King Charles III, the new monarch
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27 April

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Coronation of King Charles III
King Charles III
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At the moment the Queen died, the throne passed immediately and without ceremony to the heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales.

He becomes a monarch at the age of 73. But there are a number of practical - and traditional - steps which he must go through to be crowned King.

Who is Charles?
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948. He was 4 years old when his mother was crowned as Queen Elizabeth II.

Instead of being tutored at the palace, his education was in school. He attended Hill House in West London, Cheam Preparatory School in Berkshire and Gordonstoun in Eastern Scotland.

In 1969, at the age of 20, he was invested by the Queen as Prince of Wales at Caerfarnon Castle. Before the investiture, the then prince learnt Welsh at University College of Wales in Aberystwyth.

Royal Family tree and the order of succesion
Family life
He married Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. From that marriage they had two sons: Prince William, born on 21 June 1982; and Prince Harry, born on 15 September 1984.

Their marriage was dissolved on 28 August 1996, although The Princess of Wales continued to live at Kensington Palace and to carry out her public work. Lady Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

On 9 April 2005, he married the Queen Consort Camilla in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, Windsor.

What will he be called?
He will be known as King Charles III.

That was the first decision of the new king's reign. He could have chosen from any of his four names - Charles Philip Arthur George.

He is not the only one who faces a change of title. Prince William and his wife Catherine are now titled Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, and the king has conferred on them the title of Prince and Princess of Wales.

There is also a new title for Charles' wife, Camilla, who becomes the Queen Consort - consort is the term used for the spouse of the monarch.

Formal ceremonies
Charles was officially proclaimed King on the Saturday following the Queen's death. This event took place at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

This was made up of members of the Privy Council - a group of senior MPs, past and present, and peers - as well as some senior civil servants, Commonwealth high commissioners, and the Lord Mayor of London.

The Accession Council has two parts and King Charles was only present for the second.

Prince Charles file photo
IMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA
Around 200 privy counsellors attended the ceremony - the same number who attended the last Accession Council in 1952.

In the first part of the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth was announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council (currently Penny Mordaunt MP), and the proclamation was read aloud.

It included a series of prayers and pledges, commending the previous monarch and pledging support for the new one.

The proclamation was then signed by a number of senior figures including the prime minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Chancellor. It was read aloud from a balcony above Friary Court in St James's Palace and for the first time since 1952, the national anthem was played with the words "God Save the King".

The grand ceremony that announced Charles as new king
The King's first declaration
King Charles attended the second meeting of the Accession Council, along with the Privy Council.

This was not a "swearing in" at the start of a British monarch's reign, in the style of some other heads of state, such as the president of the US.

Instead the King made a declaration to uphold the constitutional government and - in line with a tradition dating from the early 18th Century - he made an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth II crowns her son Charles, Prince of Wales, during his investiture ceremony at Caernarvon Castle. 1969
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Image caption,
Queen Elizabeth II crowned her son Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969
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After this the Accession Council concluded. The proclamation announcing Charles as the King was later read out in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The Coronation
The symbolic high point of the accession will be the Coronation, when Charles is formally crowned. Because of the preparation needed, the Coronation is not likely to happen very soon after Charles's accession - Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the throne in February 1952, but was not crowned until June 1953.

For the past 900 years the coronation has been held in Westminster Abbey - William the Conqueror was the first monarch to be crowned there, and Charles will be the 40th.

It is an Anglican religious service, carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At the climax of the ceremony, he will place St Edward's Crown on Charles's head - a solid gold crown, dating from 1661.

This is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and is only worn by the monarch at the moment of coronation itself (not least because it weighs a hefty 2.23kg - almost 5lbs).

Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion - the government pays for it, and ultimately decides the guest list.

Royal Family on Balcony at Buckingham Palace, London, pictured after Coronation, 2nd June 1953.
IMAGE SOURCE,MIRRORPIX / GETTY IMAGES
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There will be music, readings and the ritual of anointing the new monarch, using oils of orange, roses, cinnamon, musk and ambergris.

The new King will take the Coronation oath in front of the watching world. During this elaborate ceremony he will receive the orb and sceptre as symbols of his new role and the Archbishop of Canterbury will place the solid gold crown on his head.

Everything you need to know about King Charles III's coronation
Head of the Commonwealth
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.

These countries, known as the Commonwealth realms, are: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu.

Coronation of Charles III and Camilla

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coronation of Charles III and CamillaKing Charles III and Queen Camilla during the coronation procession in the Gold State Coach.
Charles and Camilla on the front balcony of Buckingham Palace
Date    6 May 2023
Venue    Westminster Abbey
Location    Westminster, London, United Kingdom
Participants   

    King Charles III
    Queen Camilla
    Great Officers of State
    Bishops of the Church of England
    Selected members of the armed forces of the Commonwealth
    Heralds of the College of Arms and the Lyon Court
    Peers of the Realm
    Faith representatives

Arrests    See below
Website    coronation.gov.uk Edit this at Wikidata

The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, took place on 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II.

The ceremony was structured around an Anglican service of Holy Communion. It included Charles taking an oath, being anointed with holy oil, and receiving the coronation regalia, emphasising his spiritual role and secular responsibilities.[a] Representatives of the Church of England and the British royal family declared their allegiance to him, and people throughout the Commonwealth realms were invited to do so. Camilla was crowned in a shorter and simpler ceremony. After the service, members of the royal family travelled to Buckingham Palace in a state procession and appeared on the palace's rear and front balconies. The service was altered from past British coronations to represent multiple faiths, cultures, and communities across the United Kingdom; it was shorter than Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, and had a peak UK television audience of 20.4 million.

The coronation elicited both celebrations and protests in the United Kingdom, with surveys carried out in April 2023 suggesting that the British public was ambivalent towards the event and its funding. Celebrations included street parties, volunteering, special commemorative church services, and a concert at Windsor Castle on 7 May. The events in London and Windsor drew large crowds, but were also protested against by republican groups. There were 52 people arrested on suspicion of offences related to protesting, drawing criticism from Human Rights Watch. The response in the other Commonwealth realms was similarly mixed; while there were many celebrations, some governments and indigenous groups took the opportunity to voice republican sentiments and call for reparatory justice.

Charles and Camilla's coronation was the first of a British monarch in the 21st century and the 40th to be held at Westminster Abbey since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066.[1][b] Unofficial estimates for the event's cost range from £50 million to £250 million.
Preparation
Background

Charles III became king immediately upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, at 15:10 BST on Thursday 8 September 2022. He was proclaimed king by the Accession Council of the United Kingdom on Saturday 10 September,[3] which was followed by proclamations in other Commonwealth realms.[4] During Elizabeth's reign, planning meetings for Charles's coronation, codenamed "Operation Golden Orb", were held at least once a year, attended by representatives of the government, the Church of England, and Charles's staff.[5][6][7]
Service and procession
Order of service for the coronation

The organisation of the coronation was the responsibility of the earl marshal, the Duke of Norfolk.[8] A committee of privy counsellors arranged the event.[9][7] On 11 October 2022, the date of the coronation was announced as 6 May 2023, a choice made to ensure sufficient time to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II before holding the ceremony.[10][7]

A Coronation Claims Office was established within the Cabinet Office to handle claims to perform a historic or ceremonial role at the coronation, replacing the Court of Claims.[11] The posts of lord high steward and lord high constable of England, which are now only named for coronations, were given to General Sir Gordon Messenger and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, respectively.[12]

The holy anointing oil used in the service was consecrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on 6 March 2023 by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, under the supervision of Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop of Jerusalem. It was based on the same formula as the oil used in the coronation of Elizabeth II, but without animal products such as civet.[13][14][15]

Military dress rehearsals took place on 17, 18, and 19 April.[16][17] On 3 May, Charles and Camilla, William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, their children, and Anne, Princess Royal, attended coronation rehearsals at Westminster Abbey.[18]

Westminster Abbey was closed to tourists and worshippers from 25 April for preparations, and would not re-open until 8 May.[19] As at previous coronations, many attendees had an obscured view, as the abbey's nave was filled to capacity.[20]
Guests
Main article: List of guests at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla
  Countries that sent representatives

The coronation was a state event funded by the British government, which also decided the guest list.[21] Approximately 2,200 guests from 203 countries were invited.[22] They included members of the British royal family, representatives from the Church of England and other British faith communities, prominent politicians from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and foreign heads of state.[23]

The number of British political attendees was reduced significantly from 1953, when virtually the entire Parliament of the United Kingdom attended.[24] Invitations were extended to 850 community and charity representatives, including 450 British Empire Medal recipients and 400 young people, half of whom were nominated by the British government.[25] Following a tradition dating from 1189, fourteen barons of the Cinque Ports were also invited.[26] Safety regulations at Westminster Abbey restricted the number of guests, as in contrast to earlier coronations no temporary stands were erected in the building.[27]
Charles meeting foreign dignitaries invited to the coronation during a reception prior the ceremony

In addition to the coronation, several dignitaries invited to the event also attended related gatherings hosted by Charles on 5 May in London. Several receptions were hosted by Charles on that day, including one for dignitaries from the Commonwealth realms at Buckingham Palace, and another reception at Marlborough House for all the leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations.[28][29] In the evening, the King hosted a reception for foreign royalty and other overseas dignitaries at Buckingham Palace,[30] and family members and guests also attended a reception at Oswald's.[31]
Vestments and crowns

In a break with tradition, Charles's coronation vestments (ceremonial clothes) were largely reused from previous coronations instead of being newly made.[32][33] While it is customary for the supertunica and robe royal to be reused, Charles also wore vestments first used by George IV, George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. Camilla similarly reused vestments, including Elizabeth II's robe of state, but also wore a new robe of estate featuring her cypher, bees, a beetle, and various plants and flowers.[33] She also wore a new coronation gown, created by Bruce Oldfield and embroidered with wildflowers, the United Kingdom's floral emblems, her cypher, a pair of dogs, and her grandchildren's names.[34][35]

St Edward's Crown, which was used to crown the King, was removed from the Tower of London in December 2022 for resizing.[36][21] In February 2023 Queen Mary's Crown, which was used to crown Camilla, was also removed from display to be reset with Cullinan III, IV and V and for four of its eight detachable arches to be removed.[37] The Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was not used, to avoid a potential diplomatic dispute with India; the crown contains the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is claimed by India.[38]

The dress code for peers without a role in the ceremony was originally business suits or parliamentary robes, rather than the coronets, coronation robes, and court dress traditionally worn.[39][20] This was changed in the week before the coronation after protests, with peers allowed to wear coronation robes but not coronets.[40] The general dress code for men was morning dress, a lounge suit or national dress.[41]
Art
Invitation to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

The official photographer of the coronation was Hugo Burnand, who had previously been the official photographer for Charles and Camilla's wedding in 2005.[42] Eileen Hogan was selected to paint the coronation ceremony, and Peter Kuhfeld and Paul Benney to paint the coronation portraits of Charles and Camilla respectively.[43] Three alumni of The Royal Drawing School, Fraser Scarfe, Phoebe Stannard and Gideon Summerfield, were picked to document the procession.[44]
The United Kingdom coronation emblem

Andrew Jamieson was commissioned to create the coronation invitation, which featured the couple's coats of arms, the floral emblems of the United Kingdom, and a Green Man amid other British wildflowers and wildlife.[45][46] The coronation emblem was designed by Jony Ive with his creative collective LoveFrom, and depicts the floral emblems of the United Kingdom in the shape of St Edward's Crown.[47][48] There are versions of the emblem in both English and Welsh.[49]

The procession into the abbey was led by the Cross of Wales, a new processional cross commissioned by Charles to mark the centenary of the Church in Wales. It includes relics of the True Cross gifted to the King by Pope Francis.[50] The screen which concealed the King during his anointing was designed by iconographer Aidan Hart and embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework. It includes 56 leaves embroidered with the names of the members of the Commonwealth of Nations.[51][52]

The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Simon Armitage, released a new poem, An Unexpected Guest, to mark the coronation. The poem follows a woman invited to attend the coronation in Westminster Abbey, and quotes Samuel Pepys' experience at the coronation of Charles II in 1661.[53][54][55]
Music

Twelve new pieces were commissioned for the service and used alongside older works, including several used at previous coronations.[56][57]

Six of the new commissions were performed by the orchestra before the service — those by Judith Weir; Sir Karl Jenkins; a vocal piece by Sarah Class performed by Pretty Yende; Nigel Hess, Roderick Williams, and Shirley J. Thompson; Iain Farrington; and a new march by Patrick Doyle.[58] New compositions by Roxanna Panufnik, Tarik O'Regan, and Andrew Lloyd Webber were part of the service, and Debbie Wiseman composed two related pieces, one of which was performed by the Ascension Choir.[58][59] Existing works by William Byrd, George Frideric Handel, Edward Elgar, Walford Davies, William Walton, Hubert Parry, and Ralph Vaughan Williams were included, as they had been at previous coronations.[59] Six pieces were performed in new arrangements by John Rutter.[60]

In tribute to the King's 64-year tenure as Prince of Wales the Kyrie was set in Welsh by Paul Mealor and was sung by Sir Bryn Terfel.[58] A Greek Orthodox chant was included in the service in tribute to the King's father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[56]

The director of music for the coronation was Andrew Nethsingha, the organist and master of the choristers at the abbey.[59] Before the service John Eliot Gardiner conducted the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists.[56][59] The main choir was a combination of the choirs of Westminster Abbey, the Chapel Royal, the Monteverdi Choir, and girl choristers from Methodist College Belfast and Truro Cathedral.[59][58][61] The orchestra players were drawn from the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Regina Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra and Welsh National Opera Orchestra, which are all patronised by Charles.[59][58] The orchestra, situated in the organ loft,[62] was conducted by Antonio Pappano and led by Vasko Vasilev.[58] The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry and the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Air Force played the fanfares.[59]
Percussionists of the Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry during the procession to Buckingham Palace

All eight of the massed bands in the coronation procession played the same music, keeping time with each other with the help of a radio broadcast click track – the first time such technology has been used on such a large-scale ceremonial event; previously bands would march to different pieces of music starting at different times. The tempo set was 108 beats per minute, slowed down from the regulation 116 beats per minute because of the size of the bands.[63]

An official coronation album, which includes all music and spoken word from the pre-service and service was recorded and released by Decca Records after the ceremony.[64]
List of music played at the coronation service
Cost

As a state event, the event was paid for by the British government as well as Buckingham Palace through the Sovereign Grant and Privy Purse. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated that it was "unable to give costs, or a breakdown of funding" until after the coronation, but unofficial estimates of £50 million to £250 million have been reported.[69][70][71][72]

The cost of the coronation was criticised by the campaign group Republic and the Scottish National Party MP Ronnie Cowan in light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis in the United Kingdom. In comparison, Elizabeth II's coronation cost £912,000 in 1953, equating to £20.5m in May 2023, while George VI's cost £454,000 in 1937, equating to £24.8m in May 2023. George VI's coronation prior to the coronation of Charles III and Camilla was the most expensive in the last 300 years.[73] The elevated expenses for Charles and Camilla's coronation has been partly attributed to the increased cost for security measures.[74][75]
Coronation service
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach carrying Charles and Camilla outside Buckingham Palace

The events of the coronation day included a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, the coronation service itself, a procession back to Buckingham Palace, and an appearance by the King and Queen, with other members of the royal family, on the palace balcony for a flypast by the Royal Air Force.[76]

The coronation was conducted by the Church of England and contained several distinct elements, which were structured around a service of Holy Communion.[77] Charles and Camilla first proceeded into the abbey, then Charles was presented to the people and recognised as monarch. After this Charles took an oath stating that he will uphold the law and maintain the Church of England. He then was anointed with holy oil, invested with the coronation regalia, and crowned with St Edward's Crown. After this he was enthroned and received homage from Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and William, Prince of Wales, and the people were invited to swear allegiance. Camilla then was anointed, crowned, and enthroned. The King and Queen ended the service by taking Holy Communion, and processed out of the abbey.[78]
Procession to the abbey

On the day of the coronation Charles and Camilla travelled to Westminster Abbey in procession.[79][80] They departed Buckingham Palace at 10:20 BST and went along The Mall, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street, and around the east and south sides of Parliament Square before reaching the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey, a distance of 1.42 miles (2.29 km).[79][81] Charles and Camilla used the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, drawn by six Windsor Greys, and were accompanied by the Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.[79][82]
Procession into the abbey
Flag bearers and leaders from the Commonwealth realms prior to their procession into the abbey

The procession into the abbey was led by leaders and representatives from non-Christian religions, including the Baháʼí, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Shia and Sunni Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian communities.[12][83] They were followed by leaders from different Christian denominations, including the Church of England. After this the flags of the Commonwealth realms were carried by representatives, accompanied by their governors general and prime ministers. The choir followed.[12][83][81]

Charles and Camilla arrived shortly before 11:00 and formed their own procession. It was led by four peers[c] carrying heraldic standards displaying the arms of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales,[12][83] followed by the King's champion, Francis Dymoke, carrying the royal standard.[12] The Lord High Constable of England and the Earl Marshal also took part.[12] Charles and Camilla were each attended by four pages of honour, including Prince George of Wales and Camilla's grandsons.[d][84] Camilla was also accompanied by two ladies in attendance: Annabel Elliot, her sister, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne.[85] Unexpectedly the Prince and Princess of Wales and their two younger children arrived at the Abbey after the King, "whose horses went a lot faster than they had in the practice", and joined the procession after their majesties. [86][87] The choir sang Hubert Parry's "I was glad", during which the King's Scholars of Westminster School sang "Vivat Regina Camilla" and "Vivat Rex Carolus" ('Long live Queen Camilla' and 'Long live King Charles').[83][88]

After this the coronation regalia was processed to the altar.[12][89] At Charles's request, the sixth-century St Augustine Gospels was also carried in the procession.[90]
Bearers and presenters of regalia
Recognition
The Coronation Chair, which housed the Stone of Scone, was used by Charles during the ceremony. For this coronation, the chair was fitted with a new seat cushion and armrests.

The service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, began with the King and Queen having a silent moment of prayer before seating themselves on their chairs of estate, made for the 1953 coronation.[83][93][94] In a new element of the service, the king was welcomed by one of the Children of the Chapel, to which he replied that he came "not to be served but to serve".[95] Paul Mealor's "Coronation Kyrie" was sung in Welsh by Sir Bryn Terfel. After this the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lady Elish Angiolini, Christopher Finney, and Baroness Amos stood facing east, south, west, and north and in turn asked the congregation to recognise Charles as king; the crowd replied "God save King Charles!" each time.[83][81] Charles was then presented with a new Bible by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.[83]
Oath and accession declaration

The Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledged the existence of multiple faiths and beliefs in the United Kingdom.[81] Charles then took the coronation oath, in which he swore to govern each of his countries according to their respective laws and customs, to administer law and justice with mercy, and to uphold Protestantism in the United Kingdom and protect the Church of England. Subsequently, he made the statutory accession declaration.[83] Charles then signed a written form of the oath, before kneeling before the altar and saying a prayer.[83]

The service of Holy Communion then continued. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered the collect, and the epistle and gospel were read by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, respectively.[83] This was followed by a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury.[83]
Anointing

Charles removed his robe of state and was seated on the Coronation Chair.[96][97] He then was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, using the ampulla and a medieval spoon, the latter the oldest part of the coronation regalia. The anointing emphasised the spiritual role of the sovereign. It was a private part of the service; as in 1953 it was not televised, and Charles was concealed by a screen. During this the choir sang the anthem Zadok the Priest.[98]
Investment and crowning
St Edward's Crown, the Orb, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove, and the Sovereign's Ring

In the next part of the service, Charles was presented with several items from the coronation regalia. The spurs, armills, Sword of State, and Sword of Offering were given to the King, who touched them with his hand, before they were removed again.[83] During this, Psalm 71 was chanted in Greek by an Orthodox choir in tribute of the King's father, Prince Philip, who was born a prince of Greece.[83] The King was invested with the stole royal, robe royal, and the sovereign's orb, and presented with the sovereign's ring, which he touched but did not wear. He was then invested with the glove, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, and the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove.[83][89]
Army gun salute at Stirling Castle the moment Charles is crowned

The King then was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the Archbishop and then the congregation chanting, "God save the King!".[83] At the moment of crowning the church bells of the abbey rang, 21-gun salutes were fired at 13 locations around the United Kingdom and on deployed Royal Navy ships, and 62-gun salutes and a six-gun salvo were fired from the Tower of London and Horse Guards Parade.[99]

Charles then received a blessing read by the Archbishop of York, the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, the Moderator of the Free Churches, the Secretary General of Churches Together in England, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, representing the Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Nonconformist, ecumenical, and Roman Catholic traditions respectively.[83]
Enthronement and homage

Charles moved to the throne (originally made for George VI in 1937) and the Archbishop of Canterbury and William, Prince of Wales, offered him their fealty.[94][83] The Archbishop of Canterbury then invited the people of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms to swear allegiance to the King, the first time this has occurred.[83][100]
Coronation of the Queen
Queen Mary's Crown (here depicted in its original form) was used to crown Queen Camilla

The next part of the service concerned Camilla. She was anointed in public view, thought to be the first time this has occurred, and then presented with the Queen Consort's Ring.[83][101] The Queen then was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury using Queen Mary's Crown.[83] Camilla then was presented with the Queen Consort's Sceptre with Cross and the Queen Consort's Rod with Dove (which, unlike other queens consort, she chose not to carry), before sitting on her own throne (originally made for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1937) beside the King.[83][89][94]

This was the first coronation of a consort since that of Charles's grandmother Queen Elizabeth in 1937.[7]
Holy Communion

The offertory followed, during which gifts of bread and wine were brought before the King and prayed over; the prayer was a translation from the Liber Regalis, which dates from c. 1382 and is one of the oldest sources for the English coronation service.[83] Charles and Camilla then received Holy Communion from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the congregation recited the Lord's Prayer, before a final blessing.[83]
End of the service

At the end of the service the King changed into the Imperial State Crown.[102] Charles and Camilla then proceeded to the west door of the abbey as the national anthem, "God Save the King", was sung. At the end of the procession the King received a greeting by leaders and representatives from the Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, and Buddhist faiths.[83]
State procession to Buckingham Palace
The King and Queen returning from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach

The second procession followed the same route as the first, but in reverse and on a larger scale. The King and Queen were carried in the Gold State Coach, drawn by eight Windsor Grey horses, with other members of the royal family in other vehicles.[79]

The armed forces of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the British Overseas Territories played a significant part. Over 5,000 members of the British Armed Forces and 400 Armed Forces personnel from at least 35 other Commonwealth countries were part of the two processions, and 1,000 lined the route.[99] The Sovereign's Bodyguard, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Royal Watermen also took part in the procession, and the Royal British Legion formed a Guard of Honour of 100 Standard Bearers in Parliament Square.[79][103] The Princess Royal and the Commander of the Household Cavalry served as the Gold Stick-in-Waiting and Silver Stick-in-Waiting, respectively.[104]
The King and Queen and other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

At Buckingham Palace, the King and Queen stood on the rear balcony and received a royal salute and three cheers from the armed forces, who were massed in the palace garden, then joined other members of the royal family on the front balcony to review a flypast by helicopters and the Red Arrows aerobatic team. A six-minute flypast of 68 aircraft was planned, but prevented by rain and low cloud.[105][e]

A grandstand was built in front of Buckingham Palace from which to watch the procession and flypast, with 3,800 seats offered to Armed Forces veterans, NHS and social care workers, and representatives of charities with links to the King and Queen.[107] In addition, 354 uniformed cadet forces viewed the procession at Admiralty Arch.[107]
Public events and commemorations
United Kingdom
A Coronation Big Lunch held in London
The Coronation Concert, with drones in formation overhead

In April 2023, Buckingham Palace revealed a new hashflag emoji depicting St Edward's Crown for use on Twitter.[108]

On 2 May, the King and Queen attended a celebratory pre-coronation reception at Westminster Hall.[109] They are due to host coronation garden parties at Buckingham Palace on 3 and 9 May and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 4 July.[110][111] On 5 May, Charles, together with the Prince and Princess of Wales, greeted crowds at The Mall during a walkabout.[28]

Between 6–8 May people in Britain held "Coronation Big Lunch" street parties.[93] More than 3,000 parties were planned, with English councils having approved the closure of 3,087 roads. Most street parties were scheduled for Sunday, 7 May.[112] Coronation quiche was chosen by Charles and Camilla as the official dish of the Coronation Big Lunch.[113] Pubs also remained open until 01:00 on the coronation weekend.[114]

The Coronation Concert was planned for 7 May on Windsor Castle's east lawn.[93][80] In addition to performances by singers, musicians, and stage and screen actors, the show also featured a "Coronation Choir" composed of community choirs and amateur singers.[80][93][115] During the concert, landmarks, areas of natural beauty, and street parties were featured.[116] 5,000 pairs of free tickets were distributed by public ballot, and volunteers from the King and Queen's charities were also invited.[93][117] Several musical performers reportedly turned down the palace's invitation to perform citing scheduling conflicts.[118]
Staff from the British Embassy in Washington D.C. volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank on 8 May as a part of the Big Help Out initiative

A public holiday was declared on 8 May to commemorate the coronation.[119] On the same day, the Together Coalition, in partnership with The Scout Association, the Royal Voluntary Service, and various faith groups, organised the Big Help Out initiative to encourage volunteering and community service.[93][80] An estimated 6 million took part in the initiative.[120] The Royal Voluntary Service, of which Camilla is president, also launched the Coronation Champions Awards, which recognised 500 volunteers nominated by the public.[121][122] The National Literacy Trust, of which Camilla is patron, announced the opening of 50 special primary school libraries to mark the coronation.[123]
Ecclesiastical initiatives

Twenty-eight days prior to the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, the Church of England established a period of prayer for them, and to this end, published a Book of Daily Prayers that included "daily themes, reflections and prayers for use by individuals, churches or groups".[124][125][126]

Congregations of the Church of England held special commemorative services throughout the country on 6–7 May 2023.[127]
Government initiatives

The government of the United Kingdom issued coronation medals to 400,000 individuals, including those involved in supporting the coronation, front line emergency and prison services workers, and members of the British Armed Forces. The medals are made of nickel silver and plated in nickel and feature an effigy of the King and Queen, on a red, white and blue ribbon.[128]
A crowned roundel for Green Park tube station

The Transport for London announced several initiatives. The roundels used by the London Underground, the Overground, and the Elizabeth line were redesigned to include a crown for the coronation.[129] Voice announcement were also replaced by announcements recorded by the King and Queen on 5 May, and were used on railway station and all Underground stations throughout the coronation weekend and bank holiday on Monday.[130] The London North Eastern Railway also named its daily 11:00 passenger train from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley the Carolean Express, starting on 6 May.[131]

Natural England will mark the coronation with the creation of the King's Series of National Nature Reserves, which will see five major national nature reserves named every year for the next five years.[132][133]
Memorabilia

The Royal Mint released a new collection of coins, including 50p and £5 coin depicting the King wearing the Tudor Crown.[134] Royal Mail issued four stamps to mark the King's coronation, as it did for the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. The company will also apply a special postmark from 28 April to 10 May.[135]
Signage for a store advertising the sale of coronation memorabilia in Weymouth

The Royal Collection Trust released official coronation memorabilia to mark the occasion.[136][137] In February 2023, Buckingham Palace announced it would temporarily relax the "rules governing the commercial use of royal photographs and official insignia" to allow other groups to produce coronation memorabilia.[138]

Companies that have produced coronation memorabilia include Emma Bridgewater, Jan Constantine, Merrythought, and Royal Crown Derby.[136][139] Greene King produced a special brew to mark the coronation and auctioned several unopened crates of a special brew created for the cancelled coronation of Edward VIII in 1937, with proceeds from the auction going to The Prince's Trust.[139]
Crown Dependencies

A public holiday was declared on 8 May in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Jersey.[140][141][142] As in the United Kingdom, Big Help Outs will also be organised in all three Crown Dependencies on the day of the holiday.[80][143][144]

The states of Guernsey planned events to celebrate the coronation from 5 to 8 May. A vigil was held on 5 May at Forest Methodist Church to reflect on the coronation's spiritual element. On 6 May, bells rang from Town Church, Vale, Forest, and St Pierre du Bois. A live broadcast of the coronation service was played on a large screen at the King George V Sports Ground (KGV), followed by a military parade from Fort George to the Model Yacht Pond. A 21-gun salute was fired at noon from Castle Cornet as part of the national salute. On 7 May, a Coronation Big Lunch was held at Saint Peter Port seafront, along with a service of thanksgiving at the Town Church. That evening the Coronation Concert was planned to be screened live at the KGV playing fields, and buildings including Castle Cornet and Fort Grey were illuminated in red, white, and blue in the evening.[145]

In Jersey, on 6 May, Coronation Park hosted a large-screen broadcast of the coronation, musical entertainment, and activities. Licensed establishments were encouraged to open ahead of the ceremony's broadcast, and seventh category licensed establishments could apply for special extensions to stay open until 3 am on 7 May. On 7 May, the Coronation Big Lunch took place in Liberation Square, where a public screening of the coronation concert was also held.[143][146]

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