This day follows customs that date back to the tenth century – and yet many things will be different at Charles’s coronation. All important information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
The coronation of Charles III. will be special. The new British king invites around 2,000 guests to Westminster Abbey – at least 6,000 fewer than his mother Elizabeth II in 1953 on her special day. The two-hour service for Charles starts at 12 noon German time inside the church.
At 1 p.m. the Edwardian crown is placed on his head. Then his wife Camilla is also crowned: She is the first king’s wife in almost 300 years not to have her own crown made. Instead, she receives the crown from Queen Mary, the king’s great-grandmother. You can find all information and background information here in our blog.
Now he is officially king
13 o’clock: He has waited for this moment for decades: Charles III. is now the King of Great Britain at the age of 74. It is perhaps the biggest day of his life, the highlight of his royal biography. The coronation ceremony was geared towards this one moment from the start: the new monarch was crowned at 1 p.m. German time. As a symbolic act, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, placed the Edwardian crown on his head. With that, the official coronation act is completed.
The royal regalia are presented
12:53 p.m.: Various members of the House of Lords and bishops symbolically present the king with the insignia or regalia – symbolizing sovereign rights and goods due to the king. These are spurs, a sword, bracelets, a robe and stole, the orb, a ring, a gauntlet, the scepter and the staff.
Each item is presented with a small ceremony. The archbishop says a few words each time. The king does not keep all regalia. The sword is placed back on the altar. The clothes, on the other hand, are put on Charles.
The anointing happens in secret
12:47 p.m.: To the singing of the chorus, a screen is placed around King Charles III. built. The king takes off his state robes. He’s just wearing a plain shirt. The Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle, pours oil on a spoon. The archbishop uses the oil to draw a sign of the cross on the king’s head, chest and hands. But all of this happens in secret.
With his words, the archbishop recalls the biblical tradition of the anointing of kings in the Old Testament. The screen is then removed and Charles kneels in front of the high altar. The archbishop says a prayer before the king is wrapped in his new clothes: the white “Colobium Sindonis”, the gold-embroidered “Supertunica” and a sword belt.
Thanksgiving for the holy oil
12:43 p.m.: Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum presents Welby with the oil for the anointing of the king and queen. It was made from olives from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where Charles’ grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, was buried. Alice was the mother of Charles’ father, Prince Philip. The oil was dedicated in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the place where Jesus is said to have been crucified and resurrected. The Archbishop of Canterbury says a prayer.
Charlotte and Louis hold hands
12:32 p.m.: However, the sweet moments happen away from the ceremony. Prince George was photographed accidentally sticking his tongue out. William and Kate’s nine-year-old son is one of King Charles III’s page honours.
His siblings Charlotte and Louis have no particular role at the coronation. The two entered Westminster Abbey hand in hand behind their parents. During the ceremony, Louis and Charlotte sit between William and Kate.
