The 6th of May 2023 has been scheduled to be the Coronation of King Charles III. Camilla, Queen Consort, will be crowned at the same time as King at the historic occasion, which is the first to take place in over 70 years following the late Queen’s lengthy reign.
In lieu of the official event, there will be 2 additional days of coronation festivities across the United Kingdom. For all the essential information on the impending event, read on, and keep checking back for updates.
What is a coronation?
A coronation is a religious event in which a sovereign is crowned and a crown is placed on their head. It conveys the monarch’s title and authority while formalizing the monarch’s position as the head of the Church of England.
The monarch does not really need to be crowned in order to become King. Without a coronation, Edward VIII held the throne, and Charles succeeded Elizabeth II once she passed away.
Where will the coronation be held?
According to custom, the service will be held at Westminster Abbey and presided over by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ritual has virtually always been conducted by the Archbishop since 1066.
The King will be anointed with holy oil, given the orb, coronation ring, and sceptre, be blessed, and then be consecrated by the Archbishop during the ritual, known as Operation Golden Orb. He will be crowned with the St. Edward’s crown and will often sit in the King Edward’s Chair from the 14th century.
What will happen during the coronation?
As reported by royal.uk, a typical coronation includes pageantry and celebration – “coronation ceremony is an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony and has remained essentially the same over a thousand years”. Coronations traditionally involve the recognition, oath, anointing, removal of ceremonial robes, investiture, enthronement, and homage. The Archbishop of Canterbury presents the monarch to the congregation in Westminster Abbey, who shouts “God save the King!”, vows to reign lawfully and uphold the Church of England, and is anointed with holy oil. The monarch then sits in the 700-year-old Coronation Chair under a canopy held by four Knights of the Garter. The investiture includes the Sovereign’s Orb and the Sovereign’s Sceptres, and the crown is crowned with St. Edward’s Crown.
King Charles III’s coronation comes after extensive preparation, which includes taking the coronation oath and being “anointed, blessed, and consecrated” by the Archbishop. Due to Britain’s present recession and cost of living issue, the event is anticipated to keep the same religious components as earlier coronations but being less big and lavish.
According to reports, the King may be publicly anointed with holy oil at the ritual, making him the first monarch of Britain to do so. The King will wear St. Edward’s Crown after receiving the orb and scepters from the Archbishop. A similar ceremony will also crown Camilla, the Queen consort.
Using the Diamond Jubilee State Coach built for Queen Elizabeth in celebration of her 60th year in power, King Charles and Queen Camilla will make their way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in a procession (as stated earlier). The king and queen consort will head back to Buckingham Palace in a larger procession called The Coronation Procession, where they will be joined by other members of the royal family. They will be accompanied by armed forces from the Commonwealth and British Overseas Territories.
What crowns will King Charles and Queen Camilla wear?
St. Edward’s Crown, a 17th-century crown studded with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes, and tourmalines, and the Imperial State Crown, which has 2,868 diamonds in silver mounts, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls, are likely to be worn by the monarch. The controversial Kohinoor diamond will be replaced with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewelry collection, but historians have opposed the switch, noting to the fact that the Cullinan diamonds are still symbols of British empire.
Can you take part in the King’s Coronation?
The King’s Coronation is available to anybody whose ancestor has previously participated in a ceremony, as part of a 700-year-old custom. This occasion will take the place of the Court of Claims, which served in a comparable capacity for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953.
How can I watch the coronation?
The coronation ceremony is expected to be watched by millions, so check back for details on how to tune in.
Who is invited to the King’s Coronation?
Around 2,000 people will get an official invitation to the Coronation, which is claimed to last around an hour. The late Queen’s coronation was the first to be shown live on television, and it was a success, drawing an unprecedented amount of spectators from across the globe. The event will be organized by the Duke of Norfolk, who has been entrusted with making it more inclusive of modern Britain and simpler, shorter, and more varied.
Unveiling of King Charles III’s Coronation Emblem
Buckingham Palace has unveiled King Charles III’s official Coronation Emblem, designed by Sir Jony Ive using an iPhone. It depicts the flora of the four nations in the shape of St Edward’s Crown, and will be used for all official merchandise commemorating the special occasion. The emblem will feature throughout the celebrations in May, including the Coronation Service, Coronation Concert, street parties, and community gatherings.
What does the coronation invitation look like?
Andrew Jamieson designed the official coronation invitation, hand-painted in watercolor and gouache, featuring the Green Man crowned in leaves of oak, ivy, and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom. The design was printed on recycled card with gold foil detailing, symbolizing Charles becoming the third monarch of his name.
How much will the coronation cost?
The U.K. government pays for the coronation, which will be less grand and cost less than previous ceremonies due to a rising cost-of-living crisis and recession.
