When is King Charles III’s coronation?
The coronation of King Charles III. will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023.
In a statement, officials said: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the coronation of His Majesty the King will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023.
“The coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey in London and will be officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
“At the ceremony, His Majesty King Charles III. crowned alongside the Queen Consort.
“The coronation will reflect the role of the monarch today and look to the future while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry.”
The last time Britain held a coronation ceremony was 70 years ago when the Queen was crowned on June 2, 1953 at the age of 27.
Before that, the coronation ceremony of her father, King George VI, took place 16 years earlier in 1937, when Her Majesty was just 11 years old.
Here’s everything we know about King Charles’ upcoming coronation.
When is King Charles III’s coronation?
King Charles III will be crowned along with his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, on Saturday 6 May 2023.
It will be held at Westminster Abbey in London, where 2,000 guests are expected, a stark contrast to the 8,000 guests who attended the Queen’s coronation in 1953.
Charles will be 74 in November 2022, making him the oldest crowned person in British history.
William, Prince of Wales is expected to play a key role on the committee organizing his father’s coronation.
Will there be a holiday?
Yes! The coronation weekend will be a holiday weekend. The bank holiday falls on Monday 8 May.
Buckingham Palace announced the program that will take place over the long weekend, including a royal balcony performance, a concert featuring international stars and a volunteering day.
On the day of the Coronation, after the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the King and Queen Consort return to the Palace in a larger ceremonial procession known as the ‘Coronation Procession’, along with other members of the Royal Family.
They will then gather on the palace balcony to conclude the day’s events. It has not been confirmed which royals will appear on the balcony or if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been invited to the occasion.
On Sunday 7 May, “global music icons and contemporary stars” will perform at Windsor Castle for the coronation concert, broadcast live by the BBC.
Why does King Charles III. a stripped down coronation?
The new monarch is said to be “very aware” of the cost of living crisis affecting many people across the UK.
King Charles III delivers a televised address to the nation and the Commonwealth from the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in London on 9 September 2022, a day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
A source said daily mirror that the event “will be shorter, smaller and cheaper” than the Queen’s in 1953.
The source was quoted as saying: “The King is acutely aware of the struggles of modern Britain and will ensure that his wishes are carried out, that while his coronation ceremony should be proper and true to long-held traditions of the past, it should also be representative for a monarchy to be in a modern world.
“The King has long been an advocate of a streamlined or slimmed down monarchy and this project certainly fits his vision,” they continued.
“He has already spoken of his desire to carry on his mother’s legacy and that includes continuing to recognize what people are experiencing on a day-to-day basis.”
What does a stripped down coronation look like?
It has been reported that Charles’ coronation ceremony will last just over an hour, a marked departure from his mother’s coronation, which lasted more than three hours.
A total of 8,251 guests attended the Queen’s coronation, with 129 nations and territories officially represented at the service.
Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day in June 1953
(AFP via Getty Images)
But according to the post on SundayCharles’ ceremony guest list is cut from 8,000 to just 2,000.
Some rituals will be omitted to save time, but others are reported to remain, such as the monarch’s anointing.
It is said the ceremony will also feature a more relaxed dress code, potentially allowing peers to wear lounge suits or morning suits instead of luxurious ceremonial gowns of crimson velvet and ermine.
As for the King’s attire himself, it was reportedly advised to forgo the traditionally opulent attire that the coronation ceremony is known for and instead opt for his military uniform.
The more modern coronation is expected to be more religiously and culturally diverse as well, with plans reported to include a multi-faith community made up of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist figures.
The king confirmed he would take an oath to the Church of England at his coronation, but made it clear that he wants to lead a Britain that respects all faiths.
Queen Elizabeth II rides with the Duke of Edinburgh en route to Westminster Abbey for her coronation
(PA)
While many aspects of the ceremony are expected to change, the 1762 golden state carriage will be featured in the coronation procession, as is usually the case at such large royal events.
The ornate, gilded carriage was last seen during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5th.
Another aspect that will remain the same is that the king’s coronation will be televised like his mother’s.
The Queen’s coronation was the first ever to be televised and was watched by 27 million people in the UK alone and millions more around the world.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/when-coronation-king-charles-united-kingdom-b2303759.html When is King Charles III’s coronation?
