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King Charles and Queen Camilla at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 9, 2023.
The coronation of Britain’s King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
During the ceremony, both King Charles and Queen Camilla will be crowned.
BBC Chinese sorts out several key issues of the coronation of Charles III code-named “Operation Golden Globe”.
What is a King’s Coronation?
This is both a symbolic religious ceremony and a concrete act of placing the crown on the monarch’s head.
It formalizes the monarch’s status as head of the Church of England, marking a shift in his title and a transfer of power.
But in fact, a monarch does not necessarily need to be crowned to become king.
Edward VIII was uncrowned but was also king; Charles automatically became king the moment Queen Elizabeth II died.
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Three days after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Charles was confirmed by the Council of Succession as Britain’s new king.
Where was the coronation ceremony held?
The coronation of British monarchs follows the tradition of being held at Westminster Abbey.
The exclusive chapel of the British royal family at Westminster Abbey has witnessed important moments such as the coronation of monarchs, royal weddings, and funerals.
“William I the Conqueror” was the first British monarch to be crowned at Westminster, and Charles III will be the 40th, with his coronation officially beginning at 11am on May 6, 2023.
The coronation of Charles III was code-named “Operation Golden Globe”.
The last time a coronation was held at Westminster Abbey was that of Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.
How will the British people participate?
Monday 8th May is a national holiday in the UK.
Buckingham Palace has also announced various events for the King’s coronation weekend, including a concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday night, May 7, featuring Katy Perry, Take That and Lionel Rich and many other stars will perform on stage. The concert will be televised live.
Pubs and nightclubs in England and Wales will open for two hours longer on Friday and Saturday of Coronation Weekend.
Buckingham Palace also launched the “Mutual Help” initiative, inviting people to hold street parties and encouraging people to participate in volunteering projects in the local community.
The coronation coat of arms bears the symbols of the United Kingdom: rose (England), thistle (Scotland), daffodil (Wales), shamrock (Northern Ireland).
Who will be at the coronation of Charles III?
The coronation is a state event, which means the guest list is controlled by the government.
As well as members of the royal family, invitees include the prime minister, representatives of both houses of parliament, heads of state and other royals from around the world.
Charles III’s second son Harry (Duke of Sussex) has confirmed that he will return to the UK from the United States to attend the coronation ceremony, but his wife Meghan (Duchess of Sussex) will not attend.
Harry will come, but Meghan won’t.
It will be his first public appearance with the royal family since the publication of his controversial memoir, Standby, in January.
Coronation Day marks the fourth birthday of Harry and Meghan’s son, Prince Archie, who will remain in the US with his mother.
Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is expected to attend the coronation.
Queen Camilla’s grandsons and granddaughters will join Charles III’s grandson, Prince George, as page boys at the service at Westminster Abbey.
In addition, 850 representatives of communities across the UK were invited to attend to recognize their contributions to charity.
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Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife are expected to attend the coronation of Charles III.
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the coronation ceremony in London. US President Biden will not attend, but his wife Jill Biden will attend on his behalf.
China has not yet announced who will attend Charles III’s coronation. Vice President Han Zheng may represent Xi Jinping at the coronation.
The report quoted the British Foreign Office as saying that it had sent a letter to invite the heads of state of all countries with diplomatic relations to attend, and the Chinese government will decide on its own.
image source,Buckingham Palace
The coronation invitations were designed by illustrator Andrew Jamieson, and prominent features include the image of the “green man” from folklore, surrounded by ivy, hawthorn and oak leaves.
What will happen on King’s Coronation Day?
The coronation ceremony of the British king, which has been followed for nearly a thousand years, is now the only ceremony of its kind in Europe.
However, the coronation will be shorter and smaller than Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, representing a greater diversity of religious beliefs.
On the morning of coronation day, Charles and Camilla will be escorted by the Royal Horse Guards from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, passing a series of London landmarks, including The Mall, Admiralty Arch ( Admiralty Arch, around Trafalgar Square, along Whitehall and across Parliament Square. This is called “The King’s Procession”.
After the coronation ceremony, the procession escorting Charles and Camilla will return to Buckingham Palace in a carriage, which is called “The Coronation Procession”.
The king and queen will travel to Westminster Abbey in a relatively modern carriage, the Diamond Jubilee coach, first commissioned in 2014, which has electric windows and air conditioning.
After the coronation, the pair will return in the “golden carriage” that has been used in every coronation since the 1830s.
More than 6,000 members of the British Armed Forces will take part in the parade, making it the largest ceremonial event in the past 70 years. People from across the UK and the Commonwealth will also take part in the march.
After the parade, members of the royal family will make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Cultural relics restoration experts meticulously restore the Coronation Chair
What is the procedure for the coronation ceremony in the church?
Generally include the following items:
- Acknowledgment: The monarch stands next to the 700-year-old coronation chair as the Archbishop of Canterbury presents the monarch to those gathered inside the church, chanting “God save the king!” and sounding trumpets
- Oath: The monarch takes an oath to uphold the law and the Church of England
- Anointing: The king casts off his coronation robes and sits in the coronation chair. The Archbishop of Canterbury anointed the king’s hands, chest and head with a secret recipe of holy oil known to contain ambergris, orange blossom, rose, jasmine and cinnamon.Additionally, Holy Oils formulated for Charles do not contain any ingredients derived from animals
- Empowerment: Items bestowed on the monarch include the Royal Orb, which represents religious and moral authority, the sceptre, which represents power, and the “royal scepter,” a golden rod with a white enamel dove on it, a symbol of justice and mercy.Finally, the Archbishop of Canterbury places the St Edward’s Crown on the king’s head
- Enthronement and Tribute: The king leaves the coronation chair and moves to the throne. Archbishops, members of the royal family and others knelt down to pay respects.
Queen Camilla will then be anointed and crowned in the same way.
Which crowns will be worn during the ceremony?
The King will wear the 17th-century St. Edward’s Crown, made of pure gold. It is very heavy and is used only for coronation.
Charles III is believed to be wearing the St Edward’s tiara for his coronation
The death of Queen Elizabeth II has reignited debate over how the British Empire acquired some of the royal jewels.
The controversy centered on the diamonds set in two other tiaras.
One is the Imperial Crown, which the King will wear towards the end of his coronation and when he appears on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
This tiara features the Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Star of Africa II. It was a gift from the government of the Transvaal, a former British colony in what is now South Africa, to Edward VII on his 66th birthday.
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The imperial crown, orb and scepter on the late queen’s coffin
Another controversial diamond is the Koh-i-Noor, which is set in the Queen Mother’s coronation crown. This is one of the heaviest cut diamonds in the world. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have all claimed ownership.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Koh-i-Noor will not be used for the coronation.
Queen Camilla will be crowned with the Queen Mary tiara, which has been removed from the Tower of London to be resized ahead of the ceremony.
Who will pay for the coronation?
As a state event, coronation expenses are borne by the British government.
While the government is likely to come under more pressure now that the UK is mired in a cost of living crisis, it is expected to use the ceremony as a diplomatic opportunity to showcase Britain to the world.
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