King Charles III’s coronation will be different from that of his mother, Queen Elizabeth

The pomp, pageantry and symbolism dates back more than 1,000 years, but this monarch’s coronation will mark new twists on tradition and changes since the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years ago.

Plans for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey call for a more toned-down affair than the last, although royal families from other nations, heads of state and most members of Charles’ family will be there, and the king plans to wear similar attire. Elizabeth did.

Here are some things to know about the coronation:

Why a coronation if Charles is already king?

Charles automatically ascended the throne when Elizabeth died on September 8 and was officially proclaimed King of Britain two days later in a televised ascension ceremony for the first time.

Charles said he was “deeply aware of this great heritage and the heavy responsibilities of duty and sovereignty which now devolve upon me.”

There is no legal requirement for a coronation, and other European monarchies have eliminated ceremonies.

But the deeply religious and regalia-heavy event was a more formal confirmation of his role as head of state and titular head of the Church of England, and was intended to show that the king’s authority was derived from God.

During a service conducted by the church’s spiritual leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles will be anointed with oil, receive the traditional symbols of a king – including the orb and scepter – and for the first time, St Edward’s Crown will be placed on his head. the time Charles’ wife Camilla will be crowned Queen Consort.

What will be different from the last coronation?

The coronation ceremony dates back to the medieval period, and remains largely unchanged.

Westminster Abbey has been the setting for the ritual since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066.

The coronation of Elizabeth II in June 1953 was the first to be televised live. It attracted tens of millions of viewers in the UK and was later played to a global audience. In the age of streaming and social media, people will be able to watch Charles’ crown live from anywhere on the planet and post their hot takes with the crown emoji created for the occasion.

Charles has said he plans to reduce the monarchy. Her coronation is expected to mirror her mother’s three-hour extravaganza, with a ceremony shorter than 2,000 guests in the audience – a quarter of the number who gathered to see Elizabeth crowned.

Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh religious leaders will play a role in the coronation, in a bid to change the religious structure of the United Kingdom. This reflects Charles’ promise to be a “defender of the faith” as opposed to a “defender of the faith”.

The procession after the ceremony will also be decidedly shorter than the 5-mile (8 km) route Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, took around London in 1953. Charles and Camilla plan to take the 1.3-mile (2-kilometer) walk. way back to Buckingham Palace, trading the wheels that brought them to the church — the 260-year-old coach used by William IV at every coronation since 1831 — for the convenience of a more modern carriage on the return journey.

Who is on the guest list?

Hundreds of heads of state are expected to attend, along with royalty, from Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and his wife Kiko to Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

The US will keep alive its streak of a president never attending a British royal coronation, although first lady Jill Biden is set to attend.

William, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, is expected to kneel before his father and pledge his loyalty in what is known as the Homage of Royal Blood.

Her younger brother, Prince Harry, the disaffected Duke of Sussex, is not expected to attend the service. Her explosive memoir “Spare,” which became a bestseller earlier this year, made outrageous claims about the royal family.

Until three weeks ago, there were questions about whether Harry and his wife Meghan would attend the coronation after accusations of racism and media manipulation of the royal family.

While Harry will be there, the Duchess will stay at the couple’s Southern California home with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The coronation comes just days before the hearing of Harry’s first case against the British tabloid press. This case may reveal more family secrets.

During a hearing in a similar case last week, Harry said in court documents that Buckingham Palace, with the Queen’s approval, had reached an agreement with Rupert Murdoch’s English newspapers to settle phone-hacking allegations without a lawsuit. Harry said he was instructed by palace staff to drop his case because his father wanted to cooperate with the press.

The family drama doesn’t end there. Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, is also not expected to play a role in the ceremony. Andrew abdicated royal duties and was stripped of military titles and patronage after revelations of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew settled a case with a woman who said she was forced to have sex with him when she was a teenager.

What is the significance of coronation?

With public opinion polls supporting the monarchy weak in recent years, this is an opportunity for Charles to seek and demonstrate the public’s embrace.

Crowds are expected to line the streets to cheer on the new monarch, and crowds will line up outside Buckingham Palace waiting for him to appear on the balcony after the procession.

While criticism of the crown has been relatively muted in recent years in deference to the Queen and her decades of service to the country, there is likely to be much discussion about whether Britain still needs this old institution or whether it should become a republic. An elected head of state.

The leader of the anti-monarchy group, Republic, said that they plan to bring more than 1,000 protestors with yellow slogans saying ‘not my king’ during the royal procession.

For the vast majority, however, it will be an opportunity to celebrate being British – or show their support for an institution that holds fascination for many around the world.

The streets will be lined with Confederate flags, spectators will wear red, white and blue, and military jets will fly above plumes of smoke in the national colors. The pomp and circumstance of the ceremony itself is also a reminder of a time when Britain was the most powerful nation in the world.

Who’s picking up the tab for the festivities?

People are raising the bill for the coronation. There is no official estimate of how much it might cost. Some reports estimate it could be upwards of 100 million pounds ($125 million).

The celebration comes as the UK weathers a severe living crisis that has left many struggling to heat their homes and put food on their tables this winter.

But many people stand to benefit from the hoopla.

Officials hope to see a boost in tourism and no shortage of coronation-themed events and commemorative products that could raise more sales taxes.

Fans looking to commemorate the historic event can find everything from fine china to souvenir coins or cardboard masks of Charles and Camilla. Coronation themed beers, biscuits and chocolates are likely to be soon forgotten.

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