What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

2023-05-03 21:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

King Charles III

Britain's royal family begins a new chapter on Saturday with the official coronation of King Charles III, a spectacle that echoes medieval times but also features modern elements.

The pomp, grandeur and symbolism date back more than 1,000 years, but this king's coronation brings some changes to tradition in general and the coronation ceremony of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years ago.

Plans for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey call for a more subdued tone than the last ceremony, although royals from other countries, heads of state and most of King Charles' family will be in attendance, and the monarch plans to wear royal clothes just like queen elizabeth.

Here are some details from the plans for the coronation ceremony:

WHY SHOULD THERE BE A CORONATION WHEN KING CHARLES ALREADY HAS THE TITLE?

King Charles automatically ascended the throne when Queen Elizabeth died on September 8, and he was officially proclaimed Britain's monarch two days later in a ceremony televised for the first time.

King Charles said he was "conscious of this great inheritance and of the great duties and responsibilities of the sovereign that have now passed to me".

There is no legal obligation to hold a coronation ceremony, and other European monarchies have dispensed with ceremonies of this type.

What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

But the deeply religious and official ceremony is a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England and is meant to show that the king's authority flows from God.

During the service led by the church's spiritual leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury, King Charles will be anointed with oil, he will receive the traditional symbols of the monarch, including the sceptre. For the first time, the crown of St. Edward will be placed on his head. Charles' wife, Camilla, will be crowned queen consort, not just queen, because she does not come to the throne as part of the royal family line.

CHANGES FROM THE LAST CORONATION CEREMONY

The coronation ceremony dates back to the medieval period and much of it remains unchanged.

King William was also crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1066.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953 was the first to be televised live. The black-and-white broadcast attracted an audience of tens of millions of people in Britain and was later broadcast to a worldwide audience. In the current age of broadcasting and social media, people will be able to watch the coronation of King Charles live almost anywhere in the world.

King Charles has said he plans to reduce the monarchy's spending. His coronation is expected to reflect this with a shorter ceremony than his mother's three-hour party and 2,000 guests in the audience, a quarter of the number who gathered to see Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

In another sign of change that reflects the religious makeup of the United Kingdom will be the role that Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh religious leaders will play in the coronation ceremony. This reflects King Charles' pledge to be a "defender of the faiths", as opposed to previous oaths, which only said "defender of the faith", referring to the Christian religion.

WHO'S ON THE GUEST LIST?

One hundred heads of state are expected to attend the coronation ceremony, including members of royal families from other countries, such as Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and his consort, Kiko, Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

The United States will maintain the tradition of the country's President not attending the coronation ceremony of a British king, although first lady Jill Biden will be present at the coronation ceremony of King Charles.

William, the Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, is expected to kneel before his father and pledge his loyalty in what is known as the Homage of Royal Blood.

What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

His younger brother, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is not expected to attend this part of the ceremony. His autobiographical book Spare, which was a best-seller earlier this year, included unflattering claims about the royal family.

Until three weeks ago, it was not known whether Harry and his wife, Meghan, would attend the coronation ceremony, after they have accused the royal family of racism and media manipulation.

While Harry will attend the ceremony, the Duchess will stay at the couple's Southern California home with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The coronation ceremony will be held just days before the trial begins in Harry's first lawsuit against the British tabloid press. This lawsuit may reveal more family secrets.

During a hearing in a similar case last week, Harry said in court documents that the royal palace, with the Queen's approval, had an agreement with English newspaper magnate Rupert Murdoch to settle phone-tapping allegations. Harry said he received a request from royal palace staff to drop court proceedings against the papers because his father wanted to be favored by the press.

The family drama does not end there. King Charles' brother, Prince Andrew, is also not expected to play any role in the coronation ceremony. Andrew stepped down from royal responsibilities and was stripped of his military titles and other duties after revelations of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew settled out of court a lawsuit by a woman who said she was forced to have sex with him when she was a teenager.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CORONATION?

At a time when opinion polls show that support for the monarchy has waned in recent years, this is King Charles' chance to seek and demonstrate public support for the monarchy.

Crowds are expected to line the streets to cheer the new king and will line up outside Buckingham Palace to await his appearance on the palace balcony.

What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

While criticism of the crown has been relatively minor in recent years out of respect for the queen and her decades of service to the country, there is now likely to be much more debate over whether Britain still needs this antiquated institution or whether it should become a republic with a head of state elected by the people.

The leader of the anti-monarchist group "Republika" said he plans to gather more than a thousand protesters dressed in yellow with the inscription, "It's not my king", during the parade of the royal family on the road near the royal palace.

However, for the vast majority, it will be an opportunity to celebrate their British identity and show their support for an institution that is the subject of fascination for so many people around the world.

What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

The streets will be lined with the country's flags, spectators will be dressed in red, white and blue and military jets will fly overhead releasing plumes of smoke in the colors of the national flag. The very grandeur and circumstances of the ceremony are also a reminder of the time when Britain was the most powerful country in the world.

WHO PAYS THE EXPENSES FOR THE CORONATION CEREMONY?

Taxpayers will foot the bill for King Charles' coronation ceremony. There is still no official estimate of how much the ceremony could cost, but there have been reports that its cost could reach up to $125 million.

A spokesman for the royal palace said on Tuesday that the cost of the ceremony would be announced later.

The coronation ceremony comes at a time when the UK is facing a rising cost of living crisis, which has made it difficult for many residents to heat their homes this winter and buy essential food.

But many people can benefit from spending on the coronation ceremony.

What do we need to know about the coronation of King Charles III?

Officials expect to see an increase in tourism, coronation-themed events and commemorative products that could increase sales tax revenue.

Admirers who want to commemorate the historic event can find everything from fine porcelain to coins or even cardboard masks of King Charles and his wife, Camilla. Cookies, chocolates and beers with themes from the coronation ceremony will most likely be forgotten soon./ VOA