Comment on this storyComment
LONDON – After the longest wait ever, King Charles III. finally in his coronation chair over the Stone of Destiny while a heavy golden crown was placed on him in Westminster Abbey, bells rang and the people cried, “God save the King!”
It was a world-broadcast spectacle that blended medieval and modern, paying homage to ancient rites to be inclusive and diverse, and somehow rich in pomp and trimmed down at the same time.
That was all asking a lot.
The BBC’s commentators have been ebullient, but they always deal with historical royal moments. We’ll see what ordinary Brits think. Many, especially the youth, are indifferent to constitutional monarchy, and a golden carriage is difficult to reconcile with a cost-of-living crisis.
The coronation of King Charles III: Unforgettable moments in photos and videos
It was a rainy, spongy day, the sky was fish belly gray and crowds along the parade route held umbrellas over their heads or were wrapped in clear plastic as they joined in a “tribute to the people” and together their pledged allegiance to the new king .
A planned flyby of 60 aircraft was scaled back “due to unsuitable weather conditions,” the Department of Defense said. Instead there were a few helicopters and the Royal Air Force’s aerobatic team known as the “Red Arrows”.
At Westminster Abbey, the scene of every coronation since 1066, the new king swore he had come “to serve, not to be served”. But then he was served – a lot.
Items of arcane but priceless insignia were handed to him: orb, swords, ring, gauntlets, scepter, spurs. Many golden things presented by many people. The newspapers were obsessive in their detailed descriptions of each article.
The service was shortened from three hours in 1953 to two hours. Even so, it was very ecclesiastical, which may have surprised some tuned in to the pomp. It was about Karl, but also a lot about Jesus. At this performance, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby had more speeches than the new king.
But Charles was involved in everything, playing both the lead actor and the director. At his urging, his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Protector of the Faith was explained as one that he wished to “promote an environment in which people of all faiths and beliefs can live freely”. Representatives from the Jewish, Sunni and Shia Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Baha’i and Zoroastrian communities were there to honor him.
The service also featured great music – including a moving prayer sung in Welsh for the first time and a new composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber entitled Make a Joyful Noise.
Prince Harry, fifth in line to the throne, was a guest and sat in the third row. At one point, his face was obscured by the red plumage on his aunt Princess Anne’s tricorne hat. His wife Meghan stayed in California. Shortly after the service, the tabloids reported that he returned there too — seemingly without a resolution to his ongoing feud with his father.
Prince Harry, solo, stayed on the sidelines at the coronation
His brother, Prince William, the heir, played a prominent role. He knelt before the king and in a “homage to royal blood” pledged his allegiance “as your liege man for life and limb”. Then he got up and kissed his father on the cheek. That was a tender moment.
Charles, 74, often looks red and dashing in his blue Savile Row pinstriped suits. Here he was clad in heavy silk robes, trying not to topple a heavy crown, and had to march stiffly down the aisle, holding two scepters.
He looked depressed. The Times of London wrote: “King Charles looked stilted and anxious – majestic if not cheerful.”
He was grandfatherly, his eyebrows bushy in an old man’s manner. He is not a young male king ready for battle. But Britain could hope that he will be a wise and sensible king in his golden years.
His wife, Queen Camilla, was also anointed and crowned, but this part of the service lasted only a few minutes and seemed rushed, an encore.
The coronation celebrates Queen Camilla and a long-maligned romance
She appeared very human, fiddling with the crown after it was placed on her head as if she were unaccustomed to such a headdress.
The royal children looked cute, yawning and distracted.
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the youngest children of William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were photographed holding hands behind their parents at the Abbey.
The first coronation to be televised was for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Hers was in gritty black and white on the BBC. The 2023 coronation for Charles was for a high-definition monarchy. The colors were sharp, the red tunics redder and the blue dress of the Windsor Gray horses popped.
Many viewers in central London watched the show on big screens or in pubs.
Danielle Lacey, 30, a tram driver from Manchester, arrived early Saturday morning. But at the time, access to the Mall — the main street leading from Buckingham Palace — was closed, so she headed to a nearby park with a screen.
It was unsurprisingly positive about the monarchy. The royals “bring in a lot of tourists. Most people like the royals. We’re one of the old countries that has kings and queens,” she said.
She was more reserved towards the king. “I know not many people like Charles,” she admitted. “I neither love him nor hate him. He’s trying to save the planet, so that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
The “Not My King” protesters were out to get their message across – they want to abolish the monarchy and replace the king with an elected head of state. Their numbers were small compared to the crowds celebrating the monarchy there, but several hundred marched.
“Down with the crown! Down with the crown!” they shouted while holding up bright yellow signs.
Among them was Amber Dowell, 40, who works for a charity. “Hereditary monarchy is essentially a celebration of wealth and privilege. Personally, I don’t think anyone is born better than anyone else,” she said. “My hope is that he will be the last king.”
‘Not My King’ protesters arrested by London police during the coronation
But despite growing apathy, many doubt that much will change during Charles’ reign.
The monarchy is going nowhere, said Philip Tiwome, 43, an engineer from London, who was walking near the palace with his 5-year-old daughter on his shoulders. “It’s so ingrained in our DNA that it’s not going to go away overnight as long as they stand for what the Queen stood for, her faith in Christ, she was very religious.”
The coronation process from the Abbey back to Buckingham Palace was the most celebrated moment.
It was the largest military procession since the last coronation 70 years ago, and the route was filled shoulder to shoulder with marching bands, horses and marching soldiers in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats.
The king and queen rode in the golden state carriage, covered in gold leaf from the wheel spoke to the carriage roof. Past monarchs have complained that it is a bumpy ride, like a ship in rough seas.
Behind protective glass, the queen wagged her fingers as she waved. Charles smiled too.