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.

The crowd outside the palace has been growing over the week, with people from many parts of the world assembling to witness the crowning of the latest British monarch in a tradition that dates back more than 1,000 years.

On Thursday, William and Kate took a subway train and visited a pub in Soho as part of the lead-up to the coronation.