King Charles and Queen Camilla's Coronation Oil Consecrated in Jerusalem as Countdown Continues

Janine Henni
·3 min read
69
King Charles and Queen Camilla's Coronation Oil Consecrated in Jerusalem as Countdown Continues
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla's coronation oil has been consecrated in Jerusalem.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that the Chrism oil that will be used to anoint the King, 74, and Queen Consort, 75, on May 6 was consecrated this morning at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The official oil was made with olives harvested from local groves including on the Mount of Olives, at the Monastery of the Ascension and the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, where King Charles' grandmother, Prince Philip's mother Princess Alice, is buried. The olives were pressed near Bethlehem, and the oil was perfumed with scents of sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom.

Charles and Camilla's Chrism oil is inspired by the one used to anoint Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953, from a formula used for centuries.

2nd June 1953: The canopy is placed over the Queen for the anointing ceremony during her coronation.
2nd June 1953: The canopy is placed over the Queen for the anointing ceremony during her coronation.

Keystone/Getty Images

RELATED: Charles and Camilla Announce the Destination of Their First Royal Tour as King and Queen

Like Queen Elizabeth before them, Charles and Camilla will be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury during their crowning ceremony on May 6. In a statement, Justin Welby, the current Archbishop of Canterbury, thanked the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum, for blessing the oil, and pointed to the royal family's connection to the area.

Princess Alice and her family fled Greece in 1922 amid a military uprising, and she became deeply religious a few years after the monarchy dissolved. She converted to the Greek Orthodox Church, helped save a Jewish family during the Holocaust and founded a nursing order of nuns in 1949. Before her death, Princess Alice asked to be buried in Jerusalem, and she was inducted into Righteous Among the Nations in 1993.

"I am honoured and grateful that His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III and Archbishop Hosam Naoum have consecrated the oil that will be used to anoint His Majesty The King. I want to thank especially His Beatitude for providing this Coronation Oil, which reflects The King's personal family connection with the Holy Land and his great care for its peoples," Welby said. "I am also delighted that the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem shared in the consecration of the oil."

Kind Charles III's Coronation Oil I
Kind Charles III's Coronation Oil I

Patriarchate of Jerusalem/Buckingham Palace via Getty

RELATED: King Charles III's Coronation: Everything to Know About the Ceremony and Celebration

"Since beginning the planning for the Coronation, my desire has been for a new Coronation Oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land," he continued. "From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place. As we prepare to anoint The King and The Queen Consort, I pray that they would be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit."

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall sit during State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster on May 18, 2016 in London, England. The State Opening of Parliament is the formal start of the parliamentary year. This year's Queen's Speech, setting out the government's agenda for the coming session, is expected to outline policy on prison reform, tuition fee rises and reveal the potential site of a UK spaceport.

Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty

According to the Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, the Bible states that Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives. Today, the site is considered sacred by many faiths.

One month after Queen Elizabeth's death in September, Buckingham Palace announced that the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla would take place on the first Saturday in May — an earlier date than speculated.

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.

Chris Jackson/Getty King Charles and Queen Camilla

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

"Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the Coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023. The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury," courtiers confirmed.

"The Ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort. The Coronation will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry," they added.

With just two months to go until the crowning ceremony, the palace has increasingly released details about the big day, from the crowns that the royal couple will wear to the music that will play.