Follow the latest news from the coronation of King Charles here
On July 4, 1776, Britain's Thirteen American Colonies declared themselves to be an independent nation, free of King George III and his "absolute despotism".
Nearly 250 years after the birth of the US, any "injuries and usurpations" outlined in the Declaration of Independence appear to have been largely forgotten as many Americans look across the Pond for the coronation of George's direct descendent, King Charles III.
Royal weddings and funerals are always a big deal in the US, where people marvel at the unique combination of pomp, pageantry and history that no other country can rival.
But Saturday's coronation of King Charles, the first such event in 70 years, promises even more excitement than usual for those who care about the royal family.
"I am delighted by the coronation, it will be a feast for the eyes with all the pageantry, horses, carriages and garments," self-described anglophile Dr Carole Lieberman told The National.
"It’s like a fairy tale brought to life. We are very fortunate to see a coronation in our lifetime."
Perhaps most excited are the US cable networks, who are hoping for a ratings bonanza.
When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, about 85 million people in America —where the population was half what it is today — were estimated to have watched reruns or some form of highlights of the event, according to the BBC.
All week, cable networks have been churning out special reports highlighting the life and works of King Charles, and live coverage of the coronation begins on Saturday at 5am on the East Coast for what will be a full day of breathless coverage.
Dr Lieberman — who has two cats named Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and who owns some of Wallis Simpson's lingerie — said it was only natural for some Americans to remain fascinated by the royals, given the historic connection to Britain.
"You can take the Americans out of Great Britain, but you can’t take Great Britain of out Americans. It’s still in our ‘collective unconscious’ if not our genes," she said.
It is not just the US news networks that are marking the coronation. The Empire State Building in New York will be lit up red, white and blue on Friday night and the British embassy in Washington and eight consulates around the US are holding events to welcome the new king to the throne.
In Washington, the embassy will host a “sidewalk celebration” on Saturday to offer some British refreshments, children’s activities and show off British brands to honour the long relationship King Charles has enjoyed with the US.
The king has visited America on 20 occasions and has met 10 of the past 14 presidents, starting with Dwight D Eisenhower in 1959 when Charles was only 10.
A decade later, Prince Charles, who was at the time perhaps the world's most eligible bachelor, visited the White House under Richard Nixon.
He later quipped that Mr Nixon "was trying to marry me off" to the president's elder daughter, Tricia.
Prince Charles met President Joe Biden at the Cop26 global climate summit in Glasgow in 2021, and then-president Donald Trump during his state visit to Britain in 2019, which led to mass protests.
Mr Biden will not be attending the coronation in accordance with a US tradition that stops presidents from the proud republic celebrating hereditary leaders.
Instead, his wife Jill Biden will lead the US delegation to London.
Despite the early start to Saturday's coronation events, many Brits and Americans are getting up to watch the occasion.
At the Queen Vic pub in Washington, all 110 tickets for a viewing party starting at 6am have been sold out, and another 50 people are expected to jostle for standing space, said landlord Ryan Gordon, an American who runs the pub with his wife Roneeka Bhagotra-Gordon, a Liverpool-supporting Brit.
The pub will offer a full English breakfast and will hand out Union Jacks for patrons to wave.
Mr Gordon said he was surprised by the level of excitement for the coronation, comparing it to almost the anticipation for the 2011 wedding of William and Kate, now the Prince and Princess of Wales.
"It's nice to have something positive for the monarchy," Mr Gordon told The National.
"With all the stuff going on with other folks in the monarchy and losing the Queen, it's good to have something positive for them."
