First Lady Jill Biden will attend King Charles III's coronation on Saturday, representing the United States in the historic event despite President Joe Biden's absence. 

"Headed to the U.K. for the Coronation of King Charles III — the first in 70 years!" the first lady wrote in an Instagram post Thursday. "It’s an honor to represent the United States for this historic moment and celebrate the special relationship between our countries."

Over 2,000 guests including many heads of state, will gather at Westminster Abbey for the coronation, scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 6 and starts at 11 a.m. in London, which is 6 a.m. Eastern Time. 

The White House commented on President Biden's absence noting that no U.S. president has attended any of the seven coronations of a British monarch since the country declared independence in 1776. 

In June 1953, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower did not travel to Queen Elizabeth’s crowning. Instead, he sent a delegation on his behalf including the former Secretary of State George Marshall; Gen. Omar Bradley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and then-California Gov. Earl Warren.