King Charles was crowned at his coronation yesterday (6) – the first in the UK for 70 years.
The Archbishop of Canterbury placed the St. Edward’s Crown on the King’s head during a ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
The crown was made for King Charles II in the 17th century and is only worn when the monarch is crowned – meaning King Charles III is not due to wear it again.
After the King was crowned, his wife Camilla was crowned Queen.
The coronation began at 11:00 BST and ended at 13:00, with the main theme being the importance of service. That theme was reflected in the oaths and prayers King Charles made and the sermon delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
“I come not to be served, but to serve,” the King said in his first prayer after reaching the abbey. “We are here to crown a King and we crown a King to serve,” the Archbishop opened his sermon with.
“The King of Kings, Jesus Christ, was anointed not to be served, but to serve. He creates the unchangeable law that with the privilege of power comes the duty to serve,” he added.
In the abbey, Charles was proclaimed as the “undoubted King” in the first stage of the ceremony. The congregation was then asked to show their homage and service, shouting “God Save the King”.
Yet among the music and oaths, there were moments of complete silence as each stage of the ancient ceremony finished.
In the most sacred part of the service, the King was shielded from public view by anointing screens while choristers sang Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’ – performed at every coronation since 1727.
Prince William also made a pledge of loyalty to King Charles, before members of the congregation were invited to offer their own support.
Gun salutes were made at 13 locations across the UK, including in London, Edinburgh, and Hillsborough at the moment King Charles was crowned, while the bells of Westminster Abbey rang for two minutes.
Meanwhile, the crowd on The Mall broke out in a chant of “God Save the King” and the sound of popped corks could be heard.
Some 2,300 people were inside the abbey for the service, with Prince Harry arriving alongside his cousins.
Celebrity guests were also there – including actress Emma Thompson and US singer Katy Perry. US First Lady Jill Biden, and her granddaughter Finnegan, arrived in a three-car motorcade. President Joe Biden is not in the UK.
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska were also in the abbey, as were Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and leaders of the Commonwealth countries.
A military band played the National Anthem as the King and Queen Consort set off from Buckingham Palace on Saturday morning and crowds erupted into thunderous cheers.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, arrived from the United States on Friday on a commercial flight and was seen entering the abbey with his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
It is the first time he has been in public with his brother, Prince William, since his memoir, ‘Spare,’ was released. After the service, he was seen leaving Westminster Abbey alone in the back of a BMW.
Prince Andrew was seen following in the car behind with Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.
It is thought Prince Harry will fly back to the US just hours after the ceremony to rejoin his wife Meghan, as their son Archie is celebrating his fourth birthday.
On the procession route, umbrellas started to pop up as the rain arrived. But despite the very English weather, there was a celebratory atmosphere on The Mall, with periodic Mexican waves and Police officers and security guards being cheered.
Charles became King of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms in September 2022, when his mother Elizabeth died after 70 years on the throne.
Months of intense planning have gone into the coronation celebrations – the 40th to take place at Westminster Abbey since 1066. Unlike the procession route, there were no crowds outside the abbey, as it was closed to the public ahead of the service.
The service was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, assisted by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.
“There have been wall-to-wall rehearsals this week, and indeed last week,” the Archbishop of York said. “None of us have done this for a very long time, so working out the choreography has been complex.”
The ceremony emphasised diversity and inclusion, with more multi-faith elements than any previous coronation, with contributions from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Sikh representatives.
A Bible lesson was read by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is Hindu, and music was sung in Welsh, Scottish, and Irish Gaelic.
King Charles and Queen Camilla travelled in the Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace, in a spectacular mile-long procession, with 4,000 soldiers and 19 military bands.
The Metropolitan Police put 11,500 officers on duty in what it said was its biggest ever single-day deployment.
(Source: BBC)