Coronation of Charles III and Camilla

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, the people of the United Kingdom will officially outdoor their new king, christened King Charles III. His coronation comes eight months after he ascended to the throne, following the passing away of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last September.

For the first time since 1937, the coronation of King Charles III will include the crowning of a Queen Consort. Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, was the last Queen Consort to be crowned. Charles automatically ascended to the throne when his mother Elizabeth died, and he officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch two days later in an ascension ceremony broadcast for the first time on television. Just by way of formality, the deeply religious and regalia-heavy event is a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England and is also intended to show the world that the king’s authority is derived from God.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, as well as the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, will officiate the high-profile ceremony to be held at Westminster Abbey in London, the setting for every coronation since 1066. Since 1601, there has only been one Coronation in the month of May so far. During the service, Charles will be anointed with oil, receive the traditional symbols of the monarch, which include the orb and sceptre, and also have the Saint Edward’s Crown placed on his head for the first time.

The coronation ceremony will see the 74-year-old, who ascended the throne on September 8, 2022, being crowned with a solid gold crown made in 1661 in front of 2,200 invited guests from across the political, royal, and celebrity worlds, including his majesty, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and his wife, Lady Julia, who have already arrived and have been hosted by the yet-to-be coronated King. The Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand, among others, have also arrived. This guest list appears far less than that of his mother and predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, whose coronation guest list in 1953 boasted more than 8,000 people from 129 nations and territories. The event appears to be extremely high-profile, with United Kingdom citizens footing the bill. For now, it is estimated that about one hundred and twenty-five million pounds will be spent on the coronation. This is also coming at a time when the relevance of the British monarchy in contemporary times has become questionable.

On November 14, 1948, at 9.14 p.m., Prince Charles Philip Arthur George was born at Buckingham Palace and was christened on December 15, 1948, at Buckingham Palace. The former Prince Charles became heir apparent (next in line to the throne) at the age of three years old in 1952 and went on to become the longest-serving Prince of Wales in 2017. King Charles III was the first heir to the throne to earn a university degree. The King studied archaeology and anthropology in his first year at the University of Cambridge, switching to history for the remainder of his degree. In his role as the Prince of Wales, he supported his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as the focal point for national pride, unity, and allegiance, bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasising the importance of service and the voluntary sector through encouragement and example.

As a former military officer, he promoted the role of the Armed Services within national life through operational visits, ceremonial duties, and commemorative activity across the UK and around the world. He supports the welfare and interests of Service personnel, Veterans, and their families. The royal prerogative includes the powers to appoint and dismiss ministers, regulate the civil service, issue passports, declare war, make peace, direct the actions of the military, and negotiate and ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements.

Charles has become head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.5 billion people. For 14 of these countries, as well as the UK, the King is Head of State. Charles, now 74, was 73 when he became king, making him the oldest monarch to ever take the British throne. 
On this occasion, many around the globe remember Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much-loved and respected figure across the globe.

How, then, will her son Charles fare? Time will tell.

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