IRIA News

King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla were crowned in a lavish coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey as tens of thousands of people crowded into central London. It was the first time in seven decades that a coronation event took place in Britain.

Charles was formally crowned on May 6, 2023, marking the first coronation for the British monarchy since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned in 1953.

The coronation ceremony was attended by more than 2,200 people from 203 countries, including 100 distinguished guests, while millions of people watched the ceremony live on their TV screens.

It was the second time in the long-rooted history that the two-hour-long service and coronation ceremony was televised live to an audience of millions of people worldwide. Gun salutes were paid to the newly crowned king from the Tower of London as well as in Gibraltar, Bermuda, and other British offshore territories.

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On a scale not seen on the streets of London for 70 years, the #Coronation Procession made its way from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. pic.twitter.com/mgnfgivcBA

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2023

Historic coronation

The guests and crowd outside broke out in a chant of “God save the King”, accompanied by clapping, as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church placed the 360-year-old St Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head in Westminster Abbey.

The 74-year-old king was anointed with holy oil and vested with an imperial mantle as he was crowned. “I come not to be served, but to serve,” Charles said in his first remarks as he sat upon a 14th-century throne. Camilla, the Queen Consort, was crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown.

After being crowned, the royal couple departed in a coach made of gold to ride to Buckingham Palace in a one-mile stretch protected by 4,000 military personnel from 39 nations. The gold coach was made for during the times of King George III, the last king of Britain’s American colonies.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠

The Archbishop of Canterbury places St Edward’s Crown on The King’s anointed head. The clergy, congregation and choir all cry ‘God Save The King’.#Coronation pic.twitter.com/kGrV3W0bky

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2023

As Charles and Camilla made their way back to Buckingham Palace shrouded in golden cloaks and crowns, thousands of spectators applauded and held up phones to capture a glimpse of the newly crowned royals.

Despite the pouring rain, tens of thousands of people gathered in London from around the country to witness the historic moment. As the ceremony came close to an end after two hours of ancient rituals, crowds stood up, and sang “God Save the King”, the national anthem, while waving Union Jacks. Britain’s world-famous aerobatic display team Red Arrows also performed a flypast on the occasion.

Red Arrows perform a flypast over Buckingham Palace to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla pic.twitter.com/qpztZ4olzD

— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) May 6, 2023

“No other country could put on such a dazzling display – the processions, the pageantry, the ceremonies, and street parties,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on the coronation of the new King.

Following the royal event, King and Queen appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony accompanied by other senior royals as part of a treasured British tradition. Members of the Royal Family who joined them included senior royals such as Princess Anne, Prince William and Catherine, and Prince Edward and Sophie. However, Charles’s younger son Prince Harry did not appear on the balcony alongside, with some reports saying he wasn’t invited. Harry was evidently sidelined as he showed up on his own at the event and had no formal role in the coronation service at Westminster Abbey.

World leaders congratulate King Charles

Leaders who attended the ceremony included French President Emmanuel Macron along with his wife, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and wife Sophie Trudeau, Israel’s President Israel Isaac Herzog, First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikat and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

Royals from around the world who gathered for King Charles III’s coronation included Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, King Felipe VI and Letizia of Spain, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan, King of Malaysia Abdullah of Pahang and Queen Consort Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene, Grand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand-Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Radu and Margareta of Romania, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia.

World leaders have paid rich tribute to King Charles III and Queen Camilla following a day of Coronation celebrations. U.S. President Joe Biden, whose wife Jill attended the royal event in Westminster Abbey, said on Twitter: “Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla. I am proud the First Lady is representing the US.”

The Coronation is a testament to the enduring strength of the British monarchy. A symbol of stability and continuity.

My congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla. pic.twitter.com/rhLM9iAFrG

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 6, 2023

President of the European Council Charles Michel shared his appreciation of “the King’s dedication to environmental efforts”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, called the coronation “a testament to the enduring strength of the British monarchy”.

French President Macron called the new King and the Queen “friends of France” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose country was represented at the coronation by the president, sent her “best wishes to King Charles III, to Queen Camilla and the entire British people”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan congratulated King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Xi urged the UK to work for “a stable and mutually beneficial relationship and deepen people-to-people exchanges.”

Young Britons indifferent to ceremony

The lavish display of pageantry that took place in London organized at the same time when the country is going through a severe cost-of-living crisis also sparked public skepticism, particularly among the young, about the role and relevance of the monarchy is increasing.

With the nations struggling with economic, security, and political crises, and failing to find their individual space in the new world order after the exit from the European Union, observers find monarchy and its affairs as an unnecessary burden on Britain’s trembling socio-economic outlook. The anti-monarchy protest was also reported in Trafalgar Square in London ahead of the coronation ceremony.

Young Britons showed little interest in the monarchy’s coronation, with only 26% of 18-24 year-olds believing the monarchy benefits Britain, according to a mid-April YouGov poll. “It’s just kind of not important to us, I don’t think we were raised with the idea of the royals being something amazing,” an 18-year-old nursing student Millie Harvey told AFP.

However, the supporters of the British monarchy argue that the royal family provides an international draw, and it is a vital diplomatic tool and a means of keeping Britain on the world stage.