Prince William pours a pint, meets public before coronation

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Britain’s Prince William pulls the first pint of Kingmaker, a new brew celebrating the coronation of King Charles III, as he and the Princess of Wales visit the Dog & Duck pub in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023, to hear how it’s preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort at the weekend. (Jamie Lorriman/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales travel on London Underground’s Elizabeth Line in central London, Thursday, May 4, 2023 on their way to visit the Dog & Duck pub in Soho to hear how it’s preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort. (Jordan Pettitt/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, speaks to people as she visits the Dog & Duck pub in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023, to hear how it’s preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort at the weekend. (James Manning/PA via AP)

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Britain’s Prince William drinks a pint of cider, as he and Kate, Princess of Wales visit the Dog & Duck pub in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023, to hear how it’s preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort at the weekend. (Jamie Lorriman/Pool Photo via AP)

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Kate, Princess of Wales poses for a photographs with members of the public while she views Coronation preparations in the Soho area of central London in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. King Charles III’s coronation takes place Saturday, May, 6, at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

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Prince William greets members of the public as he views Coronation preparations in the Soho area of central London in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. King Charles III’s coronation takes place Saturday, May, 6, at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

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Kate, Princess of Wales waves to the public as leave the Dog and Duck pub while she views Coronation preparations in the Soho area of central London in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. King Charles III’s coronation takes place Saturday, May, 6, at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

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Royal memorabilia decorates a fence along the King’s Coronation route at The Mall in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. The Coronation of King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

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Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales visit the Dog & Duck pub in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023, to see their preparations for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort on Saturday May 6. (Jamie Lorriman/Pool Photo via AP)

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British Artist Julian Beaver gives the finishing touches to his work based on an image of King Charles III in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. The Coronation of King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

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A woman wearing Union Jack sunglasses smiles as she waits on King’s Charles’ III Coronation route along The Mall in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. The Coronation of King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6.(AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

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Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales view Coronation preparations in the Soho area of central London in London, Thursday, May 4, 2023. King Charles III’s coronation takes place Saturday, May, 6, at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

By SYLVIA HUI

Prince William has poured a pint of ale and taken a ride on the subway with his wife Kate as part of a royal ramble in central London before King Charles III’s coronation.

With just two days to go until Saturday’s coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, William and Kate took time to chat with royal fans, tourists and Londoners on Thursday in the U.K. capital’s bustling Soho entertainment district.

The pair took their first trip on the Elizabeth line, named after Queen Elizabeth II and the latest line on London’s busy train network. They then stopped at the historic Dog and Duck pub, where William went behind the bar and poured a pint of Kingmaker, a pale ale brewed to celebrate the coronation.

William joked that he would have to watch how much he drank and “get back into work mode.”

Hundreds of royal fans — some hailing from China, Canada and the United States — lined the streets of Soho, hoping for a glimpse of the couple, a handshake or a brief chat.

Kate told well-wishers that her eldest child, Prince George, was “excited” about the coronation. The 9-year-old royal, who is second in line to the throne after his father, is expected to carry Charles’ robes as one of the king’s four pages of honor on Saturday.

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George and his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attended a rehearsal for the ceremony alongside other members of the royal family on Wednesday.

Thursday’s royal visit came as London prepared for the United Kingdom’s first coronation since Elizabeth II was crowned 70 years ago.

Union Jack bunting and crown decorations have appeared across the capital, while Big Ben was lit up in red as part of late-night dress rehearsals around midnight on Wednesday.

Some 100 heads of state, representatives from 200 countries and hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to descend on London for the historic event. Many die-hard royal fans are already camped out near Buckingham Palace to secure the best viewing spot.

“We’ve always been a massive fan of the royal family. I was also over for the (queen’s) jubilee, so all the big moments that we can, we come over,” said Luisa Rawes, from Portugal. “It is a massive occasion.”

Thousands of police are being deployed across London for one of the most complex security operations in U.K. history, bracing for any disruptions and anti-monarchy protests.

On Tuesday night, officers arrested a man who threw shotgun cartridges into the grounds of Buckingham Palace, and blew up a suspicious bag belonging to the man. Police said the man was searched and a lock knife was found.

Authorities said Thursday that the 59-year-old suspect, who hasn’t been named, was detained under mental health laws and taken to a hospital. No one was injured, and Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, weren’t at the palace at the time.

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Follow AP’s coverage of King Charles III and the coronation at https://apnews.com/hub/king-charles-iii