London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

King Charles To Be Coronated Next Week. Why Is The Ceremony Unique?

King Charles To Be Coronated Next Week. Why Is The Ceremony Unique?

Charles will also be presented with various hugely ornate golden orbs, sceptres, swords and a ring, which all form part of the Crown Jewels.
King Charles became monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth in September, but in May he will be crowned in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and solemn religious significance.

Why is he crowned and what does it all mean?

What's the history of Coronations?

For the best part of a thousand years, the kings and queens of England and Britain have been crowned at London's Westminster Abbey in a ceremony that has changed little throughout the centuries.

There have been 38 monarchs crowned at the Abbey - Edward V, one of two young princes believed to have been murdered in the Tower of London in the 15th Century, and Edward VIII, who abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, were not crowned.

Is the Coronation ceremony unique?

The coronation is not essential and no other monarchy across the globe has an event in the same style.

"The form of the ceremony that we'll see when Charles III is crowned is unique to this country and unique in its survival," royal historian Alice Hunt said.

It is organised by the Earl Marshal, England's most senior peer who is in charge of state occasions and which for centuries has been a position mainly held by The Duke of Norfolk and the Howard family.

Currently, it is the job of Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the current Duke of Norfolk who also arranged Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

Why have a Coronation?

Originally, a coronation was a necessity for a monarch but is now a ceremonial event.

"In this country, the coronation still kind of persisted as a moment that would really legitimise that monarch in a public way," Hunt said.

"It has also always retained at its heart, a kind of religious moment of transformation. Although the monarch is the monarch from the moment the predecessor has died, the language of the coronation ceremony from since it was locked down in the 14th Century has still articulated that the king or queen somehow changes during that ceremony."

What happens at the Coronation?

The coronation service is a solemn, religious occasion and full of symbolism. Charles will take an oath to uphold the law and the Church of England.

Sitting on the historic Coronation Chair, known as King Edward's chair and containing the Stone of Destiny, he will be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem.

It is the centre point of the ceremony and signals the conferment of God's grace on the sovereign.

"It's very easy with a religious ceremony to let the words kind of wash over you," Hunt said. "But listen to what is being said around what is happening at that moment of anointing. That's really unique and quite powerful, and has a long, long history."

Charles will also be presented with various hugely ornate golden orbs, sceptres, swords and a ring, which all form part of the Crown Jewels and variously symbolise the monarch's power, authority and duties, and the power of God.

The Archbishop will then place the heavy St Edward's Crown, used in coronations for the last 35 years, upon his head. It will not be just Charles who is crowned. His wife Camilla will also go through a simpler, mini-coronation ceremony as queen.

Charles will leave the Abbey wearing a different crown, the Imperial State Crown.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×