Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Operation Golden Orb - the codename given to the strategy and the special committee in charge of organising the coronation of King Charles II - has been hard at work planning every last detail of the upcoming celebrations, with the programme for the full weekend of festivities now published on the Royal website.
When Will Charles’ Coronation Be?
When Elizabeth became Queen, there was over a year between her ascension and her coronation. According to the Royal website this gap is normal: ‘The coronation of the new Sovereign follows some months after his or her accession, following a period of mourning and as a result of the enormous amount of preparation required to organise the ceremony.’
Thanks to the well laid plans by a dedicated committee - who, in the final years of the Queen's life had been meeting as often as twice a month - the wait for King Charles' III coronation won't be quite as long, and now a date has been set for the 6th of May for the actual ceremony, with further celebrations included a BBC concert taking place on the Sunday.
Where Will Charles Be Crowned?
Like all the monarchs before him for almost a millennia, King Charles III will be crowned atWestminster Abbey in London. The Archbishop of Canterbury will perform the coronation and conduct the ceremony – a role he has held since 1066.
What Will Happen At Charles’ Coronation?
According to the website, ‘The coronation ceremony [is] an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony, has remained essentially the same over a thousand years.’
It’s certainly heavy on pomp and ceremony – in fact, it’s practically the definition of it – but according to a palace insider it will be parred down in comparison to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
The source told MailOnline back in February, 'Compared to the last coronation, there will be a lot less fuss. Last time, special green chairs were commissioned and guests were able to have them delivered to their homes afterwards. You won’t see that sort of thing this time.’
According to the Royal website, this is how proceedings will go down: ‘During the ceremony, the Sovereign takes the coronation oath. The form and wording have varied over the centuries. Today, the Sovereign undertakes to rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy - promises symbolised by the four swords in the coronation regalia (the Crown Jewels) - and to maintain the Church of England.
‘The Sovereign is then "anointed, blessed and consecrated" by the Archbishop, whilst the Sovereign is seated in King Edward's chair (made in 1300, and used by every Sovereign since 1626). Underneath the chair the Stone of Scone - also known as the Stone of Destiny - will be placed. This has been used in royal coronations for centuries.
‘After receiving the orb and sceptres, the Archbishop places St Edward's Crown on the Sovereign's head. After homage is paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior peers, Holy Communion is celebrated.’
Coronation Weekend: Saturday 6th
Following the coronation itself - which will of course be televised by the BBC, after Queen Elizabeth's own (and the first) televised coronation drew the biggest audiences ever seen - the newly crowned King and Queen consort will travel back to Buckingham Palace where they'll do their traditional waving from the balcony. The Saturday's festivities will be relatively tame in comparison to the big party on Sunday.
Coronation Weekend: Sunday 7th
The main event of the weekend for us civilians will be the huge concert, taking place at Windsor Castle and broadcast around the world by the Beeb on Sunday 7th of May. While a line-up is yet to be announced, the palace has promised to 'bring global music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of the historic occasion'.
'Attended by a public audience including volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort’s many charity affiliations, the concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance. The performances will be supported by staging and effects located on the Castle’s East Lawn and will also feature a selection of spoken word sequences delivered by stars of stage and screen.'
How To Buy Tickets For The Coronation Concert
Much like tickets to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert in summer 2022, tickets to the coronation concert will be available by ballot.
'Through a national ballot held by the BBC, several thousand members of the public will be selected to receive a pair of free tickets for the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle,' reads the website.
Will Charles’ Coronation Be A Bank Holiday?
We were given a bank holiday to mourn the Queen on the day of her funeral, and we’ll get another one under happier circumstances when King Charles is crowned, most likely in 2023. The UK Government has already confirmed that UK workers will receive a day off on Monday 8th, which has been dubbed The Big Help Out.
The Royal website reads, 'In tribute to His Majesty The King's public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.'
Who Will Attend Charles’ Coronation?
The coronation will be a grand – some might argue the grandest – affair, and so it’s got a guestlist worthy of a King. As well as the British royal family, the occasion will be attended by royals and dignitaries from across the world as well as ‘leading citizens’ from Commonwealth countries. Members of Parliament and representatives from the church and state can also expect invites. So far, we know that the key roles will be attending - includingPrince Harry, although Meghan Markle has announced that she will be staying at home in LA. Dr Jill Biden will be representing her husband, US President Joe Biden on the occasion, and it is thought that the celebrity guestlist will include David and Victoria Beckham, Rowan Atkinson and Stella McCartney.
A source told MailOnline earlier this year, ‘It will be a slimmed-down monarchy on display throughout. I wouldn’t be surprised to see just Charles and Camilla, Kate and William and their children on the Buckingham Palace balcony afterwards.’
Will Prince Harry Be At The Coronation?
While the Palace continues to maintain a 'dignified silence' - as is custom - around Prince Harry's explosive autobiography and it's numerous scandalous allegations made against the family, one thing that's clear is that relations between Harry and his dad and brother have certainly been better. Harry has claimed that he wants his 'pa' and brother back in his life, but as yet it's unclear how bridges might be built. Either way, the coronation of a new monarch is just about as big an event as you can get for the Royal family, and missing it would probably be a one way ticket to irreparable damage, so the pressure is likely on to resolve things between them in time for the Spring. The only official comment given was by Harry prior to his book release, when he 'refused to commit' to attending the ceremony.
King Charles’ Crown
The crown placed on the sovereign’s head during the coronation ceremony is called St Edward’s Crown, and it has been since the 13th century. However, the actual crown dates only as far back at 1661 and the coronation of King Charles II, after the original was melted down and sold for metal after the abolition of the monarchy in 1649. It’s made of solid gold with 444 precious and semi-precious stones inset, and is kept at The Tower of London with the rest of the Crown Jewels.
Will Camilla Be Crowned?
Emphatically, yes. It was as recently as February last year that Queen Elizabeth stated it was her wish for Camilla, Charles’ second wife, to be known as Queen Consort when Charles’ became King – prior to that it had been agreed she would be Princess Consort, out of respect for Lady Diana, Princess of Wales. As Queen Consort (different to Queen Regnant, which is the title given to a female monarch), Camilla will also be crowned, but in a simpler ceremony. This isn’t an honour extended to the husband of a Queen Regnant, who wouldn’t be known as a King – which is why Phillip was Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation
The Queen’s coronation in June 1953 was one of the first broadcasting events that really made television into a mainstream media tool. At the time it was a major feat of technology and was the biggest broadcast ever attempted, with over 20 million people watching the event live at a time when most people didn’t have TVs in their homes. The decision to televise it was made by the Queen herself, who went against royal advice not to – although it wasn’t the first coronation to be shown; her father King George VI’s coronation was also broadcast on TV but more people listened to it on the radio.
At Westminster Abbey there were 8,251 guests (Charles reportedly hopes to keep the number to about 2,000) with representatives from 129 countries and territories. Charles’ own coronation won’t be his first – he was present when his mother was crowned, although his little sister Anne was considered too young.
How Will Prince Charles' Coronation Compare To Queen Elizabeth's?
In an attempt to show that he's keen to modernise the monarchy, King Charles has shortened the service from four hours to one, has reduced the number of guests from 8,000 to 2,000 and will be dressed in more casual military attire.
For more information, check out our article which explains the key differences between the two here.
What’s A Coronation Medal?
The coronation medal is a commemorative souvenir given by the Queen to various people the day after her coronation, including family, members of the Royal household, government officials, mayors, public servants, local government officials, members of the navy, army, air force and police in Britain and across the commonwealth. Well known for his generosity, it’s likely Charles will do something similar to mark his own coronation.