The coronation of King Charles is scheduled for May 6 of the next year in what is being described as a ceremony that will be ‘rooted in history’ but simultaneously ‘looking towards the future’.
After taking the throne the moment his beloved mother, The Queen, passed away, King Charles will celebrate his coronation next year to mark the beginning of his reign. On Saturday, May 6, the historic event will take place, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be crowned alongside her adored husband. According to the palace, the event will be ‘rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry’ but also ‘reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future’.
Here's everything we know so far about the historic event.
Date and Venue
According to Today.com, it is announced by Buckingham Palace that the coronation will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating the ceremony. It reads:
'Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6th May 2023.'
The Abbey has witnessed 38 coronations dating back to William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066, reports the Mirror.
Unusually, May 6 falls on a Saturday, thus it will take place over the weekend. Weekends have not often been reserved for coronations, considering the late Queen's taking place on Tuesday.
At a Privy Council gathering later this year, Charles is anticipated to formally declare the date of the coronation by signing a proclamation.
Archie, the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the grandson of Charles was born on May 6 and will turn 4 on that day. However, reports disclosed that King Charles' plans for a more modest coronation will prevent Brits from celebrating an additional bank holiday.
Ministers have agreed that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that there will be any extra time off following high-level discussions with the government that took into account a variety of factors, including conflicts with sporting events, the accessibility of Westminster Abbey and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and even the likelihood of favorable weather.
The ‘Operation Orb’ group chose the date of May 6 since it comes on a Monday and in a month with two holidays: May Day on May 1 and Memorial Day on May 29.
Operation Golden Orb
Operation Golden Orb, the covert name for the plans for the coronation, lays out the general framework for the ceremony and the pomp that would surround it.
The coronation will be staged by the Duke of Norfolk, who organized the late Queen's burial.
Additionally, it has been stated that Prince William, the successor to the throne, is speculated to play a vital role in the ceremony's planning.
William has been crowned Prince of Wales this month, but his investiture is believed to differ from that of his father in 1969.
Coronation guestlist
For the late Queen's coronation in 1953, around 8,000 people packed into Westminster Abbey for the ceremony. However, for Charles' special day, Abbey will remain at its customary capacity of 2,000, which, according to the Dailymail on Sunday, may see hundreds of aristocrats and lawmakers missing out on attending.
The event's guest lists and the possibility of Harry and Meghan traveling from California to attend have not yet been confirmed.
Ancient rituals - and Camilla's role
During the historic ritual, Charles will be anointed with holy oil, given the orb, coronation ring, and sceptre, and crowned.
He will be anointed by the Archbishop and take his oath to ‘maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine worship, discipline, and government thereof, as the law established in England’. It is expected to be more inclusive of multi-faith Britain than past coronations but will be an Anglican service, reports the Mirror.
Similar to how the Queen Mother was when she was proclaimed Queen alongside George VI in 1937, Camilla will likewise be anointed with holy oil and crowned.
The late Queen gave the then-Duchess of Cornwall permission to use the title ‘Queen Consort’ when the time came on the eve of her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022.
When Camilla married Charles, royal advisers argued that she did not want to be queen and that she had initially ‘intended’ to be recognized as Princess Consort—the first in British history—instead.
There has been significant debate over whether Camilla will use the title of Queen, which is automatically bestowed upon the spouse of a monarch and can only be prevented by a change in the legislation.
Read more:
⋙ Prince William set to make the Prince of Wales title his own
⋙ These Royal Family members may be moving to a new house
⋙ Royal Family releases first photo of King Charles, Camilla, William and Kate
