King Charles III's Coronation: How To Watch, How It Works And More
After 70 years, Great Britain will see a new king be crowned in Westminster Abbey. The world will be watching in May 2023 as King Charles III accepts his royal title at the age of 74, becoming the oldest monarch to be crowned. It's been a long time coming for Charles, whose late mother Queen Elizabeth II held the position previously in the longest tenure the monarchy has ever seen. Charles follows in the footsteps of hundreds of kings and queens before him in a ceremony that has surpassed 900 years of history.
Great Britain will not only see a new king crowned, but a new queen as well. The coronation will take place during a weekend of celebration in the country, complete with all the grandeur and spectacle fit for a king. That said, it won't be the biggest spectacle of all time: While Queen Elizabeth II's crowning was a momentous affair costing nearly $2 million, Charles' assumption of the throne promises to be less pricy, partly due to the cost of living crisis in the UK
While we wait for Charles to take the throne, let us take a look at every detail we know about the coronation (so far).
What exactly goes on at a coronation?
The coronation is, as the word suggests, the formal event where a royal is officially crowned and declared the sovereign. As per the royal family's website, "The coronation ceremony is an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony and has remained essentially the same over a thousand years."
As per what exactly a coronation entails, it follows a structure of intricate details. The sovereign, or king or queen at the time, takes an oath. The format and wording of that oath change over time to adapt to that specific year and the needs of the country. After King Charles III takes his oath, he will take King Edward's chair. The king then receives a sacred blessing from the Archbishop before he is crowned.
As noted by the BBC, Charles will receive sacred items during the anointment, including the Royal Orb and two scepters. Directly after, Charles will take his place on his rightful throne, and guests in attendance kneel in a show of respect.
It will take place the first weekend of May
King Charles III's coronation is set to take place on May 6, 2023. Though Charles assumed his role as king officially in September of 2022, his coronation was scheduled for nearly a year later. The eight-month wait was in honor of the country being in mourning following Queen Elizabeth II's death. It's not unusual that the ceremony of new monarchies takes place several months after they take the throne. Queen Elizabeth II took her reign immediately following her father's death in February of 1952 but wasn't ceremoniously appointed until June 1953.
There's been speculation on the significance of the ceremony taking place on the sixth day of May — though nothing has been confirmed by the royal family. According to Town & Country, there's a theory that the date could have been selected because it's Prince Archie's birthday, Princess Margaret's wedding anniversary, and the day King Edward VII died.
King Charles III's wife Camilla will be also be crowned
King Charles III's wife Camilla will assume her role as queen consort in her own coronation following her husband. Queen Consort Camilla's coronation marks the first time a woman has assumed the role since 1937. That year saw the crowning of King George VI, who is King Charles' grandfather; Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, King George VI's wife and Queen Elizabeth the II's mother, was appointed queen consort. The tradition is a little different for men, as the late Prince Phillip was not crowned following his wife Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. A ruling queen's husband is not given the title of "king consort," but is instead called a "prince consort." Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned during the same ceremony as her husband, but her ceremony will be more modest, according to the BBC.
Camilla's road to becoming queen consort has, without question, been an interesting one — and not just because of the Princess Diana factor. As noted in "Historical Dictionary of the British Monarchy," Camilla and Charles' families go way back, but perhaps not in the way one might expect. Early on in their relationship, Camilla reportedly told Charles, "My great-grandmother was your great-great-grandfather's mistress." And the rest is history.
The celebration will last the whole weekend
The coronation of King Charles III is truly a celebration fit for a king — and the United Kingdom will celebrate all weekend long. The actual coronation will fall on a Saturday, and there will be a special concert on Sunday that will air on the BBC. Naturally, there's plenty of speculation about said concert. Per The Sun (via Marie Claire), Elton John, Harry Styles, and the Spice Girls were all said to have been invited to perform but apparently decided against it. And according to OK!, Adele and Ed Sheeran also supposedly opted out of playing the coronation, too. We'll just have to wait and see who ends up taking the stage at the royal extravaganza.
For those living within the country, thousands of free tickets to the event are available through the public ballot system. Following the concert, several important buildings will be lit up with projectors and lasers in an event called Lighting up the Nation.
The Coronation Big Lunch will also take place on Sunday, according to the royal presser, in which communities come together in honor of the monarchy. The celebratory feast invites communities across England to get together within your neighborhood. Following the events on May 7, the following Monday is marked as a bank holiday across the UK in an effort to encourage citizens to participate in the volunteer-focused event called the Big Help Out.
It will be held at the historic Westminster Abbey
Following hundreds of monarchies before him, King Charles III will be crowned in London at Westminster Abbey. As per the official website, the historical significance of the gothic church is profound, as it has been home to Britain's coronations for nearly 1,000 years. The site has seen many kings and queens take the throne, with the first coronation held at Westminster being King William The Conqueror in 1066.
The famed gothic church has gone through a lot of changes over the centuries, from rebuilt by Edward the Confessor to being rebuilt again by Henry III. And in 2018, the building unveiled a window designed by artist David Hockney as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. Per the BBC, Hockney shared that he used an iPad to create the piece. "The iPad is back-lit like a window, it's a natural thing to use," he said.
Sixteen royal weddings have taken place inside Westminster Abbey, including the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The location has also hosted more solemn ceremonies, including the funeral of the iconic Princess Diana following her tragic death in 1997.
It won't be as grand as Queen Elizabeth II's coronation
While welcoming any new king or queen in Britain is a spectacle, the coronation of King Charles III is set to be a more modest affair. As reported by the Daily Mail, the number of esteemed guests for the big day is set at around 2,000 people, compared to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II which hosted over 8,000.
The crowd size isn't the only difference. Compared to a four-hour long service for his mother's coronation, Charles' crowning ceremony is reported to be cut down to around an hour. The monarchy is also ditching past dress code requirements, trading ceremonial robes to allow special guests to attend in suits and ties. As for Charles himself, it's been reported that the king may opt to use his military uniform on his special day.
"The King has stripped back a lot of the Coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years," a source told the Daily Mail. The decision to scale back the ceremony coincides with the cost of living crisis in the UK. A tipster close to the royal family told Sky News that Monday's Big Help Out was Charles' idea. The palace hopes citizens will not only spend that day volunteering, but make a habit out of it. "It would be a wonderful legacy if people continue in that work after the big help out," the source said.
It's unclear whether Prince Harry will go
The royal family shocked the world in 2021 when they announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would not be returning to their working roles as The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. "While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family," the statement read.
Since parting ways with the royal family, Prince Harry and Markle have pulled no punches. In 2022, the couple spoke with Oprah Winfrey about their negative experiences with the royal family and the British press. The duke and duchess also opened up on their Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan" and Prince Harry released a tell-all memoir called "Spare" in 2023.
Given Prince Harry and Markle's complicated relationship with the royal family, it's unclear whether they will make an appearance. That said, rumor has it Harry has not been disinvited from Charles' coronation. A source close to the royal family told People that the duke and duchess are on the guest list for the grand event and that King Charles III would be happy to receive his youngest son. "He would like to have Harry back in the family," the source told the outlet. "If they don't sort it out, it will always be part of the King's reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue."
King Charles III will wear the St. Edward's Crown
What's a king without his crown? King Charles III will don the legendary St. Edward's Crown. Because of its steep history and importance, the headpiece is only worn by kings and queens the moment they're crowned... and that's about it. As per Historic Royal Palaces, the crown was made following King Charles I's execution as a replacement, and it has since been passed on through each coronation.
Per tradition, Charles will also wear the Imperial State Crown as he leaves Westminster Abbey following the coronation. The diamond- and pearl-encrusted crown also carries its own history: According to reports, the sapphire featured in the cross on the crown was once worn by St. Edward the Confessor — and the stone was excavated from his burial tomb about a century after he died.
It's unclear as to what Queen Consort Camilla will wear for her crown during her respective coronation. As per People, she has options — with the crown made for Charles' grandmother Queen Elizabeth (known as the Queen Mother crown) being the most obvious choice. The choice comes with controversy, however, as the Koh-i-Nûr diamond centerpiece on the piece has been the topic of international debate after it was brought to London by The East India Company. Camilla may also don the 200-year-old Queen Adelaide crown, as per People, but it's unlikely.
You can be in the ceremony if you have a connection
The royal family is inviting the public to take part in King Charles' coronation, but there's a bit of a catch. Lest anyone think there's a simple signup sheet that literally anyone could put their name on, it's a little more complicated. As per Gov.UK, if a person is a descendant of someone who participated in a previous coronation ceremony, they could play a role in Charles' big day. Persons who fit the description are invited to file a claim through the Coronation Claims Office and be up for consideration.
As per the press release, "the Coronation Claims Office will consider matters including whether the role or service was performed in 1953 or not, what the basis is for it to be performed now, and the claimant's connection to those who previously performed the role or service." The office works with Lambeth Palace and the royal family to review potential participants.
The event has its own playlist
King Charles III's coronation has been planned out to the last detail — including the playlist. As released on Spotify, the Coronation Celebration Playlist, which was inspired by Charles' ceremony, features nearly two hours of hits.
Songs like "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay, "Starry Eyed" by Ellie Goulding, and "It's a Beautiful Day" by Michael Bublé are set to be played the day Charles assumes his sovereign role. The playlist also includes tracks from The Beatles, Harry Styles, George Ezra, The Kinks, The Who, the Spice Girls, and Queen. One notable omission? British icon Elton John, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. John also sang his hit "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.
King Charles' love of music is no secret. In 2021, he shared some of his favorite songs of all time for a special broadcast for the Hospital Broadcasting Association. Per CNN, his list included "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, "Don't Rain On My Parade" by Barbra Streisand, and "Tydi a Roddaist" by Bryn Terfel.
How can the public watch the coronation?
For Americans wanting to tune in to see King Charles III assume the throne on May 6, 2023, rest assured that the event will be broadcast live in the United States. As of the time of writing, details have yet to be disclosed on which network the coronation will air, but it's assumed that networks like ABC and Sky News will broadcast the coronation. The time the ceremony is set to begin has yet to be confirmed. While we do know that Charles' ceremony will not be nearly as long as Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, there is a chance he could honor his late mother by starting at 11:15 a.m.
For those in the United Kingdom, the BBC is allowing a free one-day viewing on its cable channel for those who don't pay for television coverage. The coronation is expected to be broadcasted all across the country, in churches, movie theaters, and outdoor parks. What's more, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport shelled out £1 million to set up giant screens in public spaces in a number of cities. "The coronation will be a magical moment that brings people together to celebrate the best of Britain over a special weekend in May. These big screens, in major locations in towns and cities in the four nations of the UK, will make it easier for everyone to take part and have a memorable experience to mark this exciting and historic event," said Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer.