Bloomberg — Charles III was crowned king, ending his seven-decade wait in a gilded spectacle celebrating the British monarchy’s medieval roots and attempting to position it to survive the current era of technological and social change.
Charles, who legally became king after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September, formally received St. Edward’s Crown in a religion-infused ceremony during which he was anointed with holy oil behind a screen. Earlier, in his first public remarks during the coronation, he said that he came “not to be served, but to serve.”
The event put enduring British soft power on display as some 2,000 dignitaries, spiritual leaders and celebrities watched on, with thousands gathering on London’s streets and millions more tuning in from around the globe.
The king earlier left Buckingham Palace with Queen Camilla in a state coach built with oak from Admiral Horatio Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory, for Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. The royal couple waved to the crowds lining London’s streets under gray skies and a light rain.
The service marked a turning point for the UK as it adjusts to life without Elizabeth, who largely succeeded in maintaining popular support during her record-breaking reign. The event was carefully choreographed to mark a new beginning for the monarchy, as Britain continues to struggle with a cost-of-living crisis and the lingering fallout from Brexit, the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The coronation featured a streamlined guest list and a truncated parade route compared with the ceremony that confirmed Elizabeth’s reign in 1953. Still, many of the traditions and paraphernalia remained, from the military bands and the horse guards to the 700-year-old wooden coronation chair and the ancient spoon that was used to anoint the king, in the only part of the ceremony shielded from public view. Camilla — once a deeply unpopular figure because of her role in the breakup of Charles’s first marriage to Princess Diana, was also crowned.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the coronation a “moment of extraordinary national pride” that will be celebrated across the Commonwealth and beyond.
“This is not just a spectacle,” Sunak said in a statement. “It’s a proud expression of our history, culture, and traditions, a vivid demonstration of the modern character of our country and a cherished ritual through which a new era is born.”
Britain’s first Hindu prime minister gave a Bible reading as part of the proceedings.
The service was conducted by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Church of England’s spiritual leader, and was intended to “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future,” while being “rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry,” according to Buckingham Palace.
Guests included Sunak, Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and former premiers John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
The US was represented by First Lady Jill Biden, while French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng were among those invited. Russia didn’t receive an invitation following its war in Ukraine.
Members of the Royal Family led by Prince William, the heir to the throne, also took part in the ceremony. William’s son, George, the next in line, was a page boy. Prince Harry also attended despite a very public falling-out with his family — but his wife Meghan was not there. Celebrities including Kenneth Branagh, Nick Cave, Katie Perry, Lionel Richie, Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson earlier shuffled into the Gothic church alongside heads of state and other guests.
The coronation came after a period of political and economic turmoil in the UK, which has had five prime ministers since its seismic decision to leave the European Union in 2016, including three in the past year. A general election is likely next year after 13 years of Conservative governments that have overseen the recovery from the financial crisis, a referendum on Scottish independence, Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Support for retaining the monarchy sits at 62%, according to a YouGov poll of 2,030 Britons published this week. However, younger Brits are more likely to want an elected head of state, with just 36% of 18-24 year olds wanting to keep the Royals.
The king is also head of state of 14 Commonwealth countries around the world, although a survey by pollster Michael Ashcroft found that in six of those nations, more voters said they would choose to become a republic than would back the monarchy if a referendum was held.
Security at the coronation events was tight amid the prospect of protests by republicans and climate activists, and London’s Metropolitan Police had more than 11,500 officers on duty in what the force described as the largest one-day mobilization in decades. Facial recognition technology was deployed to identify criminals in the crowds, according to the police — a move described as “Orwellian” by civil liberties group Big Brother Watch.
Before the ceremony, police arrested anti-monarchy protesters including Republic leader Graham Smith on St. Martin’s Lane near Trafalgar Square, the Press Association reported. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that four people were detained in the area on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
Nevertheless, the Palace tried to create an event that the whole country could get behind, emphasizing the king’s desire to embrace diversity and project a modern image of the monarchy. Religious leaders representing Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists took part, and well-known television personalities and sports stars were invited.
In a late change to plans, the public was invited, rather than called to show support for the monarch, following media criticism of the planned “Homage of the People” element of the service.
Some 4,000 workers in Britain’s National Health Service and military veterans were given seats at a screening of the event in front of Buckingham Palace. Tens of thousands of people had been expected to visit the capital, according to the government, with thousands of street parties organized across the country. A concert will be held on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday.
In the morning, the so-called “King’s Procession” moved down Pall Mall toward Trafalgar Square, then along Whitehall, past the Palace of Westminster, before reaching the Abbey. The two-hour coronation service saw the king presented with St. Edward’s Crown, which was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661, weighs over 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) and boasts 444 precious and semi-precious stones.
He was seated in the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, housing the Stone of Destiny, or Stone of Scone — an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy which has been used in coronations for centuries. It was officially returned to Scotland in 1996, but has been transported back to London for Saturday’s ceremony.
During the anointing — carried out behind screens — the monarch was daubed with holy oil by Welby, using a silver-gilt spoon dating from the 12th century — the oldest object used in the ceremony. Sitting in the coronation chair, Charles III was then dressed in priestly garments and handed regalia including spurs, a sword, an orb, a scepter and a cross.
After the service, the king was due to take the Gold State Coach, the iconic carriage built in 1762 that has been used at every coronation since 1831, on a 30 minute “Coronation Procession” back to Buckingham Palace at a walking pace. The Royal Family is then due to appear on the palace balcony to conclude the day’s events. Weather permitting there will then be a fly-past involving members of the Royal Air Force and the Red Arrows.
Read more on Bloomberg.com