Coronation Ceremony Of Charles - The Splendor And The Highlights
As the golden rays of dawn cast a mesmerizing glow upon the ancient corridors of royal heritage, a momentous occasion unfolds, with the coronation ceremony of Charles as King of England and Scotland.
The world stands poised in anticipation, hearts beating in unison, as the realm prepares to witness a coronation like no other.
In the hallowed halls of regal magnificence, where tradition dances harmoniously with grandeur, we embark upon an extraordinary journey into the realm of royalty.
Step into a world of opulence and pageantry, where history intertwines with destiny, and witness the unforgettable highlights that define this majestic event.
‘God Save the King’: Highlights from King Charles' coronation
COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/coronation-ceremony-of-charles/ by Kaleem Kirkpatrick on 2023-05-09T13:34:47.691Z
King Charles III Coronation
The British monarchy follows a system known as male-preference primogeniture, which means that the eldest son of the monarch is the first in line to succeed to the throne.
This system was altered in 2013, so that gender would no longer determine an individual’s position in the line of succession.
It so happens that the eldest among the four children of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and Prince Philip (1921-2021), is a male.
That’s why when Her Majesty passed away, Charles Philip Arthur George or Prince Charles became the next in line to inherit the throne.
In 1958, when he was nine years old, he received the title “Prince of Wales.” In 2023, at 73, he became King Charles III.
His Majesty will be turning 74 on November 14 - apparently his first birthday as the King of England and Scotland.
The coronation ceremony of Charles took place on May 6 (Saturday), 2023 at 11:00 a.m. (local time) at Westminster Abbey in London.
The historic Anglican church, which is near the Palace of Westminster, aka Houses of Parliament, has been the venue for the coronation of British monarchs for the last nine centuries.
That’s according to the Royal Collection Trust, adding that the 40th monarch to be crowned there is King Charles III.
The Westminster Abbey has a 2,200 capacity. Based on news reports, that’s approximately the number of guests inside during the coronation.
As for televiewers in the U.K., according to BBC, an estimated total of 18.8 million people watched the coronation of King Charles III from different channels.
King’s Coronation Timetable
The Archbishop of Canterbury - the spiritual head of the Church of England or the Anglican Church - is the one who officiates the coronation.
Justin P. Welby, the present Archbishop of Canterbury (elected: 2012) presided over the event.
Per Time Out, the information below shows the timetable of the coronation ceremony of Charles:
| Time (London time) | Activities |
| 6:00 a.m. | opening of the designated viewing areas along the main procession route for the public |
| 7:15 a.m. | start of the arrival of guests at Westminster Abbey; security checks will be made |
| 7:30 a.m. | start of live TV broadcast; interviews will be shown |
| 9:30 a.m. | start of the arrival of VIP guests |
| 10:20 a.m. | the first royal procession begins (from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey); the Diamond Jubilee Coach will carry Charles and Camilla |
| 11:00 a.m. | start of the coronation ceremony of Charles |
| 1:00 p.m. | ceremony ends; the second royal procession begins (from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace) |
| 1:45 p.m. | in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, military personnel will perform the Royal Salute |
| 2:15 p.m | on the Buckingham Palace balcony, the King and the Queen Consort and other royal family members will wave to the crowd and watch the flypast |
The specific flow of events in the coronation ceremony of Charles are as follows:
- the Recognition
- the Coronation Oath
- the Anointing
- the Investiture and Crowning (the crowning part could be around 12 noon)
- the Enthronement and Homage
- the Coronation of the Queen Consort
The route (central London) for the coronation procession covered 1.3 miles (from the palace to the abbey). The return procession likewise covered the same distance.
Coronation Guest List
As can be predicted earlier (in relation to the 2,200 capacity of Westminster Abbey), the number of invited guests for the coronation ceremony of Charles exceeded 2,000.
From people who have royal blood to the most powerful individuals from around the world, the coronation of King Charles III was a fabulous gathering of global personalities.
Of course, what’s an international event without celebrities adding spark and glamor?
The coronation ceremony of Charles didn’t disappoint on this part.
Coronation Royal Guests
Here were some of the members of the British royal family who attended the event:
| British Royal Family Members | Together with... |
| Prince and Princess of Wales (William and Catherine) | Prince George; Princess Charlotte; Prince Louis (children) |
| Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | |
| Anne, Princess Royal | Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (second husband); Peter Phillips & Zara Phillips-Tindall (children from first husband) |
| Prince Andrew, Duke of York | Princess Beatrice; Princess Eugenie (daughters) |
| Prince Edward & Sophie (Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh) | Lady Louise Windsor; James, Earl of Wessex (children) |
| Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester | Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (wife) |
| Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy | |
| Prince Edward, Duke of Kent | |
| Prince Michael of Kent | Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz (wife) |
The last four British royals on the list are the cousins of Queen Elizabeth II. They all witnessed her Majesty’s coronation in 1953, according to PEOPLE magazine.
As for the non-British royals, they included:
| Royals from Around the World | Country |
| King Philippe & Queen Mathilde | Belgium |
| Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck & Jetsun Pema Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| Crown Prince Fumihito & Crown Princess Kiko | Japan |
| King Abdullah II & Queen Rania | Jordan |
| King Letsie III & Queen ‘Maseeiso Mohato Seeiso | Lesotho |
| Yang di-Pertuan Agong & Raja Permaisuri Agong | Malaysia |
| King Willem-Alexander & Queen Maxima | the Netherlands |
| Crown Prince Haakon & Crown Princess Mette-Marit | Norway |
| Prince Radu & Margareta | Romania |
| Crown Prince Alexander & Crown Princess Katherine | Yugoslavia |
Heads Of State Attending Coronation
As for world leaders, below were some of those who joined the coronation ceremony of Charles:
- President Isaac Herzog (Israel)
- Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen (Jamaica)
- Prime Minister Najib Mikat (Lebanon)
- President Andrzej Duda (Poland)
- First Minister Humza Yousaf (Scotland)
Former prime ministers of the United Kingdom who attended include:
- Tony Blair
- David Cameron
- Boris Johnson
- Theresa May
- Liz Truss
Celebrities Attending Coronation
We might as well begin with British personalities and some of there were:
- composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
- pop duo and TV hosts Ant & Dec
- British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful
- actresses Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Emma Thompson
- author and columnist Pippa Middleton-Matthews (younger sister of Catherine, Princess of Wales)
Two Hollywood stars and a couple of celebrities from Down Under also received invitations to the coronation ceremony of Charles. They were:
- Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave
- Australian comedian Adam Hills
- singers Lionel Richie and Katie Perry
Coronation Highlights
The atmosphere during the coronation ceremony of Charles was a unique blend of solemnity, grandeur, and popular excitement.
The presence of historical artifacts, such as the Crown Jewels and the Sword of State, serve as a reminder of the monarchy’s enduring role in the nation’s history.
Below were some of the key moments, as pointed out by CNN.
Camilla Now Queen
The last significant incident in the coronation ceremony of Charles was that of the coronation of his second wife, Camilla - the former Mrs. Parker Bowles - whom he married in 2005.
From the time she got married to the then-Prince of Wales, Camilla received the title, “Duchess of Cornwall.”
Now that his husband has become the King of England and Scotland, she is now Camilla, Queen Consort.
On a letter dated February 5, 2022 - interestingly, a day before Her Majesty’s 70th anniversary of accession - Queen Elizabeth II expressed something about Camilla:
“„And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.
- Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)
Camilla has two children with ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles, a retired British Army officer.
Food writer Tom Parker Bowles and art curator Laura Rose Parker Bowles-Lopes attended the coronation of King Charles III - their stepfather.
British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield - the top designer for Diana (1961-1997), Princess of Wales, during the ‘80s - created Camilla’s coronation dress.
Eliot Zed, another British designer, made the silk shoes she wore.
Lady In Blue Coronation
One of the people who stood out during the coronation ceremony of Charles was the one referred to as “Lady in Blue.”
Her name: Penelope Mary “Penny” Mordaunt.
The incumbent Leader of the House of Commons (since September 2022) was assigned as sword bearer in King Charles III coronation.
She carried the Sword of State and then after that, the Sword of Offering, which she presented to the new king. It was the first time that the latter was carried out by a woman.
That custom-made blue teal dress and cape she wore was by Safiyaa, a luxury ready-to-wear clothing brand from London founded by Daniela Karnuts.
Coronation Ceremony Harry
It would be hard not to think about the children of King Charles III during his coronation.
After all, there are only two of them, with the youngest one having been hogging the headlines for the past two years or so.
Regardless of what has been said and done, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was present during the coronation ceremony of Charles.
According to reports, however, Harry only stayed less than 24 hours in the U.K. and flew back to the U.S. to catch the birthday celebration of his 4-year-old first-born, Archie, the Prince of Sussex.
As for the elder son, he had an active role at the coronation ceremony of Charles.
During the Enthronement and Homage, on his knees, Prince William said to his father:
“„I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you, and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb, so help me God.
- William, Prince of Wales
Coronation Flypast
According to Force.net, a six-minute flypast was planned, with 68 military aircraft participating in the ceremonial flight.
However, a downpour occurred. So, change of plans.
The traditional flypast after the coronation ceremony of Charles only consisted of helicopters.
Best moments of the Coronation flypast over London
People Also Ask
Who Was At The Balcony After Coronation?
It was a tradition for the royal family members to appear at the balcony of Buckingham Palace not only to wave at the crowds gathered outside but as well as to watch the flypast.
Those who went at the balcony were:
- King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort
- the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children
- Anne, Princess Royal
- Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and the Duchess of Edinburgh
- Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy
- Prince Henry and Princess Alice, the Duke and the Duchess of Gloucester
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
| The King’s Pages of Honor | The Queen Consort’s Pages of Honor |
| Lord Oliver Cholmondeley | Master Louis Lopes |
| Master Ralph Tollemache Louis | Master Gus Lopes |
| Master Nicholas Barclay | Master Arthur Elliot |
| Master Freddy Parker Bowles |
The Queen Consort’s Ladies in Attendance:
- Sonia Annabel Shand-Elliot (Camilla’s younger sister)
- Fiona Shelburne, aka the Marchioness of Lansdowne
Will Camilla Be Queen If Charles Dies?
As a Queen Consort who does not have any inherent right to the throne (she is not of royal blood), she will not become queen. Prince William of Wales, the next eligible heir, will ascend as king.
Camilla may be given a different title, such as Queen Mother, to distinguish her from the ruling monarch.
Did Meghan Markle Go To The Coronation?
No, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, didn’t attend the coronation ceremony of Charles. She stayed in the U.S. and organized a birthday party for Prince Archie of Sussex.
Final Thoughts
Lasting for approximately two hours, the coronation ceremony of Charles - despite the rainy weather - was a triumph.
It unveiled the splendor, majesty, and grandeur of an enthronement that shall forever etch itself into the annals of history.
The coronation ceremony of Charles ultimately represented a significant moment in the nation’s history and a celebration of continuity and the monarchy’s role as a symbol of unity and tradition.
About The Authors
Kaleem Kirkpatrick - Kaleem weaves song and story together with experience from his 12 year career in business and sales to deliver a mesmerizing tale of wealth and anger – the ups and downs of disruption – using his expertise in music and entertainment. His background in philosophy and psychology allows him to simplify the science of why we construct trends, where they come from, and how to alter them to improve outcomes.
