By: Kimberly Rodrigues
The coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be held at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (06).
Many are eagerly anticipating the royals’ appearance prior to the ceremony or plan to watch the events on TV, which will culminate in a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.
After the coronation, there will be a concert led by Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, along with street parties, and an extra bank holiday on Monday (08).
So, before the celebrations begin, here is a detailed schedule of the coronation day according to media reports.
6 a.m.
At 6am on Saturday (06), the procession route will open, so if you’re looking to catch a glimpse of King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the procession, make sure to wake up early.
The UK government website has confirmed that viewing areas on both sides of The Mall and Whitehall will be open from 6am.
However, according to the website, attendees should avoid arriving before 6am and be prepared to queue as large crowds are anticipated.
Stewards and police officers will guide the attendees and monitor the number of people to ensure everyone can enter the viewing areas safely and securely.
The viewing areas along the procession route will have limited capacity, and they will be closed once they reach their limit. It is important to note that if you leave a viewing area, you may not be able to re-enter.
7.15 a.m. to 8.30 a.m.
After passing through airport-style security checkpoints, the 2,000-person congregation of guests will begin to arrive at Westminster Abbey.
9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
As the congregation settles in, world leaders, British politicians, and international royals will arrive at the Abbey to take their seats.
9.45 a.m.
While guests gather inside Westminster Abbey, the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry will make preparations for the King’s Procession from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey.
10.20am: The King’s Procession
At 10:20am, King Charles and Queen Camilla will embark on the first of two processions – The King’s Procession – from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, where the coronation ceremony will take place.
Their route will take them along The Mall, through Admiralty Arch, down Whitehall and Parliament Street, and past the east and south sides of Parliament Square before arriving at the Abbey.
Accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, created for the late Queen Elizabeth II for her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
For nearly 900 years, Westminster Abbey has been the iconic location for the coronation of monarchs in London. The traditional route to the Abbey that the monarchs undertake is known as “The King’s Procession.”
The carriage has been modified with modern features such as air conditioning and electric windows.
As part of the procession, there will be just under 200 members of the Armed Forces accompanying the royal couple.
The estimated arrival time at the Abbey is 10:53am, just in time for the ceremony to begin at 11am.
11am: The Coronation Ceremony
At 11am, the coronation ceremony will commence inside Westminster Abbey, presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The coronation ceremony will run for slightly over an hour, which is notably shorter than Queen Elizabeth’s ceremony in 1953, which lasted for three hours.
During the ceremony inside the Abbey, King Charles III will be seated in the Coronation Chair, also known as Edward’s Chair, while holding the sovereign’s scepter, a golden rod adorned with precious stones, symbolizing his control over the nation. He will also hold the sovereign’s orb, a golden globe topped with a cross.
While only invited guests will be allowed to attend the ceremony in person, it is expected that there will be crowds waiting outside the Abbey. For those who cannot attend, the ceremony will be broadcasted live on television.
The coronation ceremony itself will consist of several rituals and procedures:
Recognition
The initial step of the coronation ceremony inside the Abbey will be the recognition of the monarch, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. King Charles will stand next to the chair and be presented to the congregation by the archbishop, who will then ask them to acknowledge the monarch by saying, “Sirs, I here present unto you King Charles, your undoubted King. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?”
The congregation will reply with the phrase, “God Save The King.”
Oath
During the ceremony, Charles will be asked to affirm his commitment to govern the U.K. and the Commonwealth with law and justice, and to maintain Christianity as the main religion in the nation. However, the monarch is also making efforts to act as a protector of all religions and include other religious groups in the event. As a part of this, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who practices Hinduism, will give a reading from the Bible.
After the recognition, Charles will move to the altar where he will take the oath. He will rest his hand on the Bible and declare, “The things which I have here before promised. I will perform and keep. So, help me God.” Following this, he will kiss the Bible and sign the Oath.
Anointing
The coronation ceremony will involve an anointment ritual where Charles will be anointed with chrism oil, made in Jerusalem in March, using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives. The Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the Ascension are where the olives were harvested from.
The anointment ritual will be performed by the archbishop using the coronation spoon, pouring oil on Charles’ hands, chest, and head. The purpose of the anointment is to reinforce the divine right of the monarch. Charles will be anointed behind a screen and out of sight.
Investiture
After the anointing, Charles will dress in the Colobium Sindonis, a pure white garment worn during his anointing, and the supertunica, a full-length coat made of gold silk. He will then be presented with various regalia that symbolize different virtues and blessings.
These objects include the Royal Orb, which represents moral and religious authority, the Royal Sceptre, which represents power, and a gold-topped rod with a white enamelled dove, which represents justice and mercy.
Finally, the archbishop will place St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head, completing the coronation ritual. The crown is an ornate headpiece made of solid gold and decorated with more than 400 gemstones, such as rubies and sapphires.
Gun salutes will be fired from various military bases across the UK to mark the historic moment of Charles’ coronation at the moment of crowning.
Enthronement
After the crowning ceremony, Charles will be escorted to the throne, where the Archbishop will offer a prayer.
Homage
At this juncture of the ceremony, members of the public will be given the opportunity to swear their own oath of allegiance to the monarch. Those who wish to participate will declare the words “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So, help me God.” This oath is known as the Homage of the People.
Queen Consort’s Crowning
Camilla will then receive her own anointing, investiture, and coronation with the Queen Mary’s Crown. The crown has been reset with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection. Unlike Charles, Camilla will undergo this ceremony in full view without a canopy to shield her, marking a break from royal tradition.
1 p.m.: Coronation Procession
After the ceremony, the newly crowned monarch and Camilla will leave Westminster Abbey and embark on a 1.3-mile journey back to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach. The journey is known as “The Coronation Procession,” and it is expected that many members of the public will line the streets along the route to catch a glimpse of the newly crowned king.
Although not made entirely of gold, the Gold State Coach is incredibly heavy, weighing a staggering four tonnes. As a result, it will be pulled by eight horses and move slowly along the route at a walking pace.
According to the Royal Family’s website, the Coronation Procession will feature members of the Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, as well as all branches of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom. In addition, The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal Watermen will also take part.
1.45pm: Royal Salute
Upon their return to Buckingham Palace, Charles and Camilla will be greeted with a royal salute and three cheers from the crowds gathered on the West Terrace of the Palace Garden.
Around 2.15pm: Balcony Appearance
After receiving the salute and cheers, it is expected that members of the royal family will make an appearance on the palace balcony to wave to the spectators. Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army will perform a fly-past display using over 60 aircraft.
Princess Alexandra, Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester, and Brigitte, The Duchess of Gloucester, are also reportedly invited to join the balcony appearance. However, it has not been confirmed yet which members of the Royal Family will attend the event, which is expected to be limited to working members only.
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