Palace promises a King-sized pageant
King Charles will put diversity, communities and volunteering at the heart of his coronation, setting out from the beginning his hopes for the lasting legacies of his reign, new details reveal.
Over three days of “joyful celebrations” in May, the King will highlight the importance of public service and community-building as his manifesto for a new Carolean age.
Buckingham Palace has released details of the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on the morning of Saturday, May 6, followed by a large-scale ceremonial procession where other members of the royal family will join the newly crowned King and Queen. The plans dispel speculation that the coronation would be a “no-frills” event, lacking the grandeur of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
Hers featured a service lasting almost three hours before a congregation of 8000 packed into the abbey, many sitting in specially built grandstands. A small railway track was built in the church to transport the scaffolding, which, if laid end to end, would have reached from London to Paris.
Royal aides said the coronation would be an occasion of “pomp, pageantry, braids, brass and fly-pasts – a glorious advertisement for the UK with a traditional religious service at its core”.
Buckingham Palace has also said the coronation “will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry”.
In one break with tradition, the Queen will be crowned alongside the King. It is also understood that Charles will wear military uniform instead of silk stockings and breeches as previous kings have done.
As many as 3000 VIPs and charity representatives will be in the congregation to see Charles and Camilla crowned in a televised service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, expected to last up to two hours.
The couple will travel to and from the abbey in the Gold State Coach, which was used by the late Queen for her coronation and restored for her Platinum Jubilee last summer. There will be large-scale military parades and “other elements of the King’s interests” will be reflected.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan have not yet confirmed whether they will attend, but sources close to Harry have said he would want to “show his respect” for his father’s “important moment”, although he would have no formal role should he attend.