Countdown to Charles’ coronation – What’s on the agenda

The countdown to coronation of Charles III It has begun. There is exactly one month to go until the late Elizabeth II’s eldest son is crowned king alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, a title no longer qualified by the word “husband”.

On May 6, London will get into a festive mood. Since Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8, 2022, some details have been revealed about what will happen to Westminster Abbey, Windsor and Buckingham Palace.

After months of official mourning, the UK is now ready to crown the king. Before the official date was revealed, it was thought the ceremony would take place in June, on the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. The decision to move it up a month broke with tradition and defied expectations, but it’s not the only tradition where is he going… walk.

Recreational activities

The coronation of Charles III will be a celebration for the whole country. In addition to the ceremony itself, the weekend of May 7 and 8 will be filled with entertainment activities. Minutes before the monarch enters Westminster Abbey to be crowned, he will walk the streets of London. Both the coronation and the concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May will be televised. Street parties are the order of the day and on Monday 8 May, ‘The Big Help Out’ will take place, an initiative which highlights the essential role of volunteering in the country. An interactive map will guide citizens to the various planned events, while those who wish can organize their own event.

The crowns

On coronation day, Charles III will wear two different crowns. The first, and most important, is the Crown of St. Edward, the oldest crown of the British monarchy, dating back to 1661, and considered the jewel of all the crown jewels. Elizabeth II wore it at her coronation in 1953. In fact, it had to undergo some minor adjustments to fit the head of Charles III, who will be the seventh king to wear it.

After the service in Westminster Abbey, the monarch will wear the so-called imperial state crown, with which he will greet his subjects from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. This is the crown usually worn at the opening of Parliament and was created for the coronation of Queen Victoria in June 1838.

Camilla’s crown was more difficult to decide. After much deliberation, the crown chosen is the one worn by Queen Mary of Teck in 1911, great-grandmother of Charles III, when George V was crowned, thus avoiding the controversy of linking Britain’s colonial past with some of the crown jewels.

Charles III has an easy task, as he will be crowned in his military uniform. At certain moments of the ceremony, he will wear different garments, such as the white Colobium Sindonis during his anointing with the holy oil. Camilla, meanwhile, has chosen designer Bruce Oldfield, who has dressed her for various occasions. The color that will be chosen for the day is still unknown. If he wanted to follow tradition, he would choose white, the symbol of renewal and purity.

6,000 fewer visitors

On May 6, one of the oldest royal traditions will likely be “broken”: a tradition that dictated that no other foreign royals attend the coronation, because the ceremony is seen as a sacred act between the ruler and the people. Now, however, the presence of royals from all over the world is expected. Despite this, the guests will be 6,000 fewer than at the coronation of Elizabeth II.

The man behind the burial of Elizabeth II and the coronation of Charles III

Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 65, is responsible for all the details of the coronation. The 18th Duke of Norfolk is responsible for most state affairs in the United Kingdom, from organizing the opening of Parliament to the funerals of sovereigns and every ceremony involving the monarch. He had been preparing Elizabeth II’s funeral for 20 years and now, within a few months, he had organized the coronation.

The grandchildren

King Charles’ eldest grandson, son of William of England and Kate Middleton and second in line to the throne, will play a major role in his grandfather’s coronation, which also goes against tradition which dictates that heirs must they are mere spectators at the coronation. As confirmed by Buckingham Palace, nine-year-old Prince George will be one of four accompanying Charles to the ceremony. In Camila’s case, the four followers will be three of her five grandchildren.

The holy oil

The oil with which Charles III and Camilla will be anointed has already been consecrated in Jerusalem. The oil is made from a blend of olives, collected from the Mount of Olives, the Monastery of Mary Magdalene – the burial place of Alice of Battenberg, mother of Philip of Edinburgh and thus grandmother of Charles III – and the Monastery of the Ascension in Jerusalem. One of the fundamental aspects of the coronation is the throne, which will be King Edward’s coronation chair. It was built in 1300 and has been used by all British monarchs since 1626. It is currently undergoing restoration.

The music was personally chosen by Karolos

The King’s passion for the arts and music is well known and he personally selected the 12 pieces of music to be played during the ceremony. He also decided to pay tribute to his father, Philip of Edinburgh, by playing Greek Orthodox music. There will also be a gospel choir, respecting the cultural diversity of the UK. Of the 27 artists and bands included, only three – Grace Jones, Boney M and Michael Bublé – are not British. Missing from the list is the name of singer Elton John, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and a close friend of Diana of Wales.

Hugo Burnand, the royal photographer

Hugo Burnand will be responsible for the royal portraits of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It’s not the first time he’s worked with them, as he photographed their wedding in 2005. He also photographed the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Who won’t go?

The relationship between King Charles III and his son Prince Harry is difficult. Statements made in Prince Harry’s Netflix documentary and memoir Spare may have caused irreparable damage. But despite their estrangement, the king has invited Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, to the coronation, a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has confirmed. However, it is still unknown if they will attend. If they do, all eyes will be on the role the prince will play in the ceremony and how he will interact with the rest of the family.

It is also not known whether Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Charles’ brother, will attend the coronation. Prince Andrew was removed from all royal duties and stripped of his military titles and royal protections after being accused of sexual abuse. If he attends, he will not play a major role in the ceremony.

It is also not known what role will be assigned to the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. Some sources close to the Palace insist that the wife of the heir to the throne, Prince William, will not wear a tiara at the ceremony, but the decision has yet to be made public. Another unknown piece of information concerns the concert to be held in Windsor the day after the coronation. With all tickets sold out – 5,000 given away for free – it is not yet known who will be performing. Apart from Sir Elton John, Adele, the Spice Girls, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran have declined the invitation as they have other commitments.