The palace has announced that King Charles III's coronation will be held in spring next year. Buckingham Palace has said that Charles will be crowned at a formal service on Saturday May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey
Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned alongside the new monarch. The service will officially mark eight months since the death of the Queen and the accession of Charles.
The Royal Household has said that the ceremony will be “rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry” but will also “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”. According to the Mirror, Charles III will be anointed with holy oil, receive the orb, coronation ring and sceptre, be crowned with the majestic St Edward’s Crown and blessed during the historic ceremony.
Camilla will also be anointed with holy oil and crowned, just like the Queen Mother was when she was crowned Queen in 1937. The Palace said on Tuesday evening: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6th May 2023.
“The coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside the Queen Consort.
“The coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.” But it appears this historic event will look rather different than the Queen's coronation 70 years earlier.
Charles is reportedly planning to slim down the ceremony with 6,000 fewer guests invited, ancient traditions axed and the four-hour service cut down to a tight 60 minutes. The number of those in attendance is set to be slashed from 8,000 to 2,000 and much of the costly pomp and ceremony has been scrapped.
Charles has long been in favour of streamlining the monarchy with a modernised approach. He is said to be determined to retain an element of the grandeur and tradition that captivated the world during the late Queen's lying-in-state and funeral last month.
The plans will differ from Queen Elizabeth II's three-hour coronation service in 1953, which was televised for the very first time and watched by millions. Following the service the Queen took part in a four-mile procession through London designed so that she could be seen by as many people as possible.
A total of 8,251 guests attended the Queen's coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 1953 - but Charles is said to want to trim down the guest list this time around. Some MPs and peers won't get an invite, it has been claimed.
During the Queen's ceremony an inglot - or wedge of gold - was presented to her, but a source told the Daily Mail that "in an age where people are feeling the pinch, this is not going to happen". Velvet chairs made for the 1953 coronation will likely be replaced by normal seating.
Discussions have been held about a more relaxed dress code too, it has been reported.
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