King Charles III was anointed and crowned on Saturday in Britain’s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a display of pomp and pageantry that sought to marry 1,000 years of history with a monarchy fit for a new era. In front of a congregation including about 100 world leaders and a television audience of millions, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, slowly placed the 360-year-old St Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head as he sat upon a 14th-century throne in Westminster Abbey. During the solemn two-hour service, elements of which date back to the time of King William the Conqueror in 1066, Charles’ second wife Camilla was also crowned queen.
A massive military procession followed, with gun salutes fired and thousands of soldiers roaring three cheers as the king and queen waved from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to cheering crowds gathered on The Mall boulevard.
While rooted in history, the ceremony – only the second British coronation to be broadcast – was also an attempt to present a forward-thinking institution and reflect a more diverse country.
“I have come not to be served, but to serve,” Charles stated at the outset.
With Britain struggling to find its way in the political quagmire that has resulted from its exit from the European Union and maintain its global standing, supporters of the monarchy argue that the royal family serves as an international draw, a vital diplomatic tool, and a means of keeping Britain on the world stage.
“No other country could put on such a dazzling display – the processions, pageantry, ceremonies, and street parties,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Despite Sunak’s enthusiasm, the coronation took place in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and public skepticism, particularly among the young, about the monarchy’s role and relevance.
When Queen Elizabeth died last September, Charles, 74, took over as king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms, including Canada and Australia.
Saturday’s event was smaller in scale than the one staged for her in 1953, but it still attempted to be spectacular. There was a plethora of historical regalia on display, including golden orbs and jeweled swords, as well as a scepter holding the world’s largest colorless cut diamond.
After the service, Charles and Camilla, 75, rode in the four-tonne Gold State Coach built for George III, the last king of Britain’s American colonies, in a one-mile procession of 4,000 military personnel from 39 nations to Buckingham Palace.
Meanwhile, hundreds of soldiers in scarlet uniforms and black bearskin hats lined The Mall for Britain’s largest ceremonial event since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
Tens of thousands of people braved the pouring rain to gather on the streets to witness what some saw as a watershed moment in history.
“When I was a young girl, I was able to watch (Queen Elizabeth’s coronation) on television in Hartford, Connecticut, at a friend’s house because we didn’t have a TV,” said retired US teacher Peggy Jane Laver, 79.
“So I’m overjoyed to be here in person for the coronation.”
Hundreds of Republicans booed and waved banners reading “Not My King” as they gathered to watch Charles. According to the Republic campaign group, its leader was arrested as part of a “significant police operation” that detained 52 people.
SACRED CEREMONY
Politicians and dignitaries from around the world, including US first lady Jill Biden, took their seats inside the abbey, which was festooned with flowers and flags, alongside 2,200 others ranging from charity workers to celebrities, including actors Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, and Judi Dench, and US singer Katy Perry.
Charles swore solemn oaths to govern justly and to uphold the Church of England, of which he is the titular head.
He was then hidden from view by a screen for the most sacred part of the ceremony when Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby anointed him on his hands, head, and breast with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem.
Welby placed the St Edward’s Crown on his head after being presented with symbolic regalia, and the congregation cried out, “God save the King!”
Gun salutes were fired from the Tower of London, as well as throughout the capital, the country, Gibraltar, Bermuda, and on ships at sea.
Prince William, Charles’ eldest son, and heir, knelt before his father to pledge his loyalty as his “liege man of life and limb.”
According to officials, much of the ceremony included elements that Charles’ forefathers dating back to King Edgar in 973 would recognize. The coronation anthem “Zadok The Priest” by Handel was sung, as it has been since 1727.
However, the service also featured an anthem composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, best known for his West End and Broadway theatre productions, a gospel choir, and an “unprecedented” greeting from faith leaders.
However, neither Charles’ younger son Prince Harry, who had a high-profile falling out with his family, nor his brother Prince Andrew, who was forced to resign from royal duties due to his friendship with late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, had a formal role.
They sat in the third row, behind working royal family members, and neither appeared on the palace balcony.
Camilla’s coronation marked her ascension from obscurity in the years following Charles’ divorced first wife, the popular and glamorous Princess Diana, who died in a car accident in Paris in 1997.
For the last decade, the royal family has received massive global media attention, from weddings, births, and significant anniversaries to mourning Queen Elizabeth’s death last year, and now Charles’ coronation.
However, no major event is likely for several years, and with polls showing a decline in support for the monarchy, particularly among the young, commentators say the greatest challenge to the institution is adapting and remaining relevant.
Neil Edward, 72, a retired salesman who traveled from southwest England to watch, described the experience as a mix of pride and nostalgia, with a hint of sadness that it might be the last major royal event he attends.
“Without them, I don’t know how we would come together to celebrate big events like this,” he said.
