How King Charles III's Coronation will be different from the previous one

Great Britain’s royal family turns the page on a new chapter Saturday with the coronation of King Charles III — a spectacle that echoes medieval times but featuring modern flourishes.

The Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla promises to be a display of pomp and pageantry that will celebrate the start of the new monarch’s reign. But when Britain is languishing and the economic condition is in doldrums it is highly insensitive on the part of Charles to have aCoronation. And with public purse strings continuing to be tightened, it is questionable whether an event of such extravagance and cost is appropriate. The Royal family of Britain is like an unproductive consumer, feeding not only on Britain’s resources, but also the global resources. The Royal family needs to understand that the Coronation of Charles and Camilla comes at a time when the cost of living crisis continues to tighten its grip on people’s finances.

The pomp, pageantry and symbolism dates back more than 1,000 years, but the crowning of this king will feature new twists on the tradition and changes from the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years ago.

Queen Elizabeth, who died last September aged 96 after 70 years on the throne, had become UK’s monarch in 1952 following the death of her father. Her son King Charles III’s coronation ceremony is expected to be modest and considerably shorter. The celebration will include “key elements associated with the hallowed religious service” and reflect King Charles’ vision of a trimmed-down modern monarchy, the Buckingham Palace said. Plans for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey call for a more toned-down affair than the last one, even though royals from other nations, heads of state and most of Charles’ family will be there, and the monarch plans to wear the same vestments as Elizabeth did.

Why a coronation when Charles is already a king

Charles automatically ascended to the throne when Elizabeth died Sept. 8, and he was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch two days later in an ascension ceremony broadcast for the first time on television. Charles said he was “deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me.”

There is no legal requirement for a coronation, and other European monarchies have done away with the ceremonies. But the deeply religious and regalia-heavy event is a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England and was intended to show the king’s authority was derived from God.

During the service conducted by the church’s spiritual leader, the archbishop of Canterbury, Charles will be anointed with oil, receive the traditional symbols of the monarch — including the orb and scepter — and have the St. Edwards Crown placed on his head for the first time. Charles’ wife, Camilla, will be crowned as queen consort.

How different will it be from the previous coronation?

The coronation ceremony dates back to the medieval period, and much of it remains unchanged. Westminster Abbey has been the setting of the ritual since William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066.

Elizabeth II’s coronation in June 1953 was the first to be televised live. The broadcast in black and white drew an audience of tens of millions in Britain and was later played to a worldwide audience. In the age of streaming and social media, people will be able to watch Charles’ crowning live — and in vivid reds, blues and golds — from virtually anywhere on the planet and post their hot takes with a crown emoji created for the occasion.

Charles has said he plans to slim down the monarchy. His coronation is expected to reflect that with a ceremony shorter than his mother’s three-hour extravaganza and no more than 2,800 guests in the audience — far fewer than the 8,000 who assembled to see Elizabeth crowned.

In a nod to the change in the religious makeup of the United Kingdom, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh religious leaders will play a role at the coronation. That reflects Charles’ vow to be “the defender of faiths,” as opposed to the “defender of the faith.”

The procession after the ceremony also will be decidedly shorter than the 5-mile (8 kilometer) route that Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, took around London in 1953. Charles and Camilla plan to take a more modern set of horse-drawn wheels for the 1.3-mile (2-kilometer) route from Buckingham Palace to the abbey. Once crowned, they will step back in time and retrace the journey in the 260-year-old carriage — notorious for its rough ride — used in every coronation since William IV’s in 1831.

The guest list

A hundred heads of state are expected to attend along with royalty ranging from Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Kiko, to Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

The U.S. will keep alive its streak of a president never attending a British royal coronation, although first lady Jill Biden is set to attend. William, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, is expected to kneel before his father and pledge his loyalty in what’s known as the Homage of Royal Blood.

His younger brother, Prince Harry, the disgruntled Duke of Sussex, is not expected to take part in the service. His explosive memoir “Spare,” which became a bestseller early this year, made unflattering claims about the royal family. Until three weeks ago, there was a question of whether Harry and his wife, Meghan, would attend the crowning after leveling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family.

While Harry will be there, the duchess is to remain at the couple’s Southern California home with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The coronation is just a few days before the first of Harry’s lawsuits against the British tabloid press goes to trial. The case could reveal more family secrets. During a hearing in a similar case last week, Harry said in court papers that Buckingham Palace, with the approval of the queen, had an agreement with Rupert Murdoch’s English newspapers to settle phone hacking allegations without a lawsuit. Harry said he was directed by palace staff to drop his litigation because his father wanted to curry favor with the press.

The family drama doesn’t end there. Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, is also not expected to play any role in the ceremony. Andrew gave up royal duties and was stripped of military titles and patronages after revelations of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was forced to have sex with him when she was a teenager.

Importance of the coronation

With opinion polls showing support for the monarchy has weakened in recent years, this is the chance for Charles to seek and showcase the public’s embrace.

Crowds are expected to line the streets to cheer the new king, and throngs will stand outside Buckingham Palace waiting for him to appear on the balcony after the procession.

While criticism of the crown was relatively muted in recent years out of respect for the queen and her decades of service to the country, there is likely to be much more discussion of whether Britain still needs this antiquated institution or if it should become a republic with an elected head of state.

The Royal family drama continues

Until three weeks ago, there was a question of whether Harry and his wife, Meghan, would attend the crowning after leveling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family. While Harry will be there, the duchess is to remain at the couple’s Southern California home with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The coronation is just a few days before the first of Harry’s lawsuits against the British tabloid press goes to trial. The case could reveal more family secrets. During a hearing in a similar case last week, Harry said in court papers that Buckingham Palace, with the approval of the queen, had an agreement with Rupert Murdoch’s English newspapers to settle phone hacking allegations without a lawsuit. Harry said he was directed by palace staff to drop his litigation because his father wanted to curry favor with the press.

The family drama doesn’t end there. Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, is also not expected to play any role in the ceremony. Andrew gave up royal duties and was stripped of military titles and patronages after revelations of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was forced to have sex with him when she was a teenager.

On the other hand, critics have questioned the price tag of such a lavish event that comes at a troubling financial time for the country. The Operation Golden Orb committee, which is in charge of planning the coronation ceremony, estimates that the event could cost around 100 million pounds (over ₹1021.5 crore), Time magazine reported.

Buckingham Palace balcony guessing game continues

Even at this late stage there is no confirmation on which members of the Royal Family will be on the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Coronation service. This will be one of the most iconic images of the day so nothing will be accidental about how it is staged.

Initially when the guest list was not ready, The New York Post had reported that Harry and Meghan  had requested a spot on the famed Buckingham Palace balcony and a formal acknowledgement of their two children during the May 6 ceremony.

Now there is news about Harry skipping the coronation

Prince Harry could skip his father King Charles III’s coronation as he’s “looking for an excuse” to avoid the landmark ceremony, a royal biographer has claimed. According to geo.tv report, Royal expert Tom Bower has warned King Charles and the royal family of Harry’s ‘last-minute stunt’ ahead of the ceremony.

Bower, as per a report by GB News, has shared his opinion that there are chances Harry might reverse his decision to join the ceremony, saying: “I think there is more to come… I’m sure that when Harry is here, or just before he arrives, something else will come out of California. And unfortunately, it’ll overshadow what the Coronation is meant to be about.”

(With inputs from AP)

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