Everything You Need to Know About the Coronation of King Charles
The coronation of King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort is exactly one month away. "The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry," Buckingham Palace said in a statement earlier this year.
What are those longstanding traditions? What pageantry can we expect? As we gear up for the historic event, here's T&C's comprehensive guide of everything you need to know about King Charles's coronation.
What even is a coronation?
A coronation is defined, simply, as "the act or occasion of crowning." It's a symbolic religious ceremony when the crown is physically placed on the monarch's head. In the United Kingdom, the BBC notes, the coronation formalizes "the monarch's role as the head of the Church of England and marks the transfer of their title and powers."
So even though King Charles III acceded to the throne immediately upon the passing of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, this will be the official moment he is crowned king.
When is the coronation?
The coronation of King Charles and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort, will take place on May 6, 2023.
What time is the coronation?
The Palace has yet to confirm what time specifically the service will begin, but Queen Elizabeth's coronation began at 11:15 a.m local time (6:15 a.m. eastern time, 3:15 a.m. pacific time). We can expect the service to begin around then.
Where will the coronation happen?
The coronation service will take place at Westminster Abbey.
Ahead of the service, Charles and Camilla will process from Buckingham Palace. The route has yet to be specified. After the coronation ceremony, the King and the Queen Consort will return to Buckingham Palace in a bigger procession, accompanied by other royals. Following, they will appear on the balcony.
What happens during the service?
The service is conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and there are six key elements that will definitely take place:
The recognition: At the start of the service, King Charles will stand beside the Coronation Chair as the Archbishop of Canterbury presents him to the congregants. The congregation will shout "God Save the King!" (The Coronation Chair is an oak chair that is "extremely fragile," as it is 700 years old.)
The oath: King Charles will swear to uphold the Church of England and the law.
The anointing: King Charles will remove his ceremonial robe, and sit in the Coronation Chair, and then the Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint him with holy oil. The Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem consecrated the oil at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre earlier this year. At Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, the anointing was not filmed.
The investiture: King Charles will be presented with two sceptres and an Orb. One sceptre, The Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove, represents his spiritual role, and the other, The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, represents his temporal power and good governance. The orb represents "religious and moral authority." A coronation ring will also be placed on Charles's right hand.
The enthronement / the crowning: After being presented with these items, the Archbishop places St. Edwards's Crown on King Charles's head.
The homage: Historically, royal blood princes, the Archbishop, and other senior peers kneel to pay homage and swear allegiance to the monarch. It's unclear what this will look like at King Charles's coronation.
After Charles is crowned and receives homage, Camilla will also be anointed and crowned as Queen Consort.
What crown will King Charles wear?
King Charles will be crowned with the St Edward's Crown from the 17th century. The crown weighs nearly 5 pounds, and it has a solid gold frame and 444 stones.
"The crown was commissioned from the Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner, in 1661," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "Although it is not an exact replica of the medieval design, it follows the original in having four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, and two arches. It is made up of a solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines."
Will Queen Camilla wear a crown?
Yes, she will wear an edited version of Queen Mary's 1911 coronation crown. Read more here:
Will Kate Middleton wear a tiara?
It's unclear whether or not King Charles's daughter-in-law, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, will wear a tiara to the event—but here are all the potential tiaras she could wear to the coronation.
Who will be in attendance?
The Abbey will likely be at full capacity, so we can expect around 2,000 guests. In addition to the British royal family, we can expect Camilla's family, including her children, grandchildren, and other close family members. Foreign royals are also expected to be in attendance, as are representatives from the Commonwealth and charities that Charles and Camilla support.
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend?
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex were invited, but it's as yet uncertain whether or not they will attend. In early March, a spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed to Town & Country that "the Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."
Who pays for the coronation?
The UK government will pay for the coronation, as it is a state occasion. Per the BBC, "While it is likely to come under pressure to show sensitivity during the current cost-of-living crisis, the government is expected to use the ceremony as an important diplomatic opportunity to present the UK to the world."
Where can I watch the coronation?
The ceremony will likely be livestreamed, though we do not have details of what channels will air it yet.
We'll be updating this post regularly as we near the coronation, so check back for more details!
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