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Relive or relive the highlights of this historic day.
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Portal/CLODAGH KILCOYNEThe rain was on Saturday during the coronation of King Charles III. And Queen Camilla there. Tens of thousands of people, still with umbrellas in hand, gathered along the imposing The Mall in London to take part in the celebrations.
The last sovereign coronation in the United Kingdom dates back to 1953, when the young Elizabeth II ascended the throne 70 years ago.
Getty Images / WPA PoolCharles III and Camilla, his second wife, left Buckingham Palace late in the morning for Westminster Abbey to be crowned. The royal couple took their places aboard a first carriage, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, drawn by six horses. Despite its old appearance, it was built around ten years ago for Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday.
Pool via PortalAs tradition dictates, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the crown of Saint Edward on the head of the 74-year-old monarch. Weighing over two kilograms, this solid gold crown set with rubies has been used at every coronation since 1661. At that time the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church called God save the king! (May God save the King!) repeated in chorus by some 2,300 guests seated in the pews of Westminster Abbey.
Portal/HENRY NICHOLLSAfter his coronation, King Charles III walked out of Westminster Abbey in a mantle worn by his grandfather, King George VI. He also wore the Imperial ceremonial crown, more comfortable than Saint Edward’s crown. Four pages followed the monarch, including his grandson George and Queen Camilla, who also wore a crown.
Getty Images / DAN KITWOODDespite its historical character, this coronation ceremony did not meet with great enthusiasm among the English. It must be said that the new king’s popularity is much lower than that of his late mother, Elizabeth II, who died last September at the age of 96. Charles III ascends the throne as the UK faces several daunting challenges including inflation hitting the populace hard.
Getty Images / WPA PoolAfter the King’s coronation, the royal couple boarded a second 18th-century carriage, the Gold State Coach, to travel to Buckingham Palace. The four-ton, eight-hp machine – notoriously uncomfortable – was escorted by a procession of about 4,000 soldiers.
Getty Images / DAN KITWOODPrince William, son of King Charles III and heir to the British throne, took a seat in one of the procession’s carriages. He was accompanied by his wife Kate Middleton and their three children: Louis, George and Charlotte (the order in the photo).
Getty Images/Brandon BellFrom the balcony of Buckingham Palace, the King, Queen and other members of the royal family waved to the crowd for minutes. They were greeted with cheers and applause.
Prince Harry, son of King Charles and brother of Prince William, was notable for his absence from the mythical balcony. The one who was nevertheless present at his father’s coronation at Westminster Abbey was stripped of any official role on Saturday due to his voluntary departure to the United States with his wife Meghan Markle in 2020.
Getty Images/Brandon BellThe public was treated to the presence of the Coldstream Guards outside Buckingham Palace. These guards are instantly recognizable by their red tunics and black bearskin hats.
Pool via Portal/Antonio OlmosSix anti-monarchy activists were arrested on the fringes of King Charles III’s coronation. arrested by police, sparking the ire of human rights organization Human Rights Watch. It’s something you expect in Moscow, not London, she said in a statement.
A majority of Britons are still attached to the monarchy, but it no longer appeals as much to young people. According to a recent YouGov poll, around 58% of Brits are in favor of keeping it, but among 18-24 year olds that percentage drops to 32%.
Nineteen activists from anti-hydrocarbon environmental group Just Stop Oil were also arrested near the route planned for the royal procession.
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