In a once-in-a-generation royal spectacle, Britain’s King Charles III was crowned in front of tens of thousands of well-wishers who assembled in the heart of London despite the rain and hundreds of prominent guests inside Westminster Abbey.
Even though Charles ascended to the throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II pἀssed away in September of last year, the actual crowning of the monarch took place on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
The service was a deeply spiritual occasion, fitting given that Charles serves as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England in addition to being the head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other nations.
The Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby placed the 360-year-old St. Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head in the day’s most crucial event. The Anglican Church’s spiritual leader then cried out, “God Save the King.”
The elaborate event which lasted just over two hours and was conducted according to a pattern that has largely remained unchanged for more than 1,000 years was an hour shorter than Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
But it has been updated in a few significant ways. The archbishop acknowledged the different faiths practiced in the UK during the event, adding the Church of England will seek to foster an environment in which people of all faiths may live freely.
The King took the Coronation Oath and became the first monarch to pray aloud at his coronation. He prayed in his prayer to be a blessing to individuals of every faith and conviction.
King Charles Anointed With Holy Oil in Historic Coronation Ceremony
The most solemn aspect of the ceremony is the King was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was also presented with the coronation regalia including the royal Robe and Stole, in what is known as the investiture section of the rite.
The archbishop then requested a pledge of loyalty on behalf of the newly crowned monarch and his heirs and successors for the first time in the history of coronations from members of the British public as well as people from other Realms.
Ahead of the occasion, some segments of the British media and public perceived the invitation as a mandate stating that people had been asked and called to swear loyalty to the King.
In the face of such criticism, the Church of England altered the text of the liturgy so that members of the public would be given an option between saying just “God save King Charles” or reciting the whole pledge of loyalty.
Another first for a coronation was the use of gospel music throughout the ceremony which also featured a reading from the Bible by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. After the King was crowned, his wife Queen Camilla was crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown in a separate, shorter ceremony.
This was the first time recently that a new crown hadn’t been constructed especially for this event. The primary portion of the service featured five new songs including an anthem by West End musical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Music played a significant role in the ceremonies. Charles and Camilla rode in a luxurious vehicle pulled by six horses and the Household Cavalry to Westminster Abbey. After the coronation, a much larger parade with 4,000 men of the armed services, 250 horses and 19 military bands followed the newly crowned King and Queen back to Buckingham Palace.
The pomp and ceremony came to an end with a royal salute and the King and his family making their annual balcony appearance. They observed a flypast of military aircraft that had been scaled back due to the bad weather with the spectators below.
Check out the following posts if you want to read more about King Charles’ coronation:
- Did Harry Go to the Coronation of His Father King Charles II?
- At King Charles’ Coronation, Kate “Princess of Wales” Honored Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana
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