HOW KING CHARLES' CORONATION: ALL YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CROWNING CEREMONY ANSWERED! (1838 hits)
For Immediate Release From BBC News, People, & Royal Central!
King Charles III's coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London.
During the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort.
Here is what we know about the plans, code-named Operation Golden Orb.
What is a coronation?
A coronation is both the symbolic religious ceremony during which a sovereign is crowned and the physical act of placing a crown on a monarch's head.
It formalises the monarch's role as the head of the Church of England and marks the transfer of their title and powers.
However, it is not actually necessary for the monarch to be crowned to become King. Edward VIII reigned without a coronation - and Charles automatically became King the moment Queen Elizabeth II died.
Who is in the UK Royal Family and what does the King do? Will there be a bank holiday? There will be an extra bank holiday across the UK on Monday 8 May.
Buckingham Palace has announced various events for the weekend, including a concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May featuring Katy Perry, Take That and Lionel Richie.
Pubs, clubs and bars across England and Wales will be able to stay open for an extra two hours on Friday and Saturday of the coronation weekend.
People are also being invited to hold street parties, and to take part in volunteering projects in their local community, as part of the Big Help Out initiative.
The coronation of King Charles is quickly approaching.
Although King Charles, 74, became the U.K.'s new monarch immediately upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Sept. 8, 2022, he will be officially crowned in a ceremony steeped in tradition.
"Charles became King Charles the moment his mother died, but the coronation is to do with the job and being the monarch in the eyes of all the people," royal historian Robert Lacey told PEOPLE.
His wife Camilla, 75, will also be crowned as Queen Consort during the ceremony.
Where and When Will King Charles' Coronation Take Place? Buckingham Palace announced in October 2022 that King Charles' coronation will take place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. The date is earlier than widely speculated — many believed that King Charles would pick a June date as a tribute to the month when Queen Elizabeth had her coronation in 1953.
Following nearly a thousand years of tradition, the service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
"The Coronation will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry," Buckingham Palace said.
The Crown Jewels are the most sacred and special jewellery and regalia at the disposal of the monarch, and they are stored permanently at the Tower of London unless otherwise needed for state occasions, such as a coronation.
In total, there are 142 objects with over 23,000 gemstones that make up the Crown Jewels, from crowns, sceptres, and orbs to swords, maces, and trumpets that are never used. The Royal Family estimates that a majority of these treasures have been amassed since 1660 (with the reign of Charles II), but some date back 800 years.
