Like a comet, British coronations now come around now once a lifetime. Today is that for Charles, who gets kinged in the arcane traditions of the monarchy alongside his second wife and former mistress, now the Queen of England. There will be fuss, there will be funny hats; there will be leaders from across the globe and there will be endless commentary on all manner of news reporting from correspondents happy to dwell on something ostensibly celebratory rather than the usual war and corruption.
The Coronation of King Charles III (CNN, 5 a.m.), as they’re titling it, features Anderson Cooper, Christiane Amanpour and Max Foster. NBC has Savannah Guthrie covering; ABC News has Michael Strahan; CBS News has Michelle Miller, Dana Jacobson and Jeff Glor. Expect further coverage from BBC America and CSPAN.
Today’s the day of The 149th Kentucky Derby (NBC, 2:30 p.m.), during a particularly fraught week when four horses have already died at Churchill Downs and a trainer has been banned indefinitely. Actual post time is 6:47 p.m.; further pre-race coverage comes as early as noon on NBC.
“Chasing the Rains” (BBC America, 8 p.m.),, the nature series about northern Kenya, ends its ends its brief run examining its periods of drought and rainfall. 4
The documentary “Charles R: The Making of a Monarch” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings), which was on BBC America Friday, makes its public television debut tonight.
“When Love Springs” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) is a made-for-TV romance about a woman who runs into an ex at her parents’ vow renewal at a lake.