Emperor Naruhito's Enthronement Ceremony Puts a Spotlight on the Next Generation of Royals
On Tuesday, when Japan's Emperor Naruhito publicly proclaims his enthronement, he will do so in a centuries-old ceremony at the Imperial Palace, in front of an audience of dignitaries from nearly 200 countries. Among that group of world leaders will be representatives from monarchies in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, a group that represents a new generation of royals.
Many of those who are expected to attend have either recently ascended to the throne themselves, or are heirs patiently waiting in the wings, and will likely have their own coronation ceremonies in the next few decades.
The generational divide becomes clear when comparing the guest lists of this week's event, and that of Naruhito's father's enthronement ceremony 30 years ago.
Yes, Prince Charles attended Emperor Akihito's ceremony alongside Princess Diana in 1990, and he will be there on Tuesday as a representative of the U.K. But Bhutan's Queen Jetsun, who will also reportedly be in attendance this week, was just a few months old when Akihito declared his succession to the throne.
And for several other attendees (like Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg), it was their parents who made the trip to Japan three decades ago. With that in mind, here are the royals who are expected to attend Naruhito's Enthronement:
King Philippe & Queen Mathilde of Belgium
King Jigme & Queen Jetsun of Bhutan
Crown Prince Frederik & Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
King Abdullah of Jordan
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
King Willem-Alexander & Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
Crown Prince Hakkon of Norway
King Felipe & Queen Letizia of Spain
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
Prince Charles of the United Kingdom
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