President Joe Biden Followed Tradition by Skipping King Charles III's Coronation

President Joe Biden didn't snub King Charles III by deciding to skip the coronation of the newest British monarch—he was simply following protocol.

No sitting U.S. president has ever attended a coronation of a British monarch. Like his predecessors before him, Biden decided to follow tradition and simply pass on the invitation to someone else who could represent him amongst the congregation at Westminster Abbey. In his stead, he tapped his wife, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, to attend the momentous occasion on his behalf.

The last time a British monarch invited an American president to their coronation was when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne. President Dwight Eisenhower sent a delegation to the ceremony instead.

Buckingham Palace previously announced that the coronation service would "reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."

The historic occasion—which marks the first British coronation in 70 years, with the last occurring for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953—will be extended with other related events throughout the weekend, including a Coronation Concert, a community event called the Big Lunch, and a volunteering event dubbed the Big Help Out.

The palace notes, "The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort will be marked with events across the country and a concert at Windsor Castle. Their Majesties want to encourage people to spend the Coronation Weekend celebrating with friends, families and their communities."

The ceremony was intentionally designed to weave in the king's lifelong passion for the environment, with several decisions being made in the interest of sustainability. This includes the king and queen consort's reuse of their throne chairs and crowns, the invitations being printed on recycled paper, and thoughtfully crafted floral arrangements.

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