The Crowing of King Charles III

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King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023, marking the culmination of a seven-decade journey from heir to monarch. The ceremony, steeped in ancient tradition, was attended by over 2,000 guests, including world leaders, aristocrats, and celebrities. Thousands of troops, tens of thousands of spectators, and a few protesters also attended the ceremony. The occasion, code-named Operation Golden Orb, was a display of heritage, tradition, and spectacle unmatched around the world, according to the royal family and government. The ceremony involved Charles being anointed with oil from the Mount of Olives in the Holy Land, receiving an orb, swords, and scepters, before being presented with a crown bedecked with over 400 precious stones. Female clergy participated in the ceremony, and representatives of the Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh faiths were included for the first time.

The ceremony was slightly tweaked for modern times, with a preface added to the coronation oath to state that the Church of England would seek to foster an environment where people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely. The gospel choir performed a newly composed “Alleluia,” and the epistle from the King James Bible was read by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Britain’s first Hindu leader.

Despite the awe and reverence that the ceremony was designed to evoke, many met it with a shrug, while a few greeted it with disdain. Republican protesters outside shouted “Not my king” for a celebration of an institution they say stands for privilege and inequality, in a country of deepening poverty and fraying social ties. Nonetheless, thousands of people from across the UK and around the world camped overnight along the 1.3-mile route that the king and his wife, Camilla, traveled to reach the abbey in a gilt-trimmed, horse-drawn carriage.

Charles, clad in crimson and cream robes, swore on a Bible that he is a “true Protestant,” as part of the traditional Anglican service. However, Charles no longer has executive or political power, and the service is purely ceremonial since he automatically became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September. Charles will have to work to bring together a multicultural nation and shore up support for monarchy, especially among younger people.

The anti-monarchy group Republic said six of its members, including its chief executive, were arrested as they arrived at a protest. Police have said they will have a “low tolerance” for people seeking to disrupt the day, sparking criticism that they are clamping down on free speech. The multimillion-pound cost of the pomp, the exact figure of which is unknown, also rankled some amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Charles has sought to lead a smaller, less expensive royal machine for the 21st century. The ceremony was shorter than Elizabeth’s three-hour coronation, with fewer guests and an abbreviated procession, though there was still plenty to see: judges in wigs, soldiers with gleaming medals attached to red tunics, members of the House of Lords, world royalty, heads of state, public servants, key workers, and local heroes.

Towards the end of the ceremony, Prince William knelt before his father and pledged loyalty to the king, before kissing him on the cheek. The notoriously feuding royal family put on a show of unity, as Prince Harry arrived alone, while his wife Meghan and their children remained at home in California.

Source: AppNews.