When Is King Charles III Coronation?
The coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and his Queen Consort Camilla takes place on Saturday 6th May 2023. The religious ceremony takes place at Westminster Abbey and forms part of a Bank Holiday weekend filled with celebration, pageantry and more than a few street parties. London will be filled with well-wishers lining the streets for the procession to and from Buckingham Palace. This is what you need to know if you’re planning on joining in.King Charles’ coronation service takes place on Saturday 6th May at Westminster Abbey when King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned. When the Queen died on 8th September 2022, the throne passed to her son and heir Charles. There is a traditional mourning period and extensive preparations for a coronation ceremony traditionally conducted by The Archbishop of Canterbury.Both Charles and Camilla will arrive and depart in procession from Buckingham Palace and there will be a balcony appearance afterwards with family. On Sunday 7th May there’ll be big coronation street parties, a concert and a light show at Windsor Castle. Monday 8th May is the coronation bank holiday and people are invited and encouraged to volunteer as part of The Big Help Out.
Will there be a coronation bank holiday?
Yes. Monday 8th May is an extra bank holiday to mark King Charles’ coronation and to encourage people to get involved in local volunteering projects. This is in addition to the standard eight 2023 bank holidays and as well as the early May bank holiday on Monday 1st May. Find out more about this coronation bank holiday here.
Why was May 6th chosen for the coronation?
The timing has allowed for a mourning period and for preparations. There was initial speculation that King Charles may wait for his coronation to be on the same date as his mothers who had her coronation on June 2nd 1953. An official reason for the significance of Saturday 6th May hasn’t been announced, but royal experts suggest there are significant family connections to this date. King Charles’ grandfather George VI had his coronation in May and King Charles’ grandson Archie turns 4 on this day.
What is a coronation and what happens?
A coronation is a religious ceremony that sees a King or Queen crowned. In England, the coronation has taken place at Westminster Abbey for the last 900 years and has almost always been conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury since 1066. During the religious service, which is expected to last one hour, King Charles III will swear an oath to uphold the law and the Church. He will then sit in King Edward’s Chair under a gold canopy held by four Knights of the Garter to be anointed using holy oil poured from a gold eagle ampulla into a silver-gilt spoon, both Crown Jewel treasures. It’s tradition for a choir to sing Zadok The Priest as the anointing is carried out.
Will there be a coronation medal and what will the King wear to the coronation?
It’s unconfirmed if there will be a coronation medal, but many think it’s likely. This is a commemorative medal we know Queen Elizabeth II gave out to family, Royal household members, government officials, public servants and members of the Armed Forces all across the commonwealth.For the coronation, King Charles III will wear a crimson robe removed at the point in the religious ceremony when he is anointed. Then he will wear a simple white cloth with no embellishments. He also will wear a long silk super-tunica coat with wide sleeves trimmed in gold lace and adorned with national symbols. For the last section of the ceremony, when the Imperial State Crown is worn, King Charles will wear a purple surcoat.
Who will attend the coronation?
It is expected there will be around 2,000 invited guests in attendance for King Charles III coronation. Royalty and Heads of State from around the world are expected to attend along with the UK Prime Minister. Members of the public will line the streets and there is a ballot for tickets to the Sunday coronation concert. This is a more scaled down coronation compared to Queen Elizabeth II who had more than 8,000 guests for her coronation in 1953, including a four-year-old Prince Charles. You can feel a part of this special coronation event when you stay at The Clermont, Victoria and The Clermont, Charing Cross in Central London and enjoy views of the gathering crowds from your room. So book a stay for a royal weekend celebration.
