Everything You Need to Know About King Charles Coronation.
King Charles III’s long-awaited coronation promises to be one of the defining events of 2023 – and details about the big day have finally been announced.
Or should we say big days. The coronation will be a three-day spectacle, kicking off with two grand processions and a religious service on Saturday May 6 2023. It will be followed by a concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday May 7, featuring global stars and the Coronation Choir, which will be broadcast live on the BBC.
There will also be a ‘lighting up the nation’ moment during the concert. Landmarks across the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations, and street parties will be encouraged around the country. The celebrations will culminate on the Monday bank holiday, when citizens will be encouraged to volunteer in their local areas – an event that’s being billed as ‘The Big Help Out’.
The coronation has been on the cards since Charles was named King back in September, and it’s safe to say that the organisers are going all-out. Looking forward to the big day already (or maybe just wondering if you can start planning that extra day off)? Read on for everything we know about King Charles III’s coronation so far.
When is King Charles III’s coronation?
The coronation will take place on Saturday May 6 2023. This will be eight months on from his automatic appointment as King on September 8 2022.
This is the first time a coronation ceremony will take place on a weekend since 1902 when Edward VII was crowned King.
Will we get a bank holiday to celebrate the coronation?
It has been confirmed that we will indeed get a bank holiday to mark the occasion. As the coronation itself will fall on a Saturday, the bank holiday will take place on Monday May 8 2023, two days after the service at Westminster Abbey.
What time will the coronation start?
The timings for the King’s coronation have not yet been announced, but Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 ceremony started at 11.15am and lasted nearly three hours, so it may end up following a similar schedule.
Where will the coronation take place?
The ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey. It will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury (as it has done since 1066), and Charles will be crowned alongside the Queen Consort Camilla.
What normally happens during a royal coronation ceremony?
During the ceremony, the monarch will take the coronation oath, before he is anointed, blessed and consecrated by the Archbishop. He will then receive the orb and sceptres before the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head.
At the Queen’s coronation, representatives of the Houses of Parliament, Church and the State, as well as prime ministers and leading citizens from the Commonwealth were present.
The royal family’s website says the coronation is ‘an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony, [and] has remained essentially the same over a thousand years’.
Will there be a coronation medal?
Each monarch has a medal which is given to members of the royal family and other selected members of the household and state, as well as public servants, mayors, army, police and more. King Charles III’s medal will be issued following the coronation.
Can I attend the coronation?
Us regular folk can’t actually go inside the abbey for the coronation, sadly. You have to be a notable person who has been invited. But there will be a procession through London to mark the occasion so you can join in the fun.
Can I enter the coronation concert ballot?
Yes. The BBC will open a ballot, and several thousand members of the public will be selected to receive a pair of free tickets. Applications for the ballot will open in due course.
Will the coronation be shown on TV?
The details haven’t been confirmed yet, but we’re pretty sure the coronation will be broadcast live on telly. Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was shown on TV and was watched by around 27 million.
You must log in to post a comment.