Tag: King Charles’ coronation

The anatomy of a coronation: A guide to the crowning of King Charles III

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What is the coronation schedule?

The coronation of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will take place at noon (London time) on Saturday, May 6, at Westminster Abbey, where coronations have taken place for around 900 years.

Prior to this, the King and Queen Consort will undertake a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey for the ceremonies, which are scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The event is expected to conclude at 1 p.m., following which the royal family will watch a fly past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

There will be a concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday evening featuring Katie Perry, Take That, Andre Bocelli, Lionel Richie and others.

The weekend’s events include community lunches on Sunday and volunteer mobilisation activities on Monday – to reflect the King’s long running association with community and volunteering activities.

How does this British coronation compare to previous ones?

Apart from the coronation reflecting the individual preferences of the monarch, this year’s events “will reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry”, according to Buckingham Palace.


Also read | King Charles III’s coronation: Details revealed about coronation service

For instance, at least one of the six coronation ‘vestments’ will be recycled from George VI’s coronation “in the interests of sustainability and efficiency” Buckingham Palace said. Several of the chairs used during the ceremonies will also be restored and reused – such as the Chairs of Estate, which were made in 1953 and used during Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.

There will also be traditions dating back hundreds of years. The throne that will be used for the ceremony was built over 700 years ago and used first by Edward the Confessor (whose reign ended in 1066). It sits over a 152 kg stone – the Stone of Scone or the Stone of Destiny, which has been used by Scottish rulers for centuries and was seized by Edward I of England in 1296 (the English and Scottish crowns were unified in 1603). Former U.K. Prime Minister John Major returned the stone to Scotland 700 years later, in 1996, and it was brought back to Westminster Abby last week for the May 6 ceremonies.

In a departure from tradition, Camilla will not wear the Platinum Crown which has the Koh-i-Noor diamond embedded in it. The crown was set aside, reportedly following concerns that wearing the diamond could cause offence, especially in India, from where the East India Company took it.

File photo of the Gold State Coach being led in a procession as it leaves Westminster Abbey in central London on May 3, 2023, during a rehearsal for the Coronation of King Charles III.

File photo of the Gold State Coach being led in a procession as it leaves Westminster Abbey in central London on May 3, 2023, during a rehearsal for the Coronation of King Charles III.
| Photo Credit:
AP

The religious landscape of Britain is vastly different today than it was when Charles’s mother ascended the throne in 1953. To reflect this, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist leaders will present the King with coronation regalia and also greet him following the coronation.

The British monarch is styled ‘Defender of the Faith’ – i.e., the Protestant faith espoused by the Church of England. In the 1990s, the King, then Prince Charles, had said, controversially, that he would be a ‘Defender of Faith’ rather than ‘Defender of the Faith’ to reflect the changed religious landscape of the country. The preamble to his oath on Saturday will have a reference to the King fostering “an environment in which people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely”.

During the coronation, the public will be invited to swear allegiance to the King and “his heirs and successors”. This is also a new element to the coronation. While some (such as Members of the U.K. parliament) have come out in support of this, others have objected.

“In a democracy, it is the head of state who should be swearing allegiance to the people, not the other way around. This kind of nonsense should have died with Elizabeth I, not outlived Elizabeth II,” said Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, a group that is campaigning to make the U.K. a Republic.

Who is attending the coronation?

India will be represented by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II was attended by President Droupadi Murmu and the last coronation, six years after India’s independence, was attended by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The United States will be represented by First Lady Jill Biden – President Joe Biden will not attend, sticking to the tradition of American presidents skipping the crowning of a British monarch. French President Macron is also on the list as are the heads of government of the commonwealth ‘realms’ – such as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia. European and world royalty will also be in attendance – including the King and Queen of Bhutan, the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan and the Maori King and Queen.

The King’s daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, will be conspicuous by her absence. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California while her husband, Prince Harry, will attend his father’s coronation, months after publishing a revealing memoir, Spare, which further strained his and Ms Markle’s relationship with the King and the heir to the throne, Prince William.

Who pays for the coronation?

The U.K. Government, i.e., U.K. taxpayers, will foot the bill for the coronation which is estimated to be £100 million ($125 million). In 1953, the British Government spent £1.57 million or £46 million in today’s terms on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, according to an analysis in The Times.

Britain’s Princess Anne, as Colonel of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), sits for a group photo with Officers and senior Non-Commissioned Officers of The Household Division during her visit to Wellington Barracks on May 3, 2023, ahead of the coronation.

Britain’s Princess Anne, as Colonel of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), sits for a group photo with Officers and senior Non-Commissioned Officers of The Household Division during her visit to Wellington Barracks on May 3, 2023, ahead of the coronation.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Is the monarchy popular?

A significant majority of Britons think that the U.K. should continue to have a monarchy. An April 26-27 YouGov poll showed that 60% of adults were in support of the institution continuing, while 26% said the country should have an elected head of state ( 15% were in the “don’t know” category). Support for the monarchy was the highest in England and then Wales. Only 42% of Scottish people surveyed thought the monarchy should continue, with 46% preferring an elected head of state.

Support for the monarchy was the lowest in the 18-24 age group (32% support it while 44% want an elected head of state) and higher in older groups. It was also higher among those who voted to leave the European Union and those who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2019 general election, and slightly higher among women.

Approval ratings for members of the royal family have dropped since the publication of Prince Harry’s memoir. These ratings had risen around the death of Queen Elizabeth in September last year. 51% of adults think that King Charles will do a good job as monarch, according to March data from Ipsos.

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Morning Digest: May 3, 2023

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Security forces patrol after British police arrested a man outside Buckingham Palace for throwing what they believe were shotgun cartridges, in London, Britain on May 2, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Man detained after ‘shotgun cartridges’ thrown into Buckingham Palace grounds

Days ahead of King Charles’ May 6 coronation, Buckingham Palace was temporarily cordoned off after a man approached the palace and allegedly threw objects — thought to be shotgun cartridges — into the palace grounds.

India criticises USCIRF report, calls it misrepresentation of facts

India on May 2 categorically rejected as “biased” and “motivated” a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that alleged “severe violations” of religious freedom in the country. In its annual report on religious freedom, the USCIRF asked the U.S. State Department to designate India as a “country of particular concern” on the status of religious freedom 

Bilkis Bano case convicts playing for time: Supreme Court judge K.M. Joseph

Supreme Court judge Justice K.M. Joseph said that it was “more than obvious” that the men released early from life imprisonment for gangraping Bilkis Bano and murdering her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots were raising a maze of procedural objections in successive court hearings to avoid his Bench. The oral remark came after the courtroom rang with submissions made by the lawyers for the 11 released convicts, who claimed that they were not served notice of the case.

Ahead of G20 meet in Kashmir, security agencies brace for potential ‘fidayeen’ attack, drone and vehicle-borne threats

Elaborate security measures were finalised on Tuesday for the upcoming meeting of delegates from G20 nations in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar from May 22 to counter the potential threats of ‘fidayeen’ attacks and threats posed by the use of vehicles and drones by militants. The National Security Guard (NSG) teams will be deployed for counter-’fidayeen’ attacks along with the police’s Special Operation Groups, and also to counter drone-borne threats at all venues.

Centre extends time to submit joint options for higher PF pension till June 26

The Centre has extended the time to submit joint options to claim higher provident fund pension till June 26. The deadline to submit the applications was on May 3. The EPFO said more than 12 lakh applications have been received till date. It added that the timeline is being extended to facilitate and provide ample opportunity to the pensioners and members so as to to ease out any difficulty being faced by them.

Nine years after ban, coal mining to resume in Meghalaya, says CM Sangma

Coal mining in Meghalaya, banned since April 2014, is likely to be resumed legally by July. At an election rally on May 1, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the Centre had approved mining leases for four persons, thus paving the way for scientific mining in the State. Despite the ban on rat-hole coal mining, the fossil fuel has been extracted and transported illegally for years in Meghalaya.

China, Russia, Pakistan Foreign Ministers to attend May 4 SCO meet in Goa

The Foreign Ministers of China and Russia will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Goa on May 4 and 5, on key visits expected to lay the groundwork for Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin to travel to India in early July. The China and Russia led Eurasian security grouping also includes four Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — while India and Pakistan were added to the group in 2017.

India temporarily relocates embassy from Khartoum to Port Sudan

India has decided to temporarily relocate its embassy from the violence-hit Sudanese capital city of Khartoum to Port Sudan in view of the prevailing security situation in the African country. India has been operating military aircraft and naval ships from Port Sudan to evacuate its citizens from the African country.

AAP used hawala, cash route to funnel liquor policy kickbacks for Goa polls: ED

The Enforcement Directorate has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of “using” a part of the ₹100 crore kickbacks allegedly received from the ‘south group’ liquor lobby to meet its expenditure for the Goa Assembly poll campaign in 2022. The accusation has been made in the agency’s supplementary charge sheet filed in the Delhi Excise policy-linked money laundering case.

Ukraine Minister apologises for Goddess Kali tweet, says ‘we respect unique Indian culture’

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova, who recently visited India, on May 2 expressed “regrets” over the depiction of Goddess Kali in a “distorted manner” by the Defence Ministry and apologised for the act, saying her country and its people respect “unique Indian culture”. The Ukraine Defence Ministry’s tweet, which has now been deleted, was captioned “Work of art” with an image of Goddess Kali superimposed over a blast fume.

Do not want to talk about audio clips, says T.N. CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 said he was not ready to talk about the recent audio clippings, which the opposition claimed purportedly contained the voice of State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan implicating the ruling party in corruption. On Monday, Mr Rajan, had met the Chief Minister during which he is believed to have explained his stand on the issue.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea seeking stay on release of movie ‘The Kerala Story’

The Supreme Court on May 2 refused to entertain a plea seeking a stay on the release of the movie The Kerala Story on grounds that its the “worst kind of hate speech” and an “audio-visual propaganda”. The Bench said, “There are varieties of hate speeches. This film has got certification and has been cleared by the board. It’s not like a person getting on the podium and starts giving uncontrolled speech. If you want to challenge the release of the movie, you should challenge the certification and through appropriate forum”.

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King Charles III’s coronation: carriages, crown jewels, emoji unveiled by Britain’s royal family

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Britain’s royal family has revealed new details about King Charles III’s coronation next month with information on processional routes, carriages, and coronation regalia and unveiled a new emoji to mark the ceremony that will be less elaborate than the one staged in 1953 for his mother.

Charles, 74, who immediately became king when Queen Elizabeth II died last September after her record-breaking 70-year reign, will be formally crowned on May 6.

The coronation will take place almost 70 years after the last Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953.

Buckingham Palace on Sunday revealed further details ahead of the coronation.

The new British sovereign will be crowned alongside his wife, Camilla, in a deeply religious service at Westminster Abbey.

Also Read | King Charles III holds rare phone conversation with Prime Minister Modi

On the morning of the May 6, the King and Queen Consort will travel from Buckingham Palace in The King’s Procession to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Her late Majesty’s reign in 2012, the coach has only ever conveyed the Sovereign, occasionally accompanied by the consort or a visiting Head of State.

The Australian-built Diamond Jubilee State Coach IS the newest of the royal carriages, the BBC reported.

This looks traditional, but is actually modern, with air conditioning, electric windows and up-to-date suspension.

“It’s made of aluminium, which is quite unusual, because most of them are made of wood, and it’s also got hydraulic suspension, meaning that the ride is incredibly comfortable,” says Sally Goodsir, curator at the Royal Collection Trust.

The gilded crown on the top of the Diamond Jubilee State Coach was carved from oak from HMS Victory.

Also Read | King Charles III proclaimed Britain’s monarch in historic ceremony

The coach’s interior is inlaid with samples of woods, metals and other materials from buildings and places with specific connections to Britain and its history; Royal Residences including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse; cathedrals including St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey; and historic ships, such as the Mary Rose. The coach will be drawn by six Windsor Greys.

The King’s Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, and proceed down The Mall, passing through the Admiralty Arch and south of King Charles I Island, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street.

The King’s Procession will travel around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, where the Coronation Service will begin at 11 o’clock.

In keeping with the king’s wish for a smaller-scale ceremony, the 1.3-mile (2.1km) procession will be much shorter than that staged for the coronation of his mother, The Guardian newspaper said.

The procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace will be much larger in scale, taking the same route in reverse. The Coronation Procession will include Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, alongside The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal Watermen.

The King and the Queen will return to the palace in the traditional — but notoriously uncomfortable — Gold State Coach, used in every coronation since the 1830s.

The coach, last seen during the Pageant of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022, was commissioned in 1760 and was first used by King George III, to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762.

The coach has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV in 1831. The coach will be drawn by eight Windsor Greys and, due to its weight of four tonnes, will travel at a walking pace.

Upon returning to Buckingham Palace following the Coronation Service, Their Majesties will receive a Royal Salute from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces who have been on parade that day. The Royal Salute will be followed by three cheers from the assembled service personnel, as a tribute from the Armed Forces on parade to The King and The Queen.

The palace has also outlined the coronation regalia which are “sacred and secular objects” symbolic of the “responsibilities of the monarch” that will be featured in the Westminster service.

The regalia — which is held in trust by the monarch on the nation’s behalf — have played a principal role in coronation services for centuries.

Among the treasures to be used, which are usually on public display at the Tower of London, will be the Imperial State Crown which is only used at ceremonial events and was made for King George VI’s 1937 coronation.

Charles will exchange it for St Edward’s Crown at the end of the service. Made of solid gold and trimmed with ermine and velvet, it is famously heavy — weighing more than five pounds (2.23kg).

As previously announced, Camilla is reusing Queen Mary’s Crown rather than commissioning a new one to be made.

Two heavy maces made of silver gilt over oak and several ceremonial swords — The Sword of State, the Sword of Temporal Justice, the Sword of Spiritual Justice and the Sword of Mercy — will also be used. Additionally, several instruments of state will feature including the Sovereign’s orb and two sceptres, which represent the monarch’s temporal power and spiritual role.

The oldest item being used will be a spoon to hold the oil for the anointing in the coronation. This spoon, possibly 12th Century, is a rare surviving part of the original medieval coronation regalia, most of which was destroyed after the English Civil War in the 17th Century, BBC said.

Among more than 2,000 guests expected to be in the Abbey will be 450 representatives of charity and community groups, who will be alongside world leaders, politicians and royalty.

Indian-origin chef Manju Malhi, who works with a senior citizens charity in the U.K., is among the British Empire Medal (BEM) winners on the royal invitation list for the coronation.

In addition to the new details on processional routes, carriages and coronation regalia, a new emoji has even been designed to mark the celebrations. Based on St Edward’s Crown, it will appear on Twitter when coronation hashtags are used over the holiday weekend.



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