King Charles III’s Coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom. During the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort.
The investiture will form part of a long weekend filled with celebrations for the new monarch, ranging from street parties to concerts. The King ascended the throne after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September last year, making him the oldest new monarch in British history.
Since then, plans for the much-anticipated Coronation weekend, code-named Operation Golden Orb, have been revealed. Here is what we know about the plans, code-named Operation Golden Orb.
What time is the Coronation?
The ceremony is due to start at 11:00, with the King’s procession expected to arrive at Westminster Abbey shortly beforehand.
What is a coronation?
A coronation is both the symbolic religious ceremony during which a sovereign is crowned and the physical act of placing a crown on a monarch’s head. It formalizes the monarch’s role as the head of the Church of England and marks the transfer of their title and powers. However, it is not actually necessary for the monarch to be crowned to become King.
Edward VIII reigned without a coronation – and Charles automatically became King the moment Queen Elizabeth II died.
Who will go to the Coronation?
The Coronation is a state occasion, which means the government controls the guest list. In addition to the Royal Family, those invited will include the prime minister, representatives from the Houses of Parliament, heads of state, and other royals from around the world.
The Duke of Sussex has confirmed that he will travel from the US for the coronation, but his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, will not attend. The event will be the first time Prince Harry will be seen in public with the Royal Family since his controversial memoir Spare was published in January.
The date of the Coronation is also the fourth birthday of the couple’s son, Prince Archie, who will remain in the US with his mother.
What happens at a coronation?
Coronations have remained much the same for more than 1,000 years. The British ceremony is the only remaining event of its type in Europe. However, it is likely to be shorter and smaller in scale than Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, with a wider range of religions represented.
The Coronation Procession is also expected to be more modest. Queen Elizabeth’s procession had 16,000 participants and took 45 minutes to pass any stationary point on the 7km (4.3 miles) route.
This time, the King and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will travel to Westminster Abbey in a relatively modern horse-drawn carriage which has electric windows and air conditioning.
They will ride in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, first used in 2014, before returning in the Gold State Coach used in every coronation since the 1830s.
More than 6,000 armed forces members will take part, making it the largest military ceremonial operation in 70 years.
Personnel from across the UK and the Commonwealth will join processions in London.
Thousands of veterans have also been invited to watch the coronation from a special viewing platform. They will join NHS workers on a stand in front of Buckingham Palace.
What happens during the service at the Abbey?
There are several stages to the service:
- The recognition: While standing beside the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, the monarch is presented to those gathered in the Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The congregation shouts “God Save the King!” and trumpets sound
- The oath: The sovereign swears to uphold the law and the Church of England
- The anointing: The King’s ceremonial robe is removed and he sits in the Coronation Chair. A gold cloth is held over the chair to conceal the King from view. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the King’s hands, breast and head with holy oil made according to a secret recipe, but known to contain ambergris, orange flowers, roses, jasmine and cinnamon. The oil created for Charles will not contain any ingredients derived from animals
- The investiture: The sovereign is presented with items including the Royal Orb, representing religious and moral authority; the Sceptre, representing power; and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, a rod of gold topped with a white enamelled dove, a symbol of justice and mercy. Finally, the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head
- The enthronement and homage: The King leaves the Coronation Chair and moves to the throne. Peers kneel before the monarch to pay homage
The Queen Consort will then be anointed in the same way and crowned.
