On the occasion of the coronation of the new British King Charles III. on May 6, 2023, the British can look forward to a long weekend. As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced today, there will be an extra holiday for this.

"The coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country," the Conservative politician said in a statement, adding: "In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday across the UK."

The "bank holiday," as public holidays are known in Britain, is scheduled to fall on May 8, the Monday after the coronation, which is scheduled to take place on a Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London. The day of the funeral of Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was also declared an extraordinary holiday.

Scotland's Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed her support for the decision. In a statement of her own, the politician from the secessionist Scottish National Party described the upcoming coronation as a "historic moment" for her part of the country, for which the Scots wanted to send their best wishes to King Charles and his queen wife Camilla.