King Charles III, the new monarch
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27 April
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Coronation of King Charles III
King Charles III
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At
the moment the Queen died, the throne passed immediately and without
ceremony to the heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales.
He
becomes a monarch at the age of 73. But there are a number of practical -
and traditional - steps which he must go through to be crowned King.
Who is Charles?
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948. He was 4 years old when his mother was crowned as Queen Elizabeth II.
Instead
of being tutored at the palace, his education was in school. He
attended Hill House in West London, Cheam Preparatory School in
Berkshire and Gordonstoun in Eastern Scotland.
In 1969, at the
age of 20, he was invested by the Queen as Prince of Wales at Caerfarnon
Castle. Before the investiture, the then prince learnt Welsh at
University College of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Royal Family tree and the order of succesion
Family life
He
married Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral in
London. From that marriage they had two sons: Prince William, born on 21
June 1982; and Prince Harry, born on 15 September 1984.
Their
marriage was dissolved on 28 August 1996, although The Princess of Wales
continued to live at Kensington Palace and to carry out her public
work. Lady Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.
On 9 April 2005, he married the Queen Consort Camilla in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, Windsor.
What will he be called?
He will be known as King Charles III.
That
was the first decision of the new king's reign. He could have chosen
from any of his four names - Charles Philip Arthur George.
He is
not the only one who faces a change of title. Prince William and his
wife Catherine are now titled Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and
Cambridge, and the king has conferred on them the title of Prince and
Princess of Wales.
There is also a new title for Charles' wife,
Camilla, who becomes the Queen Consort - consort is the term used for
the spouse of the monarch.
Formal ceremonies
Charles was
officially proclaimed King on the Saturday following the Queen's death.
This event took place at St James's Palace in London, in front of a
ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.
This was made up
of members of the Privy Council - a group of senior MPs, past and
present, and peers - as well as some senior civil servants, Commonwealth
high commissioners, and the Lord Mayor of London.
The Accession Council has two parts and King Charles was only present for the second.
Prince Charles file photo
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Around 200 privy counsellors attended the ceremony - the same number who attended the last Accession Council in 1952.
In
the first part of the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth was
announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council (currently Penny
Mordaunt MP), and the proclamation was read aloud.
It included a series of prayers and pledges, commending the previous monarch and pledging support for the new one.
The
proclamation was then signed by a number of senior figures including
the prime minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord
Chancellor. It was read aloud from a balcony above Friary Court in St
James's Palace and for the first time since 1952, the national anthem
was played with the words "God Save the King".
The grand ceremony that announced Charles as new king
The King's first declaration
King Charles attended the second meeting of the Accession Council, along with the Privy Council.
This
was not a "swearing in" at the start of a British monarch's reign, in
the style of some other heads of state, such as the president of the US.
Instead
the King made a declaration to uphold the constitutional government and
- in line with a tradition dating from the early 18th Century - he made
an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland.
Queen Elizabeth II crowns her son Charles, Prince of Wales, during his investiture ceremony at Caernarvon Castle. 1969
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,
Queen Elizabeth II crowned her son Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969
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After
this the Accession Council concluded. The proclamation announcing
Charles as the King was later read out in Edinburgh, Cardiff and
Belfast.
The Coronation
The symbolic high point of the
accession will be the Coronation, when Charles is formally crowned.
Because of the preparation needed, the Coronation is not likely to
happen very soon after Charles's accession - Queen Elizabeth succeeded
to the throne in February 1952, but was not crowned until June 1953.
For
the past 900 years the coronation has been held in Westminster Abbey -
William the Conqueror was the first monarch to be crowned there, and
Charles will be the 40th.
It is an Anglican religious service,
carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At the climax of the
ceremony, he will place St Edward's Crown on Charles's head - a solid
gold crown, dating from 1661.
This is the centrepiece of the
Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and is only worn by the monarch at
the moment of coronation itself (not least because it weighs a hefty
2.23kg - almost 5lbs).
Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion - the government pays for it, and ultimately decides the guest list.
Royal Family on Balcony at Buckingham Palace, London, pictured after Coronation, 2nd June 1953.
IMAGE SOURCE,MIRRORPIX / GETTY IMAGES
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There
will be music, readings and the ritual of anointing the new monarch,
using oils of orange, roses, cinnamon, musk and ambergris.
The
new King will take the Coronation oath in front of the watching world.
During this elaborate ceremony he will receive the orb and sceptre as
symbols of his new role and the Archbishop of Canterbury will place the
solid gold crown on his head.
Everything you need to know about King Charles III's coronation
Head of the Commonwealth
Charles
has become head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent
countries and 2.5 billion people. For 14 of these countries, as well as
the UK, the King is head of state.
These countries, known as the
Commonwealth realms, are: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas,
Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and
Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon
Islands, Tuvalu.
Coronation of Charles III and Camilla
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coronation
of Charles III and CamillaKing Charles III and Queen Camilla during the
coronation procession in the Gold State Coach.
Charles and Camilla on the front balcony of Buckingham Palace
Date 6 May 2023
Venue Westminster Abbey
Location Westminster, London, United Kingdom
Participants
King Charles III
Queen Camilla
Great Officers of State
Bishops of the Church of England
Selected members of the armed forces of the Commonwealth
Heralds of the College of Arms and the Lyon Court
Peers of the Realm
Faith representatives
Arrests See below
Website coronation.gov.uk Edit this at Wikidata
The
coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of
the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, took place on 6
May 2023 at Westminster Abbey. Charles acceded to the throne on 8
September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II.
The
ceremony was structured around an Anglican service of Holy Communion. It
included Charles taking an oath, being anointed with holy oil, and
receiving the coronation regalia, emphasising his spiritual role and
secular responsibilities.[a] Representatives of the Church of England
and the British royal family declared their allegiance to him, and
people throughout the Commonwealth realms were invited to do so. Camilla
was crowned in a shorter and simpler ceremony. After the service,
members of the royal family travelled to Buckingham Palace in a state
procession and appeared on the palace's rear and front balconies. The
service was altered from past British coronations to represent multiple
faiths, cultures, and communities across the United Kingdom; it was
shorter than Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, and had a peak UK
television audience of 20.4 million.
The coronation elicited both
celebrations and protests in the United Kingdom, with surveys carried
out in April 2023 suggesting that the British public was ambivalent
towards the event and its funding. Celebrations included street parties,
volunteering, special commemorative church services, and a concert at
Windsor Castle on 7 May. The events in London and Windsor drew large
crowds, but were also protested against by republican groups. There were
52 people arrested on suspicion of offences related to protesting,
drawing criticism from Human Rights Watch. The response in the other
Commonwealth realms was similarly mixed; while there were many
celebrations, some governments and indigenous groups took the
opportunity to voice republican sentiments and call for reparatory
justice.
Charles and Camilla's coronation was the first of a
British monarch in the 21st century and the 40th to be held at
Westminster Abbey since the coronation of William the Conqueror in
1066.[1][b] Unofficial estimates for the event's cost range from £50
million to £250 million.
Preparation
Background
Charles III
became king immediately upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, at
15:10 BST on Thursday 8 September 2022. He was proclaimed king by the
Accession Council of the United Kingdom on Saturday 10 September,[3]
which was followed by proclamations in other Commonwealth realms.[4]
During Elizabeth's reign, planning meetings for Charles's coronation,
codenamed "Operation Golden Orb", were held at least once a year,
attended by representatives of the government, the Church of England,
and Charles's staff.[5][6][7]
Service and procession
Order of service for the coronation
The
organisation of the coronation was the responsibility of the earl
marshal, the Duke of Norfolk.[8] A committee of privy counsellors
arranged the event.[9][7] On 11 October 2022, the date of the coronation
was announced as 6 May 2023, a choice made to ensure sufficient time to
mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II before holding the
ceremony.[10][7]
A Coronation Claims Office was established
within the Cabinet Office to handle claims to perform a historic or
ceremonial role at the coronation, replacing the Court of Claims.[11]
The posts of lord high steward and lord high constable of England, which
are now only named for coronations, were given to General Sir Gordon
Messenger and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, respectively.[12]
The
holy anointing oil used in the service was consecrated at the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre on 6 March 2023 by Patriarch Theophilos III of
Jerusalem, under the supervision of Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop
of Jerusalem. It was based on the same formula as the oil used in the
coronation of Elizabeth II, but without animal products such as
civet.[13][14][15]
Military dress rehearsals took place on 17,
18, and 19 April.[16][17] On 3 May, Charles and Camilla, William, Prince
of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, their children, and Anne,
Princess Royal, attended coronation rehearsals at Westminster Abbey.[18]
Westminster
Abbey was closed to tourists and worshippers from 25 April for
preparations, and would not re-open until 8 May.[19] As at previous
coronations, many attendees had an obscured view, as the abbey's nave
was filled to capacity.[20]
Guests
Main article: List of guests at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla
Countries that sent representatives
The
coronation was a state event funded by the British government, which
also decided the guest list.[21] Approximately 2,200 guests from 203
countries were invited.[22] They included members of the British royal
family, representatives from the Church of England and other British
faith communities, prominent politicians from the United Kingdom and the
Commonwealth, and foreign heads of state.[23]
The number of
British political attendees was reduced significantly from 1953, when
virtually the entire Parliament of the United Kingdom attended.[24]
Invitations were extended to 850 community and charity representatives,
including 450 British Empire Medal recipients and 400 young people, half
of whom were nominated by the British government.[25] Following a
tradition dating from 1189, fourteen barons of the Cinque Ports were
also invited.[26] Safety regulations at Westminster Abbey restricted the
number of guests, as in contrast to earlier coronations no temporary
stands were erected in the building.[27]
Charles meeting foreign dignitaries invited to the coronation during a reception prior the ceremony
In
addition to the coronation, several dignitaries invited to the event
also attended related gatherings hosted by Charles on 5 May in London.
Several receptions were hosted by Charles on that day, including one for
dignitaries from the Commonwealth realms at Buckingham Palace, and
another reception at Marlborough House for all the leaders of the
Commonwealth of Nations.[28][29] In the evening, the King hosted a
reception for foreign royalty and other overseas dignitaries at
Buckingham Palace,[30] and family members and guests also attended a
reception at Oswald's.[31]
Vestments and crowns
In a break
with tradition, Charles's coronation vestments (ceremonial clothes) were
largely reused from previous coronations instead of being newly
made.[32][33] While it is customary for the supertunica and robe royal
to be reused, Charles also wore vestments first used by George IV,
George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. Camilla similarly reused
vestments, including Elizabeth II's robe of state, but also wore a new
robe of estate featuring her cypher, bees, a beetle, and various plants
and flowers.[33] She also wore a new coronation gown, created by Bruce
Oldfield and embroidered with wildflowers, the United Kingdom's floral
emblems, her cypher, a pair of dogs, and her grandchildren's
names.[34][35]
St Edward's Crown, which was used to crown the
King, was removed from the Tower of London in December 2022 for
resizing.[36][21] In February 2023 Queen Mary's Crown, which was used to
crown Camilla, was also removed from display to be reset with Cullinan
III, IV and V and for four of its eight detachable arches to be
removed.[37] The Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was not used,
to avoid a potential diplomatic dispute with India; the crown contains
the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is claimed by India.[38]
The dress
code for peers without a role in the ceremony was originally business
suits or parliamentary robes, rather than the coronets, coronation
robes, and court dress traditionally worn.[39][20] This was changed in
the week before the coronation after protests, with peers allowed to
wear coronation robes but not coronets.[40] The general dress code for
men was morning dress, a lounge suit or national dress.[41]
Art
Invitation to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
The
official photographer of the coronation was Hugo Burnand, who had
previously been the official photographer for Charles and Camilla's
wedding in 2005.[42] Eileen Hogan was selected to paint the coronation
ceremony, and Peter Kuhfeld and Paul Benney to paint the coronation
portraits of Charles and Camilla respectively.[43] Three alumni of The
Royal Drawing School, Fraser Scarfe, Phoebe Stannard and Gideon
Summerfield, were picked to document the procession.[44]
The United Kingdom coronation emblem
Andrew
Jamieson was commissioned to create the coronation invitation, which
featured the couple's coats of arms, the floral emblems of the United
Kingdom, and a Green Man amid other British wildflowers and
wildlife.[45][46] The coronation emblem was designed by Jony Ive with
his creative collective LoveFrom, and depicts the floral emblems of the
United Kingdom in the shape of St Edward's Crown.[47][48] There are
versions of the emblem in both English and Welsh.[49]
The
procession into the abbey was led by the Cross of Wales, a new
processional cross commissioned by Charles to mark the centenary of the
Church in Wales. It includes relics of the True Cross gifted to the King
by Pope Francis.[50] The screen which concealed the King during his
anointing was designed by iconographer Aidan Hart and embroidered by the
Royal School of Needlework. It includes 56 leaves embroidered with the
names of the members of the Commonwealth of Nations.[51][52]
The
Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Simon Armitage, released a new
poem, An Unexpected Guest, to mark the coronation. The poem follows a
woman invited to attend the coronation in Westminster Abbey, and quotes
Samuel Pepys' experience at the coronation of Charles II in
1661.[53][54][55]
Music
Twelve new pieces were commissioned
for the service and used alongside older works, including several used
at previous coronations.[56][57]
Six of the new commissions were
performed by the orchestra before the service — those by Judith Weir;
Sir Karl Jenkins; a vocal piece by Sarah Class performed by Pretty
Yende; Nigel Hess, Roderick Williams, and Shirley J. Thompson; Iain
Farrington; and a new march by Patrick Doyle.[58] New compositions by
Roxanna Panufnik, Tarik O'Regan, and Andrew Lloyd Webber were part of
the service, and Debbie Wiseman composed two related pieces, one of
which was performed by the Ascension Choir.[58][59] Existing works by
William Byrd, George Frideric Handel, Edward Elgar, Walford Davies,
William Walton, Hubert Parry, and Ralph Vaughan Williams were included,
as they had been at previous coronations.[59] Six pieces were performed
in new arrangements by John Rutter.[60]
In tribute to the King's
64-year tenure as Prince of Wales the Kyrie was set in Welsh by Paul
Mealor and was sung by Sir Bryn Terfel.[58] A Greek Orthodox chant was
included in the service in tribute to the King's father, Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh.[56]
The director of music for the coronation
was Andrew Nethsingha, the organist and master of the choristers at the
abbey.[59] Before the service John Eliot Gardiner conducted the
Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists.[56][59] The main choir
was a combination of the choirs of Westminster Abbey, the Chapel Royal,
the Monteverdi Choir, and girl choristers from Methodist College Belfast
and Truro Cathedral.[59][58][61] The orchestra players were drawn from
the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National
Orchestra of Wales, Regina Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber
Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra and
Welsh National Opera Orchestra, which are all patronised by
Charles.[59][58] The orchestra, situated in the organ loft,[62] was
conducted by Antonio Pappano and led by Vasko Vasilev.[58] The State
Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry and the Fanfare Trumpeters of the
Royal Air Force played the fanfares.[59]
Percussionists of the Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry during the procession to Buckingham Palace
All
eight of the massed bands in the coronation procession played the same
music, keeping time with each other with the help of a radio broadcast
click track – the first time such technology has been used on such a
large-scale ceremonial event; previously bands would march to different
pieces of music starting at different times. The tempo set was 108 beats
per minute, slowed down from the regulation 116 beats per minute
because of the size of the bands.[63]
An official coronation
album, which includes all music and spoken word from the pre-service and
service was recorded and released by Decca Records after the
ceremony.[64]
List of music played at the coronation service
Cost
As
a state event, the event was paid for by the British government as well
as Buckingham Palace through the Sovereign Grant and Privy Purse. The
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated that it
was "unable to give costs, or a breakdown of funding" until after the
coronation, but unofficial estimates of £50 million to £250 million have
been reported.[69][70][71][72]
The cost of the coronation was
criticised by the campaign group Republic and the Scottish National
Party MP Ronnie Cowan in light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis in
the United Kingdom. In comparison, Elizabeth II's coronation cost
£912,000 in 1953, equating to £20.5m in May 2023, while George VI's cost
£454,000 in 1937, equating to £24.8m in May 2023. George VI's
coronation prior to the coronation of Charles III and Camilla was the
most expensive in the last 300 years.[73] The elevated expenses for
Charles and Camilla's coronation has been partly attributed to the
increased cost for security measures.[74][75]
Coronation service
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach carrying Charles and Camilla outside Buckingham Palace
The
events of the coronation day included a procession from Buckingham
Palace to Westminster Abbey, the coronation service itself, a procession
back to Buckingham Palace, and an appearance by the King and Queen,
with other members of the royal family, on the palace balcony for a
flypast by the Royal Air Force.[76]
The coronation was conducted
by the Church of England and contained several distinct elements, which
were structured around a service of Holy Communion.[77] Charles and
Camilla first proceeded into the abbey, then Charles was presented to
the people and recognised as monarch. After this Charles took an oath
stating that he will uphold the law and maintain the Church of England.
He then was anointed with holy oil, invested with the coronation
regalia, and crowned with St Edward's Crown. After this he was enthroned
and received homage from Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and
William, Prince of Wales, and the people were invited to swear
allegiance. Camilla then was anointed, crowned, and enthroned. The King
and Queen ended the service by taking Holy Communion, and processed out
of the abbey.[78]
Procession to the abbey
On the day of the
coronation Charles and Camilla travelled to Westminster Abbey in
procession.[79][80] They departed Buckingham Palace at 10:20 BST and
went along The Mall, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street, and
around the east and south sides of Parliament Square before reaching the
Great West Door of Westminster Abbey, a distance of 1.42 miles (2.29
km).[79][81] Charles and Camilla used the Diamond Jubilee State Coach,
drawn by six Windsor Greys, and were accompanied by the Sovereign's
Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.[79][82]
Procession into the abbey
Flag bearers and leaders from the Commonwealth realms prior to their procession into the abbey
The
procession into the abbey was led by leaders and representatives from
non-Christian religions, including the Baháʼí, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain,
Jewish, Shia and Sunni Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian
communities.[12][83] They were followed by leaders from different
Christian denominations, including the Church of England. After this the
flags of the Commonwealth realms were carried by representatives,
accompanied by their governors general and prime ministers. The choir
followed.[12][83][81]
Charles and Camilla arrived shortly before
11:00 and formed their own procession. It was led by four peers[c]
carrying heraldic standards displaying the arms of England, Northern
Ireland, Scotland, and Wales,[12][83] followed by the King's champion,
Francis Dymoke, carrying the royal standard.[12] The Lord High Constable
of England and the Earl Marshal also took part.[12] Charles and Camilla
were each attended by four pages of honour, including Prince George of
Wales and Camilla's grandsons.[d][84] Camilla was also accompanied by
two ladies in attendance: Annabel Elliot, her sister, and the
Marchioness of Lansdowne.[85] Unexpectedly the Prince and Princess of
Wales and their two younger children arrived at the Abbey after the
King, "whose horses went a lot faster than they had in the practice",
and joined the procession after their majesties. [86][87] The choir sang
Hubert Parry's "I was glad", during which the King's Scholars of
Westminster School sang "Vivat Regina Camilla" and "Vivat Rex Carolus"
('Long live Queen Camilla' and 'Long live King Charles').[83][88]
After
this the coronation regalia was processed to the altar.[12][89] At
Charles's request, the sixth-century St Augustine Gospels was also
carried in the procession.[90]
Bearers and presenters of regalia
Recognition
The
Coronation Chair, which housed the Stone of Scone, was used by Charles
during the ceremony. For this coronation, the chair was fitted with a
new seat cushion and armrests.
The service, conducted by the
Archbishop of Canterbury, began with the King and Queen having a silent
moment of prayer before seating themselves on their chairs of estate,
made for the 1953 coronation.[83][93][94] In a new element of the
service, the king was welcomed by one of the Children of the Chapel, to
which he replied that he came "not to be served but to serve".[95] Paul
Mealor's "Coronation Kyrie" was sung in Welsh by Sir Bryn Terfel. After
this the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lady Elish Angiolini, Christopher
Finney, and Baroness Amos stood facing east, south, west, and north and
in turn asked the congregation to recognise Charles as king; the crowd
replied "God save King Charles!" each time.[83][81] Charles was then
presented with a new Bible by the Moderator of the General Assembly of
the Church of Scotland.[83]
Oath and accession declaration
The
Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledged the existence of multiple faiths
and beliefs in the United Kingdom.[81] Charles then took the coronation
oath, in which he swore to govern each of his countries according to
their respective laws and customs, to administer law and justice with
mercy, and to uphold Protestantism in the United Kingdom and protect the
Church of England. Subsequently, he made the statutory accession
declaration.[83] Charles then signed a written form of the oath, before
kneeling before the altar and saying a prayer.[83]
The service of
Holy Communion then continued. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered
the collect, and the epistle and gospel were read by the prime minister,
Rishi Sunak, and the bishop of London, Sarah Mullally,
respectively.[83] This was followed by a sermon by the Archbishop of
Canterbury.[83]
Anointing
Charles removed his robe of state
and was seated on the Coronation Chair.[96][97] He then was anointed
with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, using the ampulla and a
medieval spoon, the latter the oldest part of the coronation regalia.
The anointing emphasised the spiritual role of the sovereign. It was a
private part of the service; as in 1953 it was not televised, and
Charles was concealed by a screen. During this the choir sang the anthem
Zadok the Priest.[98]
Investment and crowning
St Edward's Crown, the Orb, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove, and the Sovereign's Ring
In
the next part of the service, Charles was presented with several items
from the coronation regalia. The spurs, armills, Sword of State, and
Sword of Offering were given to the King, who touched them with his
hand, before they were removed again.[83] During this, Psalm 71 was
chanted in Greek by an Orthodox choir in tribute of the King's father,
Prince Philip, who was born a prince of Greece.[83] The King was
invested with the stole royal, robe royal, and the sovereign's orb, and
presented with the sovereign's ring, which he touched but did not wear.
He was then invested with the glove, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross,
and the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove.[83][89]
Army gun salute at Stirling Castle the moment Charles is crowned
The
King then was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the
Archbishop and then the congregation chanting, "God save the King!".[83]
At the moment of crowning the church bells of the abbey rang, 21-gun
salutes were fired at 13 locations around the United Kingdom and on
deployed Royal Navy ships, and 62-gun salutes and a six-gun salvo were
fired from the Tower of London and Horse Guards Parade.[99]
Charles
then received a blessing read by the Archbishop of York, the Archbishop
of Thyateira and Great Britain, the Moderator of the Free Churches, the
Secretary General of Churches Together in England, the Cardinal
Archbishop of Westminster, and the Archbishop of Canterbury,
representing the Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Nonconformist, ecumenical,
and Roman Catholic traditions respectively.[83]
Enthronement and homage
Charles
moved to the throne (originally made for George VI in 1937) and the
Archbishop of Canterbury and William, Prince of Wales, offered him their
fealty.[94][83] The Archbishop of Canterbury then invited the people of
the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms to swear
allegiance to the King, the first time this has occurred.[83][100]
Coronation of the Queen
Queen Mary's Crown (here depicted in its original form) was used to crown Queen Camilla
The
next part of the service concerned Camilla. She was anointed in public
view, thought to be the first time this has occurred, and then presented
with the Queen Consort's Ring.[83][101] The Queen then was crowned by
the Archbishop of Canterbury using Queen Mary's Crown.[83] Camilla then
was presented with the Queen Consort's Sceptre with Cross and the Queen
Consort's Rod with Dove (which, unlike other queens consort, she chose
not to carry), before sitting on her own throne (originally made for
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1937) beside the King.[83][89][94]
This was the first coronation of a consort since that of Charles's grandmother Queen Elizabeth in 1937.[7]
Holy Communion
The
offertory followed, during which gifts of bread and wine were brought
before the King and prayed over; the prayer was a translation from the
Liber Regalis, which dates from c. 1382 and is one of the oldest sources
for the English coronation service.[83] Charles and Camilla then
received Holy Communion from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
congregation recited the Lord's Prayer, before a final blessing.[83]
End of the service
At
the end of the service the King changed into the Imperial State
Crown.[102] Charles and Camilla then proceeded to the west door of the
abbey as the national anthem, "God Save the King", was sung. At the end
of the procession the King received a greeting by leaders and
representatives from the Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, and Buddhist
faiths.[83]
State procession to Buckingham Palace
The King and Queen returning from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach
The
second procession followed the same route as the first, but in reverse
and on a larger scale. The King and Queen were carried in the Gold State
Coach, drawn by eight Windsor Grey horses, with other members of the
royal family in other vehicles.[79]
The armed forces of the
United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the British Overseas Territories
played a significant part. Over 5,000 members of the British Armed
Forces and 400 Armed Forces personnel from at least 35 other
Commonwealth countries were part of the two processions, and 1,000 lined
the route.[99] The Sovereign's Bodyguard, the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, and Royal Watermen also took part in the procession, and the
Royal British Legion formed a Guard of Honour of 100 Standard Bearers in
Parliament Square.[79][103] The Princess Royal and the Commander of the
Household Cavalry served as the Gold Stick-in-Waiting and Silver
Stick-in-Waiting, respectively.[104]
The King and Queen and other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
At
Buckingham Palace, the King and Queen stood on the rear balcony and
received a royal salute and three cheers from the armed forces, who were
massed in the palace garden, then joined other members of the royal
family on the front balcony to review a flypast by helicopters and the
Red Arrows aerobatic team. A six-minute flypast of 68 aircraft was
planned, but prevented by rain and low cloud.[105][e]
A
grandstand was built in front of Buckingham Palace from which to watch
the procession and flypast, with 3,800 seats offered to Armed Forces
veterans, NHS and social care workers, and representatives of charities
with links to the King and Queen.[107] In addition, 354 uniformed cadet
forces viewed the procession at Admiralty Arch.[107]
Public events and commemorations
United Kingdom
A Coronation Big Lunch held in London
The Coronation Concert, with drones in formation overhead
In April 2023, Buckingham Palace revealed a new hashflag emoji depicting St Edward's Crown for use on Twitter.[108]
On
2 May, the King and Queen attended a celebratory pre-coronation
reception at Westminster Hall.[109] They are due to host coronation
garden parties at Buckingham Palace on 3 and 9 May and at the Palace of
Holyroodhouse on 4 July.[110][111] On 5 May, Charles, together with the
Prince and Princess of Wales, greeted crowds at The Mall during a
walkabout.[28]
Between 6–8 May people in Britain held "Coronation
Big Lunch" street parties.[93] More than 3,000 parties were planned,
with English councils having approved the closure of 3,087 roads. Most
street parties were scheduled for Sunday, 7 May.[112] Coronation quiche
was chosen by Charles and Camilla as the official dish of the Coronation
Big Lunch.[113] Pubs also remained open until 01:00 on the coronation
weekend.[114]
The Coronation Concert was planned for 7 May on
Windsor Castle's east lawn.[93][80] In addition to performances by
singers, musicians, and stage and screen actors, the show also featured a
"Coronation Choir" composed of community choirs and amateur
singers.[80][93][115] During the concert, landmarks, areas of natural
beauty, and street parties were featured.[116] 5,000 pairs of free
tickets were distributed by public ballot, and volunteers from the King
and Queen's charities were also invited.[93][117] Several musical
performers reportedly turned down the palace's invitation to perform
citing scheduling conflicts.[118]
Staff from the British Embassy in
Washington D.C. volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank on 8 May as a
part of the Big Help Out initiative
A public holiday was declared
on 8 May to commemorate the coronation.[119] On the same day, the
Together Coalition, in partnership with The Scout Association, the Royal
Voluntary Service, and various faith groups, organised the Big Help Out
initiative to encourage volunteering and community service.[93][80] An
estimated 6 million took part in the initiative.[120] The Royal
Voluntary Service, of which Camilla is president, also launched the
Coronation Champions Awards, which recognised 500 volunteers nominated
by the public.[121][122] The National Literacy Trust, of which Camilla
is patron, announced the opening of 50 special primary school libraries
to mark the coronation.[123]
Ecclesiastical initiatives
Twenty-eight
days prior to the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, the Church of
England established a period of prayer for them, and to this end,
published a Book of Daily Prayers that included "daily themes,
reflections and prayers for use by individuals, churches or
groups".[124][125][126]
Congregations of the Church of England held special commemorative services throughout the country on 6–7 May 2023.[127]
Government initiatives
The
government of the United Kingdom issued coronation medals to 400,000
individuals, including those involved in supporting the coronation,
front line emergency and prison services workers, and members of the
British Armed Forces. The medals are made of nickel silver and plated in
nickel and feature an effigy of the King and Queen, on a red, white and
blue ribbon.[128]
A crowned roundel for Green Park tube station
The
Transport for London announced several initiatives. The roundels used
by the London Underground, the Overground, and the Elizabeth line were
redesigned to include a crown for the coronation.[129] Voice
announcement were also replaced by announcements recorded by the King
and Queen on 5 May, and were used on railway station and all Underground
stations throughout the coronation weekend and bank holiday on
Monday.[130] The London North Eastern Railway also named its daily 11:00
passenger train from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley the
Carolean Express, starting on 6 May.[131]
Natural England will
mark the coronation with the creation of the King's Series of National
Nature Reserves, which will see five major national nature reserves
named every year for the next five years.[132][133]
Memorabilia
The
Royal Mint released a new collection of coins, including 50p and £5
coin depicting the King wearing the Tudor Crown.[134] Royal Mail issued
four stamps to mark the King's coronation, as it did for the coronations
of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. The company will also apply a
special postmark from 28 April to 10 May.[135]
Signage for a store advertising the sale of coronation memorabilia in Weymouth
The
Royal Collection Trust released official coronation memorabilia to mark
the occasion.[136][137] In February 2023, Buckingham Palace announced
it would temporarily relax the "rules governing the commercial use of
royal photographs and official insignia" to allow other groups to
produce coronation memorabilia.[138]
Companies that have produced
coronation memorabilia include Emma Bridgewater, Jan Constantine,
Merrythought, and Royal Crown Derby.[136][139] Greene King produced a
special brew to mark the coronation and auctioned several unopened
crates of a special brew created for the cancelled coronation of Edward
VIII in 1937, with proceeds from the auction going to The Prince's
Trust.[139]
Crown Dependencies
A public holiday was declared
on 8 May in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Jersey.[140][141][142] As in
the United Kingdom, Big Help Outs will also be organised in all three
Crown Dependencies on the day of the holiday.[80][143][144]
The
states of Guernsey planned events to celebrate the coronation from 5 to 8
May. A vigil was held on 5 May at Forest Methodist Church to reflect on
the coronation's spiritual element. On 6 May, bells rang from Town
Church, Vale, Forest, and St Pierre du Bois. A live broadcast of the
coronation service was played on a large screen at the King George V
Sports Ground (KGV), followed by a military parade from Fort George to
the Model Yacht Pond. A 21-gun salute was fired at noon from Castle
Cornet as part of the national salute. On 7 May, a Coronation Big Lunch
was held at Saint Peter Port seafront, along with a service of
thanksgiving at the Town Church. That evening the Coronation Concert was
planned to be screened live at the KGV playing fields, and buildings
including Castle Cornet and Fort Grey were illuminated in red, white,
and blue in the evening.[145]
In Jersey, on 6 May, Coronation
Park hosted a large-screen broadcast of the coronation, musical
entertainment, and activities. Licensed establishments were encouraged
to open ahead of the ceremony's broadcast, and seventh category licensed
establishments could apply for special extensions to stay open until 3
am on 7 May. On 7 May, the Coronation Big Lunch took place in Liberation
Square, where a public screening of the coronation concert was also
held.[143][146]
A crowd in the Isle of Man watches the coronation
The
Isle of Man government organised three days of festivities from 6 to 8
May. A Coronation Event Fund was established to assist local
authorities, community groups, and charities help finance celebrations.
On 7 May, a Biosphere Bee Community Picnic took place, and the
Legislative Buildings in Douglas was also lit up.[144][147] A collection
of 12 Isle of Man stamps featuring photos of Charles and Camilla,
portraits of the King, and the royal cypher were also released in April
2023.[148]
British Overseas Territories
A public holiday was declared in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Gibraltar on 8 May.[119][149]
Several
events were planned in Bermuda. On 6 May, commemorative tree planting
and the opening of a Coronation Garden, designed to reflect Prince
Charles's work in support of the environment and sustainable farming,
took place at Bermuda Botanical Gardens. On 7 May, a service of
thanksgiving was held at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, and on 8
May the Children's Reading Festival took place to recognise Camilla's
commitment to literacy, particularly for young people.[150][151]
Celebrations
in the Falkland Islands included a children's fancy dress party, a live
music and karaoke event for young adults, as well as the Big Lunch and
the Big Help Out.[152]
In Gibraltar, festivities took place on 3
May, including a parade of British Forces Gibraltar and essential
services, garden and street parties, concerts, and a 21-gun salute
performed by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.[153][154] A live screening of
the event also took place at Grand Casemates Square.[153]
Canada
Emblem and commemorative items
The Canadian coronation emblem
A
Canadian coronation emblem was created by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Fraser
Herald of Arms, and registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority. It
includes Charles III's royal cypher inside a ring of 13 triangular
shapes, the