King Charles III: a monarch for modern times

When the coronation of King Charles III takes place on 6th May at Westminster Abbey, the ceremony – which will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury – will be rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. However, it will also reflect the monarch’s role today, and look to the future.

Then and now

The Queen’s coronation on 2nd June 1953 was one of the greatest events of the twentieth century. More than 8,000 guests filled the abbey to witness the crowning of the young mother, while crowds lined the route that took her and the Duke of Edinburgh to and from the abbey. Millions more were lucky enough to watch the event on the still novel phenomenon of television, this being the first time the event had been televised.

It has been speculated that King Charles will have a toned-down affair with reduced costs, with suggestions of it lasting just one hour and with around 2,000 dignitaries in attendance.

Break with tradition

The date of 6th May was reportedly chosen in consultation with the government, the Church of England and the Royal Household. However, the date does have some symbolic references to family members:

• Firstly, the coronation of George VI, the King’s grandfather, was in May.

• 6th May is also the birthday of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the King’s grandson, who will be turning four on the day.

• It’s also the same date as the late Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, was married in 1960. During the ceremony the King will be anointed with holy oil, receive the orb, coronation ring and sceptre, and be blessed and then consecrated by the Archbishop. Monarchs traditionally sit in the fourteenth-century King Edward’s Chair, and Charles will be crowned with the St Edward’s crown, becoming the fortieth British monarch crowned at the Abbey since William the Conqueror in 1066.

Camilla, Queen Consort, will also be anointed and crowned, as was the Queen Mother when George VI was crowned in 1937. Man and boy

Charles will be 74 at the time of the ceremony, the oldest ever new monarch. In 1953 the thenPrince Charles was just four years old when his mother was crowned.

As with royal ceremonies, there had been behind-the-scenes preparation and practices in the lead up to the big day. Charles’ boyhood memories include how, the night before, the Queen came to say goodnight wearing the St Edward’s Crown as she was trying to get used to its 5lb weight. He also recalled being kept awake by the “thousands of people gathered in The Mall outside Buckingham Palace chanting: ‘We want the Queen’”.

Royal author Robert Jobson says: “Charles has adapted to his new role very well and is out connecting with people, which sadly the late Queen wasn’t able to do towards the end of her life.”