The Queen was crowned with the Queen Mary’s Crown by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey, as Buckingham Palace officially confirmed her title.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby put the 112-year-old crown on Queen Camilla after her husband’s coronation.

He said an open prayer: “May your servant Camilla, who wears this crown, be filled with your rich grace and all princely virtues.

“Rule in her heart, O king of love. Since she is sure of your protection, she can be crowned with your gracious favor. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.’

The Queen was then handed the royal scepter as the Archbishop finished his proclamation.

The monarch and his wife smiled at the congregation as they walked through the church for a Christian ceremony dating back 1,000 years on a day of glorious pageantry.

The Queen was crowned with the Queen Mary’s Crown by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Abbey

Camilla wears a modified version of Queen Mary’s crown during the coronation ceremony. It was specially commissioned for the coronation of King George V in 1911

Following her coronation, Buckingham Palace updated Camilla’s biography on its website with her new title The Queen.

After her coronation, the queen took her place at the king’s side

Queen Camilla was crowned with her husband in Westminster today

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort exchanged a look during the coronation ceremony

After she was crowned, Buckingham Palace updated Camilla’s biography on its website with her new title ‘The Queen’.

Before her death, the late Queen Elizabeth II had suggested that Camilla would be known as the Queen Consort – paving the way for the title.

Camilla’s credits were all from her family. They include her grandsons Gus and Louis Lopes, 13, and Freddy Parker Bowles, 13. Her grandnephew, Arthur Elliot, 10, was her fourth page.

The king then looked emotional as Prince William, contrary to tradition, paid homage to him and knelt to take an oath of allegiance to his father. He said: “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge to you my loyalty and the faith and truth I will bring to you as your liege man for life and limb. May God help me.’ Then he got up, touched the crown and kissed the king on the cheek. Charles was moved as he nodded to his son and said “Amen.”

The historic coronation, watched around the globe, was a fulfillment of the king’s destiny but followed the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last September after 70 years of reign. Minutes later, Camilla was crowned.

The monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, smiled at the congregation as they walked through the church for a Christian ceremony dating back 1,000 years on a day of glorious pageantry.

Heir apparent since the age of three, the monarch was ready to finally face his destiny day with the woman he loves by his side.

The Queen was officially enthroned when the coronation anthem was sung by Andrew Lloyd-Webber. The Queen’s accession was a moment when Charles and Camilla were “united in their common calling before God.”

Camilla arrives alongside King Charles at Westminster Abbey ahead of her coronation

King Charles III and Queen Camilla sit on their thrones during their coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey

In a historic moment, King Charles III. crowned – the 40th reigning sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey

The archbishop puts the ancient crown on the king, which has taken place at the same place since 1066

King Charles III is crowned with St Edward’s Crown during his coronation ceremony by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby. It is the only time in his life that he wears the crown

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby places St. Edward’s Crown on the head of British King Charles III

King Charles III receives the St. Edward’s Crown

The historical first picture of the king and queen after the coronation

The newly crowned queen, seated on her throne, looked every inch like the royal consort

A celebratory Charles becomes king today in a truly historic moment

King Charles III with the St. Edward’s Crown and Queen Camilla with the Queen Mary’s Crown

The king then looked emotional as Prince William paid homage to him and knelt to take an oath of allegiance to his father. Then he kissed him on the cheek

After the king was crowned, Camilla was also crowned and made his queen

Queen Camilla is crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown

King Charles III wears St Edward’s Crown as he takes communion

Before his coronation, the king was anointed with holy oil in private. He wore a white linen robe called Colobium Sindonis, a golden cloak called Supertunica, and had the coronation girdle around his waist.

After being sanctified at his anointing, the coronation regalia were presented to the king. Minutes earlier, Charles had swore on the Bible and kissed it after taking the oath: “I, Charles, solemnly and sincerely confess, testify, and declare in the presence of God that I am a faithful Protestant and that I am in accordance with the true intention of the edicts securing the Protestant succession to the throne, to uphold and uphold the said edicts to the best of my ability.’

His family sat closest to him in a congregation of 2,300, although Prince Harry sat in the third row, away from Prince William, his wife and children and other working royals.

In it, Charles became the first monarch to pray publicly at a coronation – he prayed for the grace to be “a blessing upon all…of every creed and creed” and to minister after Christ’s example.

A special personal prayer was written for the king to reflect the service’s theme of loving service, and the words were inspired in part by the popular hymn I Vow To Thee My Country.

He said: “Gracious and merciful God, whose Son was not sent to be served but to serve, grant grace that I may find perfect liberty in thy service, and in that liberty a knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children of every creed and faith that together we may discover the ways of kindness and be led into the paths of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak read the letter to the congregation – Colossians 1:9-17.

Lambeth Palace said that although Mr Sunak is Hindu, he reads as Prime Minister so there are no problems with his personal faith during Anglican services.

As he faces his fateful moment, Charles gazes at the throne where he will be crowned king

Charles swears on the Bible and kisses her in a 1000-year-old ceremony

Charles exercises the oaths to “reign and swear” by the archbishop before kissing the Bible presented to him

Every coronation has taken place in the old church since 1066. Charles sits while the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks

King Charles III smiles at the congregation

King Charles comes to the altar for his historic coronation

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, during their coronation ceremony

Charles III arrives at Westminster Abbey for his coronation

Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales followed by Louis and Charlotte who hold hands

The Wales’ take their seats while William’s brother Harry sits three rows down

Charles seemed to be looking at his son in the gathering

17th century St Edward’s Crown is carried into the church

Prince George and the other honored servants sat behind the king in Westminster Abbey as Charles took the coronation oath.

From behind his grandfather, George’s gaze could be seen darting around the church.

The prince and his fellow pages then stood behind the kneeling Charles and held the corners of his hanging robe while he prayed.

The King then signed copies of the oaths which were presented by the Lord Chamberlain while the choir sang.

A play in Welsh was sung by the choir at the beginning of the coronation service, with Sir Bryn Terfel singing Kyrie Eleison.

As the bells of Westminster Abbey rang, the king and queen disembarked. Camilla got off first, followed by Charles after a short pause in front of the church.

The king waved and spoke to his grandson Prince George, a future king who was one of the page honours. His parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were the last to enter the Abbey before the royal couple arrived.

When he arrived for the two-hour service, the abbey bells rang as crowds stood in the rain and cheered the arrival of the king and his wife. They entered the abbey to announce trumpeters and the congregation stood as the royal couple entered.

King Charles enters the Abbey as he prepares for his coronation

Camilla smiles at the congregation as she enters the abbey

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales during the Coronation

The Wales’ and their children Charlotte and Louis arrive. George supported his grandfather

The Wales and the Edinburghs as the King and Queen enter

Queen Consort Camilla looked great in white

Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte enter the church

Prince George and King Charles III outside the Abbey

A solemn King Charles arrives at the Abbey for his coronation

The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Mike Tindall and the Duke of Sussex, who made the funny face

A smiling Harry takes his place

Prince George wore a corner of his grandfather the king’s hanging robes as the royal party made their way into Westminster Abbey.

His siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were previously spotted peeking out of a car window as they arrived in front of the church.

While his father was cheered by the capital, royals, including Prince Harry, attended the service. The Duke of Sussex walked down the aisle alone and smiled at people as he made his way to the front of the church. He grinned at the people in the gathering before taking his place.

Stars at the Abbey included Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Fry, Nick Cave and the magician Dynamo, while Dame Emma Thompson gave a thumbs-up with excitement. First Lady Jill Biden was one of the last to enter before the service, sitting with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska. President Joe Biden stayed at home.

The Diamond Jubilee State Coach, drawn by six gray Windsor horses, arrived at Buckingham Palace at 10am for the King and Queen. Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Division lined up at the entrance to the Mall ahead of the King’s procession to Westminster Abbey.

A mile from the Palace, Westminster Abbey was rammed by the great and good from Britain and around the world as Charles III’s fateful day finally arrived and he will be crowned King today.

More than 100 million people around the world are set to witness the historic first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years – with an estimated 2 million taking to the streets of London to watch the story unfold.

Prince Harry walked through the church alone, following his cousin Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank

Prince Harry spoke to Princess Beatrice

Prince Andrew didn’t seem to smile when he saw Harry outside the church

Charles and Camilla waved to thousands of spectators who lined the street as leaders began to join members of the congregation at Westminster Abbey.

The Prince and Princess of Wales chatted while waiting to enter the Abbey, behind their eldest son Prince George, who was one of the King’s Pages of Honour.

The couple appeared at ease as they walked behind William’s father, followed by their daughter Princess Charlotte and younger son Prince Louis.

Well-wishers near Buckingham Palace were undeterred by the rain as the Diamond Jubilee State Coach cruised down the Mall.

A group of royal fans in Union Jacks sang “Singing in the Rain” while the service at Westminster Abbey was shown on big screens.

Songs from the service were played over the crowd.

People laid picnic blankets on the wet ground and sat on steps as they watched cannons being carried down the mall.

The list of 2,300 invited guests reads like a who’s who of politics, show business, world leaders and foreign royalty, with a sprinkling of everyday heroes and close family and friends of the king and his wife.

French President Emmanuel Macron was present with US singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, Jay Blades from The Repair Shop and the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children to show his “friendship, respect and appreciation” to Britain .

The monarch smiled to huge crowds who cheered wildly and waved flags as he was swept into his home in central London at 9am.

On the short drive from St James’ Palace, the 74-year-old king looked solemn and thoughtful at times on what was undoubtedly the biggest day of his life.

Senior members of the royal family arrived about 20 minutes later, including Prince Andrew, who was booed by some in the stands.

Air-launched ballistic missiles, capable of speeds up to Mach 10, can carry nuclear or conventional warheads.

Ukraine says it shot down a Russian hypersonic missile over the capital Kiev using a newly acquired US Patriot defense system, in a first in its ability to intercept one of Moscow’s most advanced weapons.

The Kinzhal missile is one of the newest and most advanced Russian weapons. The military says the air-launched ballistic missile has a range of up to 2,000 km (1,250 miles) and travels at 10 times the speed of sound, making it difficult to intercept.

A combination of hypersonic speed and a heavy warhead allows the Kinzhal to destroy heavily fortified targets such as underground bunkers or mountain tunnels.

“I congratulate the Ukrainian people on this historic event. Yes, we shot down the ‘unique’ Kinzhal,” Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in a Telegram post on Saturday. “It happened during the night attack on May 4 in the skies of the Kyiv region.”

It was the first time Ukraine was known to deploy the Patriot missile defense system.

Oleshchuk said the Kh-47 was launched from Russian territory by a MiG-31K aircraft and shot down with a single Patriot missile. The Ukrainian military has previously admitted it lacks the means to intercept the supersonic weapon.

The Kinzhal, which means “dagger” in Russian, is one of six “next-generation” weapons unveiled by President Vladimir Putin in 2018, when the Russian leader boasted it could not be shot down by any of the world’s air defense systems.

The air-launched ballistic missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 10 (12,350 kilometers per hour) and can carry nuclear or conventional warheads.

‘A dream’

Thursday’s airstrike came a day after Russia accused Ukraine of a failed attempt to assassinate Putin in a drone strike on the Kremlin citadel in Moscow and threatened retaliation.

Moscow has since accused Washington of complicity in allegations denied by both Ukraine and the United States.

Ukraine received its first batch of Patriot missiles in late April. It has not specified how many of the systems it has or where they have been deployed, but is known to have been provided by the US, Germany and the Netherlands.

Germany and the US have confirmed they have sent at least one system and the Netherlands have said they have deployed two, although it’s not clear how many are currently operational.

Ukrainian troops have received the extensive training needed to effectively locate, radar lock and fire on a target with the systems. Up to 90 employees are required to operate and maintain each battery.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said he first asked about Patriot systems when he visited the US in August 2021, months before Russia’s all-out invasion but seven years after Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

He has described owning the system as “a dream” but said he was told by US officials at the time it was impossible.

Failed Raids

The Patriot was first used by the United States in the 1980s. The system costs about $4 million per rocket, according to analysts, and the launchers cost $10 million each.

At such a price, it was widely believed that Ukraine would use the Patriots only against Russian aircraft or hypersonic missiles.

The Patriot system is among a suite of sophisticated air defense units being supplied by the West to help Ukraine repel a months-long Russian airstrikes campaign targeting critical infrastructure, power plants and other locations.

Hundreds of civilians were killed in the attacks, which Russia intensified in October before the winter. The raids failed to shut down the power grid, but caused widespread power outages and other outages. Russia denies attacks on civilians.

Ukraine’s Air Force said on Saturday it shot down eight Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones shot down by Russia in a night attack on Ukraine’s eastern and south-eastern regions.

Anti-death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean during a demonstration calling for a halt to the execution of Richard Glossip in front of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, May 4, 2023. SUIT OGROCKI/AP

His story is the subject of a four-part documentary series called Killing Richard Glossip. He also caught the attention of Hollywood stars like Susan Sarandon and Mark Ruffalo, but also Pope Francis and billionaire Richard Branson. Richard Glossip, 60, who was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on May 18, was granted a stay by the US Supreme Court on Friday, May 5.

The country’s highest court has stayed the execution, the time to consider the case. It was the conservative attorney general, a Republican, who unusually asked the Supreme Court to stay the execution, citing issues of procedural justice. In his report, the minister writes that the state “has reached the difficult but crucial conclusion that Glossip’s death sentence is untenable and a new trial is imperative”.

The inmate, who has pleaded innocent, was found guilty, based on highly controversial testimony, of ordering the 1997 killing of the owner of a motel he ran. He is accused of recruiting a 19-year-old young man, Justin Sneed, who confessed to the murder.

Intervention of the Pope

Supporters of Richard Glossip denounce that his conviction was based on Justin Sneed’s sole testimony. However, by pleading guilty and imprisoning Richard Glossip, Justin Sneed was able to negotiate a life sentence instead of the death penalty.

In 2015, when his execution was imminent, Richard Glossip had obtained a stay following Vatican intervention. Pope Francis’ representative in the United States wrote to the governor of Oklahoma at the time, asking him to postpone the execution.

Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers Capital punishment: in the United States the year of “botched” executions

The world with AFP