Buckingham Palace has officially announced the upcoming Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which will take place on Saturday, 06 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London. The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the grand event, which will witness King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla officially crowned in a historic and elegant ceremony.
The coronation of a monarch is a symbolic religious ceremony that formally recognises the transfer of title and powers from the previous monarch. It is a celebration unique to the British monarchy and is the only remaining event of its type in Europe. The King’s coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime event full of rich traditions and customs, which have remained much the same for over a thousand years.
The ceremony will be shorter and smaller than Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation and include a wider range of religions. The King and Queen Consort will travel to Westminster Abbey in the King’s procession and return to Buckingham Palace in a larger coronation procession, where other members of the Royal Family will join them.
The coronation has several stages, including the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture, and the enthronement and homage. The King will be presented to the guests by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who shout, “God Save the King!” to the sound of trumpets. The King will then swear to uphold the law and the Church of England. The ceremonial robe will be removed, and the King will sit in the Coronation Chair, where he will be anointed with holy oil made from a secret recipe containing ingredients such as ambergris, orange flowers, roses, jasmine, and cinnamon.
After the anointing, the King will be presented with items such as the Royal Orb, representing religious and moral authority; the Sceptre, representing power; and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, a rod of gold topped with a white enamelled dove, symbolising justice and mercy. Finally, the Archbishop will place St. Edward’s Crown on the King’s head, completing the investiture. The King will then leave the Coronation Chair and move to the throne, where peers will kneel before him to pay homage. Queen Consort Camilla will then be anointed and crowned in the same manner.
In addition to the Royal Family, the British prime minister, representatives from the Houses of Parliament, heads of state, and other royalty from around the world will attend the event. More than 8,000 guests attended Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and it seems likely that the maximum number of guests this time will be 2,200, which is the standard capacity of Westminster Abbey.
The Coronation of King Charles III is a once-in-a-lifetime event steeped in rich history and tradition. It is a grand celebration of the British monarchy that marks a new chapter in the kingdom’s history and is a testament to the enduring power and resilience of the monarchy. Get ready to witness history in the making as the kingdom welcomes its new King and queen consort and celebrates the grand coronation of King Charles III.
