Charles III crowned king at first UK coronation in 70 years
Published: 05:05 PM,May 06,2023 | EDITED : 09:05 PM,May 06,2023
LONDON: Charles III on Saturday finally met his date with destiny after a lifetime as heir to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, as he was officially crowned king in the first coronation in Britain since 1953.
At exactly 12:02 pm, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority.
Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-member congregation at Westminster Abbey and trumpet fanfares sounded at the climax of the solemn religious confirmation of his accession.
Outside, ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and sea while bells pealed in celebration at churches.
Charles, 74, will wear the St Edward’s Crown only once during his reign. His wife, Camilla, 75, was crowned queen in a ceremony soon afterwards.
The build-up to the Christian ceremony of prayer and praise — steeped in 1,000 years of British history and tradition, with sumptuous robes and priceless regalia — has been mostly celebratory.
Much of the two-hour Anglican service, in which Charles pledged “I come not to be served but to serve”, would have been recognisable to the 39 other monarchs crowned at Westminster Abbey since 1066.
But while many of the intricate rituals and ceremony to recognise Charles as his people’s “undoubted king” remained, the king sought to bring other aspects of the service up to date.
A gospel choir sang for the first time at a coronation. As king, Charles is supreme governor of the Church of England and has described himself as a “committed Anglican Christian”.
He sought to make the congregation more reflective of British society, inviting ordinary members of the public to sit alongside heads of state and global royalty.
Rishi Sunak — Britain’s first prime minister of colour, who gave a reading from the Bible at the service — has described the coronation as “a proud expression of our history, culture and traditions”.
Charles’s eldest brother Prince Andrew — was booed as he headed to the abbey. Another royal, Prince Harry attended the coronation on his own.
The huge crowds of royal fans that have been building all week on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace indicate that the royals still have a central role in British culture and history.
Many of those camping out to watch have flown in from abroad, underlining the royal family’s untouched position as Britain’s leading global brand. — AFP
Coronation draws tens of thousands braving rain to cheer monarch
LONDON: Tens of thousands of people of all ages, from Britain and across the globe, braved the rain for a glimpse of the newly crowned King Charles in the streets of London and on Buckingham Palace’s famous balcony on Saturday.
From the early hours, people dressed in red, white and blue and clutching union flags and umbrellas lined the streets for the first coronation in Britain for 70 years, seeking to share a historic occasion and what many viewed as a moment of national unity.
In crowns and regal robes, Charles and Queen Camilla appeared on the balcony with heir to the throne Prince William and other senior royals to watch a fly-past, scaled down due to the cloud and rain.
“It was a brilliant way to end what was already a brilliant day,” said Katie Mitchell, 25, who had made it close to the Palace.
Many in the crowd had brought stools or steps, to be able to see over the crowds, and wore elaborate fancy dress including paper crowns and plastic tiaras.
While the service took place within Westminster Abbey strangers huddled together under umbrellas to see the ceremony on phones and iPads, or watched on big screens in parks.
Following on his phone in St James’s Park, Mick Windebank, 60, a builder from Surrey, said the moment the crown was placed on Charles’ head was “very emotional”.
Toward the end of the two-hour service, crowds lining the procession route and listening on loud speakers joined in when “God Save the King”, the national anthem, was played.
For many spectators, the sight of eight horses pulling the 260-year-old Gold State Coach carrying Charles and Camilla back to Buckingham Palace brought home the sense of history unfolding. — Reuters
At exactly 12:02 pm, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority.
Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-member congregation at Westminster Abbey and trumpet fanfares sounded at the climax of the solemn religious confirmation of his accession.
Outside, ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and sea while bells pealed in celebration at churches.
Charles, 74, will wear the St Edward’s Crown only once during his reign. His wife, Camilla, 75, was crowned queen in a ceremony soon afterwards.
The build-up to the Christian ceremony of prayer and praise — steeped in 1,000 years of British history and tradition, with sumptuous robes and priceless regalia — has been mostly celebratory.
Much of the two-hour Anglican service, in which Charles pledged “I come not to be served but to serve”, would have been recognisable to the 39 other monarchs crowned at Westminster Abbey since 1066.
But while many of the intricate rituals and ceremony to recognise Charles as his people’s “undoubted king” remained, the king sought to bring other aspects of the service up to date.
A gospel choir sang for the first time at a coronation. As king, Charles is supreme governor of the Church of England and has described himself as a “committed Anglican Christian”.
He sought to make the congregation more reflective of British society, inviting ordinary members of the public to sit alongside heads of state and global royalty.
Rishi Sunak — Britain’s first prime minister of colour, who gave a reading from the Bible at the service — has described the coronation as “a proud expression of our history, culture and traditions”.
Charles’s eldest brother Prince Andrew — was booed as he headed to the abbey. Another royal, Prince Harry attended the coronation on his own.
The huge crowds of royal fans that have been building all week on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace indicate that the royals still have a central role in British culture and history.
Many of those camping out to watch have flown in from abroad, underlining the royal family’s untouched position as Britain’s leading global brand. — AFP
Coronation draws tens of thousands braving rain to cheer monarch
LONDON: Tens of thousands of people of all ages, from Britain and across the globe, braved the rain for a glimpse of the newly crowned King Charles in the streets of London and on Buckingham Palace’s famous balcony on Saturday.
From the early hours, people dressed in red, white and blue and clutching union flags and umbrellas lined the streets for the first coronation in Britain for 70 years, seeking to share a historic occasion and what many viewed as a moment of national unity.
In crowns and regal robes, Charles and Queen Camilla appeared on the balcony with heir to the throne Prince William and other senior royals to watch a fly-past, scaled down due to the cloud and rain.
“It was a brilliant way to end what was already a brilliant day,” said Katie Mitchell, 25, who had made it close to the Palace.
Many in the crowd had brought stools or steps, to be able to see over the crowds, and wore elaborate fancy dress including paper crowns and plastic tiaras.
While the service took place within Westminster Abbey strangers huddled together under umbrellas to see the ceremony on phones and iPads, or watched on big screens in parks.
Following on his phone in St James’s Park, Mick Windebank, 60, a builder from Surrey, said the moment the crown was placed on Charles’ head was “very emotional”.
Toward the end of the two-hour service, crowds lining the procession route and listening on loud speakers joined in when “God Save the King”, the national anthem, was played.
For many spectators, the sight of eight horses pulling the 260-year-old Gold State Coach carrying Charles and Camilla back to Buckingham Palace brought home the sense of history unfolding. — Reuters