really worried and concerned that she was really going to lose it at the end of the visit. They let us take some pretty awesome pictures then.
Yes, they were sitting there. We had a half hour to go and she -- they knocked our door. They came to the door and asked us to come out in the hall and they took her and I out in the hall and told us we got to stay.
GINGRAS: So you got told together?
GLOSSIP: What?
GINGRAS: You got told together?
GLOSSIP: Yes, well, they pulled us out together and told us. Yes.
GINGRAS: And what did you do?
GLOSSIP: I yelled, "Are you kidding?" at first.
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GLOSSIP: And they said, no. And so her and I just grabbed each other. And yes. It was amazing to watch the expression on her face and to see how relieved she was.
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HOLMES: Richard Glossip was convicted of hiring someone to kill an Oklahoma City motel owner. The Oklahoma attorney general and dozens of lawmakers have been working to get him off death row.
I want to have a look now, go back to London, as preparations continue for the coronation of King Charles. You can see troops are beginning to arrive. This is at Waterloo Station. They're arriving.
There's going to be about 5,000 members of the British armed forces. They have started to arrive, as I said, at Waterloo Station in London. They're going to arrive for the next hour or so and will be marching across London to Westminster, where they will be positioned for the coronation of King Charles III.
And this will feature the largest military procession in London since more than 16,000 took part in Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. That's according to the U.K. ministry of defense. You can see the troops there making their way across. It is going to be quite a day.
New developments in Georgia's criminal investigation into former president Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election in that state. Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis has offered immunity deals to several Republicans, who served as pro-Trump fake electors, planning to block certification of Georgia's vote.
At least eight of them have accepted. The rest all face legal exposure. The DA has said she will announce possible charges against Trump and his allies between July 11th and September 1st.
Portions of the former president's video deposition are now public in E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against him for battery and defamation. The deposition was played before the jury. And if Trump does not take the stand, they will be the only direct testimony the jury will hear from him in the case. Paula Reid with our report.
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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: She's accusing me of rape, a woman that I have no idea who she is.
PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brand-new video released showing former President Donald Trump being grilled for nearly an hour in the civil battery and defamation case that writer E. Jean Carroll brought against him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What you're saying there is -- Ms. Carroll fabricated her claim that you sexually assaulted her, correct?
TRUMP: Yes. Totally, 100 percent.
REID: The tape coming out in evidence during a weeks-long trial all centered around Carroll's allegation that Trump forced himself on her in a New York department store in the 1990s, a claim Trump has denied both in public and during his deposition under oath in October of last year.
TRUMP: She said that I did something to her that never took place. I will tell you I made that statement and I said, well, it's politically incorrect, she's not my type. And that's 100 percent true, she's not my type.
REID: Trump at times getting combative with Carroll's lawyers questioning him. TRUMP: The worst thing you can do, the worst charge and you know
it's not true, too, you're a political operative also. You're a disgrace.
REID: At one point, Trump confusing Carroll for his ex-wife in a 1980s photo with him in it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You say Marla's in the photo?
TRUMP: That's Marla, yes, that's my wife.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which woman are you pointing to?
TRUMP: Here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The person you just pointed to was E. Jean Carroll.
REID: This was the only time the jury in the trial heard from Trump, as there's now no plan for him to testify and closing arguments are expected early next week.
Carroll took the stand early in the trial, telling the jury, I'm here because Donald Trump raped me. And when I wrote about it, he said it didn't happen. He lied and shattered my reputation and I'm here to try to get my life back.
Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina, known for his brash and sometimes confrontational style defending clients pressed Carroll on her allegations. Using your own words, the facts you have alleged in this story, you have alleged here are odd, Tacopina said. Carroll responded, certain parts of this story are difficult to conceive of. Yes. Tacopina pressed Carroll on why she wasn't making a scene during the alleged assault. I'm not a screamer. I was too much in panic to scream. You can't beat up on me for not screaming. Tacopina shot back, I'm not beating you up, I'm asking you questions, Ms. Carroll.
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REID: "I'm telling you he raped me, whether I screamed or not. I don't need an excuse for not screaming."
Now that the defense has rested in the case, the judge is giving Trump until the end of the weekend to decide if he wants to testify in person. If he doesn't, this newly released video will be the only time the jury in this case has heard directly from the former president -- Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.
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HOLMES: Still to come, much more on King Charles' coronation. We'll take you back to London and Isa Soares for more on this historic day.
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SOARES: Welcome back our special coronation coverage on CNN NEWSROOM, live from outside Buckingham Palace. I'm Isa Soares. Right now, thousands of British troops are getting ready for the start of King Charles' coronation. Many have just arrived, in fact, in the last few minutes, at London's Waterloo rail station, where their march is set to begin.
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SOARES: Our Anna Stewart is there and joining me now.
This is going to be a pretty spectacular show of force. Walk us through what you are seeing and what we can expect.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we just saw the first train come in with hundreds of soldiers. These were from Household Division, the foot guards, the Grenadiers, the Scots, the Welsh Guards as well.
This is going to be a massive day, the biggest military ceremonial operation we've seen in this country for 70 years, essentially since the last coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In total, there are 9,000 members of the armed forces who are being deployed today, 7,000 of those are ceremonial and a vast majority are arriving at Waterloo Station in the next hour.
So that is thousands of soldiers all arriving at the same time. They will then make their way to that procession route. Many of them are involved in that. This is going to be the most spectacular display in terms of pomp and ceremony from the armed forces that I've certainly ever seen in my lifetime.
I've covered jubilees, royal weddings but this is going to be something else, 1,000 members of the armed forces lining the entire route. There will be the 200-strong Sovereign Escort, the guards that will take the carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
On the way back, there will be 4,000 members of the armed forces in procession. It will be so big, it will actually a mile long in and of itself. Isa, the logistical challenge of this procession shouldn't be underplayed. They've done lots of rehearsals.
There's a very tricky corner we should all watch out for, from the mall to Whitehall and back again, which is very hard, I'm told, for carriages and horses. They have rehearsed in the dead of night. I think they're ready but, my goodness, it's going to be a show.
SOARES: Indeed. A day of spectacular pageantry, as we're seeing some of the photos coming in and videos coming in, of course, as the sun rises over London, Anna. This was the first train.
How many more trains are we expecting here?
STEWART: I think it's nine trains in total. They must be absolutely rammed, given there are going to be 5,000 soldiers arriving on them from all sorts of regiments. So many of these regiments have a personal connection with the king, so they all very much want to be involved.
I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sorry there wasn't a train arriving just as we were talking but we'll do one then.
SOARES: Thanks very much, appreciate it.
Umbrellas and raincoats will be the order of coronation day with the forecast calling for plenty of showers and waves of thunderstorms. Overnight, workers erected a covered walkway leading to Westminster Abbey's great west doors. Christina Macfarlane was telling us that in the last 30 minutes.
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SOARES: Let's discuss all this, what we can expect, with two journalists, who have covered the royals extensively, Sharon Carpenter and Mark Saunders joining me now.
And Sharon, we do love talking about the weather.
It doesn't matter, does it?
The people continue to come out. They're preparing for whatever, hail, sun, snow, whatever may come.
SHARON CARPENTER, BROADCAST JOURNALIST: Absolutely. I mean, we're Brits, at the end of the day, we're used to this. This is nothing to us. And people are counting out, some of them at least, since Thursday and have already dealt with quite a bit of rain. Of course, there were thunderstorms yesterday; 1.2 million people are
expected to come out and line the streets of London to celebrate the king and the queen being coronated (sic). Of course, there is going to be an anti-monarchy movement out there as well.
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CARPENTER: I think around 1,000 protesters expected over by Trafalgar Square and other places throughout the country. By far, those huge crowds that are going to be out today are there, for the most part, in support of the king and queen. And really, we get to celebrate history because this is something that most of us have never seen in our lifetimes.
SOARES: This is something I keep hearing again. Of course, being part of this historic moment.
And Mark, you have covered the royals for something like 25 years.
What does this mean, do you think, this moment in history?
MARK SAUNDERS, ROYAL CORRESPONDENT AND AUTHOR: I think, actually, it might be closer to 35, to be honest.
SOARES: Oh, wow.
SAUNDERS: It means everything. I mean, it means everything. Personally for me, it's kind of very -- it might be very nostalgic for my -- I wish my grandparents were here to see this because, when I was a kid, every single time there was a ceremonial event, I would always go with my nan or granddad.
So I'm somewhat saddened that they're not here. I think what it means is, it's almost like winning the World Cup. The greatest thing that can happen to a country is to win the World Cup. You've got these massive celebrations.
This is a kind of ceremonial version of that. It's a wonderful opportunity for everybody to just go out on the street and be very, very happy. And I've actually come from the streets of Windsor.
Windsor, it's a kind of follow-up venue to London. And it's just astonishing how people can be in their sleeping bags, on the streets, waiting for another day before the action moves down this way.
SOARES: Yes and, actually, I've bumped into you, Mark, I've bumped into you at Maidenhead, Windsor, I think we've got family members who go to the same school. What a small world to actually meet on this occasion.
Sharon, Mark was talking about the importance of inclusivity, which is something that matters so much to this monarch. Talk us through how we're going to see that and what we have been seeing the last few days.
And does that showing a more modern Britain here? CARPENTER: Absolutely. So of course, King Charles is bringing together history, tradition, pageantry with a modern-day twist, at the end of the day. So faith, for example.
Of course, we're living in a society these days, where people are of multiple faiths way more than 70 years ago, when it was the queen's coronation. And King Charles wants to let the country know, I'm here to serve people of all faiths.
So we are going to see leaders from multiple different faiths -- Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, et cetera. Also, we are going to see female bishops involved in this coronation for the very first time.
And I love this part. There's going to be a gospel choir ascension, apparently King Charles is a big fan of gospel music. When it comes to the congregation, I expect to see the most diverse congregation we've ever seen at a coronation.
Young people have been invited; something like 450 COVID heroes have been invited who did some fantastic work around the pandemic. So that's going to be interesting.
But it's very, very important for King Charles to reach out to young people, to reach out to people in general, to show that this is a modern-day monarchy, still relevant, and we do represent the people, all people.
SOARES: Absolutely. It was wonderful to see him doing the royal walk- about down the mall yesterday, taking so many by surprise.
Mark, you covered extensively the breakup of Charles and Camilla (sic).
How do you think -- Charles and Diana, pardon me.
How do you think Camilla will be received, do you think?
SAUNDERS: Well, Camilla, that is amazing for me. I was obviously in the eye of the storm covering that on a day-to-day basis, the breakup of Charles and Diana. And the one thing I never thought would ever happen is that the British public would accept Camilla.
They absolutely adored Diana. So I remember in 2005, when I was in Windsor at the wedding of Camilla and Charles, and I saw the plates and the tea towels and it was like -- it was surreal. I just never thought I would see it.
But I have met Camilla on several occasions before it was all official. And she is -- she's a fascinating person. I can understand why people are so attracted to her, once they get to know her. She has a very -- a wonderful sense of humor.
[01:40:00]
SAUNDERS: And also, she never really took herself seriously. And I think that's what the public like. I think that's why she's endeared herself to them.
But I never thought we would see a Queen Camilla. And that is -- I think it's an amazing -- it's amazing what they've achieved. And I think that the public now really, really do seem to have taken to her.
SOARES: Yes, I think you're absolutely right.
Sharon, final question to you. We've seen in the last few hours the order of service. That has been released. Still very solemn, celebratory in many ways. But we've also got new details in terms of who will take part and will not.
What we've learnt that is Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Andrew, Duke of York, will not be taking part in the procession.
Is that the right call, in your view?
CARPENTER: Well, I would have loved to have seen Harry take part in the procession. Now I'm still wondering if he will make it onto the Buckingham Palace balcony, even if he's not in the procession. I think that would be the right move to make.
King Charles wanting to send the message, this is a modern-day monarchy, I think nothing would send that message more strong than if Harry's up there on the balcony alongside the king and the queen and Prince William and all of them putting their differences to the side for this very, very important and special occasion and for the good of the people.
So I don't think it was the right call to have -- to not have Harry involved in the procession. Perhaps Andrew, yes. But I'm hoping that Harry will still make it onto the balcony.
SOARES: Yes, we don't know, for the time being, whether he will. That's the question many have been asking. Sharon Carpenter, thank you.
Mark, always great to speak to you. I'm sure I'll bump into you again.
Thank you to you both.
Still ahead, the U.S. is preparing for an influx of migrants at the southern border. And misinformation about policy changes is making matters worse. We'll explain after this short break.
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HOLMES: Top U.S. officials are trying to dispel misinformation ahead of a change in immigration policy. The head of Homeland Security put it plainly on Friday, saying this,
"The border is not open, it has not been open and it will not be open once Title 42 comes to an end next week."
Title 42 has been the primary border enforcement tool since the pandemic, allowing officials to quickly expel certain migrants. Alejandro Mayorkas says the crisis at the border is a very serious situation.
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ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: What we are expecting is indeed a surge. And what we are doing is planning for different levels of a surge. That is what we do. We plan for different scenarios so we are ready to address them. And we are indeed ready to address them.
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HOLMES: The city of El Paso, Texas, has been grappling with an influx of migrants as Title 42 is set to expire. The city officials say about 2,300 migrants of mixed legal status are living on the streets. Some turned themselves in to U.S. authorities and are seeking asylum. Others crossed the border illegally.
One shelter surveyed said 258 migrants and -- determined about 41 percent have been processed by immigration authorities; 59 percent had entered the country illegally.
As the clock ticks down to the coronation, we'll tell you about the rides fit for a king. The story of the royal coaches, that's when we come back.
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SOARES: Welcome back, everyone.
When King Charles takes the crown today, in about five hours or so, he will also be honored by several representatives from the Commonwealth. That is, of course, the group of countries with historical links to the British Empire, some of which recognize the monarch as their head of state. You're seeing how many we're talking about.
Among them is Australia, which is marking the coronation with several events, including a tree planting ceremony. How appropriate. But compared to the pageantry in London, the celebrations will be relatively muted. In some Commonwealth states, it will be largely ignored.
In just a few hours, Charles III will travel in a coach fit for a king. Here's a look at the crowd, along the mall, where the modern monarch will travel in gilded carriages. The crowd is starting to gather. So many camping out for days, with tents, wanting this glimpse, being part of this moment in history.
Our royal correspondent, Max Foster, has more on what we can expect.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Electric windows, air conditioning and hydraulic suspension; despite its traditional appearance, the diamond jubilee state coach has all the modern comforts.
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FOSTER (voice-over): It's been out on the streets to start practice transporting the king to the abbey without a hiccup.
FOSTER: On the way back to the abbey, a much bigger procession. This will be the centerpiece, the gold state coach. It's enormous; it weighs four tons. It's the first time that Charles would have traveled in it because only the monarch is allowed inside.
FOSTER (voice-over): The gold state coach is a less comfortable ride than its modern counterpart. It's been used in every coronation since 1831. Covered in gold leaf, it takes eight horses to pull it and can only move at a walking pace.
Martin Oakes (ph) is in charge of the brake, the fourth generation of men in his family to work with the royal carriage.
MARTIN OAKES (PH): When you're following it, you can hear it creaking. So it sounds like an old galleon going along or quite a washing machine. It does tend to web (ph) a bit. We just go from back to front. This is moving from side-to-side.
FOSTER (voice-over): Oakes' (ph) grandfather and great grandfather were there for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Like then, Charles' procession back to the palace will involve a huge military parade of around 4,000 troops. Some royal fans have been camping out along the route to secure their front row spot, even traveling from the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were here for the royal wedding in 2011. We camped out across the street. So we're back to do it again. I don't know when we would ever get to do another coronation.
FOSTER (voice-over): All hoping to catch a glimpse of the newly crowned king and queen.
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FOSTER (voice-over): Max Foster, CNN, London.
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SOARES: This weekend, so steeped in tradition, is an economic event, worth $420 million extra tourism. Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee brought 2.6 million visitors to the city. And some are expected this weekend. Let's look at those for you.
For those willing to splash out, it will cost you almost 13,000 pounds, more than $16,000, for an overnight stay in a five-star hotel as part of a luxury experience. I don't know what that entails. Maybe you have some tea and biscuits with that.
The Dorchester Hotel is keeping on theme, using decorations that are a recreation used to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953.
That does it for me for this hour. I'll be back in just a few moments, joined by Paula Newton as our special coverage continues. See you after this break.
