The Coronation of King Charles III - Who, What, Where, When and Wow!
In the grand scheme of grand schemes, the coronation of a King is pretty grand. In fact, it makes the grandest of TV show Grand Designs ‘grand designs’ feel undeniably less grand by comparison.
On May 6th, the nation and wider watching world will witness actual real-life history unfold before their very eyes when King Charles III is coronated. Rumour has it the event will be quite grand.
But wait, I hear you ask, what exactly is involved in the coronation of a new King or Queen, and will there be a buffet?
Well, let me dig a little deeper for you and reveal a little of what is going to take place on this fateful day, and whether or not there will be a buffet. Fingers crossed, right?
The Ceremony
In ceremonial circles, the coronation ceremony is a fish so big it could star in a Steven Spielberg movie. This is the crowning of a king under the hallowed roof of Westminster Abbey, a symbolic religious ceremony that officially makes the new king the head of the Church of England, and it has the code-name ‘Operation Golden Orb’ which makes it sound like James ‘007’ Bond is about to gatecrash the event on a zipline.
It’s also a chance for Britain to highlight once again how we make such events so utterly remarkable that they remain forever indelibly painted into the minds of all who witness them. Which is kind of cool.
How Long?
Back in 1953, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II lasted close to three hours, and King Charles III Coronation is expected to last a similar length of time. The actual day is broken into various stages. Initially, the King and Queen Consort travel in a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey – think Disneyland but more regal and with fewer people dancing in costume.
Inside the Abbey
Once inside the impressive Westminster Abbey interior, the ceremony goes through a number of steps, starting with…
…The recognition. This is where the King is presented to the gathered guests by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is met with shouts of ‘God save the King!’ and the sounds of trumpets. From here we move to…
…The oath. King Charles III swears to uphold the law and the Church of England. And before you know it, we are into…
…The anointing. The King sits in the Coronation Chair and is kept from view by a gold cloth. Then, with holy oil made from a recipe even more secret than the Colonel’s KFC spices, The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the King’s hands, breast and head, and we’re off to…
…The investiture. This is where Operation Golden Orb finds context, sadly though 007 isn't gatecrashing anything, instead the King is presented with some heavily symbolic items.
Firstly he recieves the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross (for power), then comes the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove (for the Holy Ghost), and finally of course, the Sovereign's Orb (for religious and moral authority). Following the presentations, St. Edward’s Crown is placed upon the King’s head. And finally, we arrive at…
…The enthronement and homage. The King leaves the Coronation Chair and takes his place on the throne as peers come before him to kneel and pay homage.
It’s quite the history-steeped spectacle!
With matters inside the Abbey concluded, the Royal party and procession return to Buckingham Palace to take their place on the balcony and offer a wave to the people gathered in celebration.
With the ceremony concluded, we can move on to other matters of great importance. Firstly, yes, we do get an extra bank holiday! Hurrah and long live the King!
And the buffet? Well, technically I guess the answer again is yes, there will be a buffet…sort of.
The Party
Sunday, May 7th is when we all get our party on! People across the nation are being encouraged to get involved in a Celebration Big Lunch, which if you really squint when looking at it, is basically a massive buffet! Again, hurrah and long live the King!
The reality of the Big Lunch is that it is to encourage the coming together of communities and neighbourhoods in nationwide street parties, good food and upbeat good-natured revelry.
Then as evening rolls in, it’s concert time. Windsor Castle plays host to a promised array of global megastars from the world of music and beyond. High-brow spoken word performances with a Shakespearian air from the stars of stage and screen will rub shoulders with amateur choirs from communities within the NHS and LGBTQ+ communities, and uptempo modern chart toppers will meet history-drenched orchestral majesty under laser-lit skies! How cool is that? And all this is going to be beamed into living room TV sets across the land.
I mean come on, a newly crowned king is great, but a shared sausage roll with neighbours and then a big sing-along is where it’s really at.
The Big Help Out
On the bank holiday Monday, and in another wonderful initiative, the coronation event is bringing ‘The Big Help Out’. This one is all about giving something back, whether helping out with a local or national charity or finding other ways people can be a positive force within their own community. It promises to be a real ray of light and a tool for greater awareness of the incredible work being done on a daily basis by legions of unsung local heroes.
And that is, in a round about way, how the coronation is set to play out. Three days of celebration, drama, and dancing. Celebration of King Charles III, celebration of community and togetherness, and celebration of the people who already make positive impacts within the lives of their communities and too often go unseen.
Long live the King!