As of 8 September 2022, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles officially became King Charles III, although his official coronation has not yet taken place. The British people observe a period of mourning before celebrating a new ruler or queen. The date of the coronation was confirmed by Buckingham Palace on 11 October 2022 and has been set for the morning of Saturday, 6 May 2023. Interestingly, the mother of the current King was crowned 70 years ago on a date very close to this one, 2 June 1953. Also, on the same day, Camilla Parker Bowles, the consort of King Charles, will be crowned Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.
The coronation of King Charles III will take place in Westminster Abbey and is a historic event that will mark the beginning of a new era for Great Britain and the monarchy, which in the past has been considered weak and distant from the vision of today’s society. Whether the crown will adapt to the changing times and remain a figurehead cannot be known, but this historic event will certainly capture the attention of the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and the rest of the world.
In this article, we delve into everything you need to know about the coronation of King Charles III and the effect it will have on the media and politics.
CHARLES III, THE ETERNAL PRINCE FINALLY BECOME KING
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- LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 10: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attends a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the 70th Anniversary of VE Day at Westminster Abbey on May 10, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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- LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 29: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) leaves Clarence House with his father Prince Charles, Prince of Wales to travel to Buckingham Palace for the evening celebrations following his wedding to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge on April 29, 2011 in London, England. The marriage of the second in line to the British throne was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was attended by 1900 guests, including foreign Royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the Royal Wedding. (Photo by John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 04: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the “Our Planet” global premiere at Natural History Museum on April 04, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
How will the ceremony take place?
According to the Telegraph, this event has been identified as ‘Operation Golden Orb’ and will attempt to represent King Charles III’s vision of a modern, current and less pompous monarchy. The coronation ceremony will last less and cost less than previous ones. About 2,000 guests will be present, whereas Queen Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony was attended by about 8,000 guests. Guests will include members of the royal family, representatives of the Houses of Parliament and the Church, leading politicians from the Commonwealth and around the world.
Will Harry and Meghan be there?
While it is confirmed that King Charles’ son Harry will take part in the event, it seems – according to some palace insiders – that his wife Meghan Markle will not attend, choosing to remain serene and quiet in her California estate. Perhaps this is the best choice, considering the couple’s recent public attacks, including the Oprah interview, the Netflix series and Harry’s memoir, ‘Spare’.
Who will perform at the coronation of King Charles III?
The celebrations will take place only after the official coronation, the following day, when some global music stars will perform to celebrate the new ruler. On Sunday 7 May, at the coronation concert at Windsor Castle, there will be many artists, including Take That, Kylie and Dannii Minogue, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lionel Richie, as well as community choirs, NHS and LGBTQ+ singing groups. However, many celebrities seem to have turned down invitations to perform, including Harry Styles, the Spice Girls, Adele, Elton John and Robbie Williams, apparently all due to work commitments. Will this really be the case?
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