King Charles III to be crowned May 6 next year
Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III will be crowned on May 6, 2023, at Westminister Abbey. The Palace noted that the ceremony will focus on embracing the past but also look forward to the modern world after the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign. Rumours have spread that the coronation will be less glamourous than the three-hour coronation of Queen Elizabeth II back in 1953. The less extravagant coronation would fall in line with the new King’s plans to slim down the monarchy. British media reported that the guest list for the King’s coronation would be limited to between 2,000 to 8,000 attendees.
According to Japan Today, King Charles III will be crowned in a solemn religious ceremony by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. Charles will be anointed with holy oil before receiving the orb, sceptre and coronation ring. Camilla will also be anointed with the oil following tradition. According to the palace’s statement, Camilla will be crowned alongside her husband as 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.”
Operation Golden Orb is the coronation’s code name, as the palace attempts to demonstrate that the monarchy is still relevant in modern Britain. As there was widespread reverence towards the late Queen Elizabeth II, the transference of that respect is not guaranteed with the new King.
Robert Lacey, author of “Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor,” says the ceremony should be in line with last month’s “immensely moving” funeral for the late queen.
“One has to remember, too, while all the reverence and gravity of the Queen’s funeral was very much focused on a tribute to her, a coronation is a tribute to an institution rather than a person, with whom quite a lot of thoughtful people in this country disagree.”
