Moment in History. Charles III: The Crowning of the Modern King

The highlight of royal pageantry! 

A spectacular military parade that involved 4,000 military personnel, 250 prancing horses, gilded carriages, and royal regalia. Dignitaries and foreign royals. Finest fashion and style. The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was definitely a show-stopper. 

History has been made. 

King Charles III crowned

But while the Coronation Ceremony at Westminster Abbey was steeped in tradition and ancient royal customs, there were parts of the rituals and practices that were modernized to fit in today's world.

King Charles III, although already 75 years old, and the oldest British Sovereign to ascend to the throne, he is every inch a modern king.

King Charles holding two Scepters

King Charles III was crowned in a service that lasted only two hours, an hour shorter than his mother's Coronation in 1953. It's a once-in-a-generation royal spectacle; most of us might never have to witness another monarch's coronation in a lifetime. 

His Majesty takes oath, placing his hands in the coronation bible. Image credit: The Royal Family

The Coronation of a British Sovereign is the most unique and historic as no other Crown Head in the world ever has a coronation ceremony.

He is the 40th British Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey since King William I, called The Conqueror, on Christmas Day in 1066.

The splendid military parade

More than 2,000 guests, including dignitaries and foreign royals, were invited to witness the event. All members of the British Royal Family attended except the Duchess of Sussex who, for some reason, preferred to stay behind in California with her two children. 

The King in a procession to the coronation altar

The Archbishop of Canterbury crowned King Charles III

King Charles III in full coronation regalia

Although London had drizzly weather when the celebration began, streets were still jam-packed with spectators who piled along the procession route to cheer the King and Queen. The procession was carried out as planned despite the rain.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla left Buckingham Palace wearing their Robes of State and riding the six-horse-drawn carriage named Diamond Jubilee Coach. 

On their way to Westminster Abbey inside the Diamond Jubilee coach

Route to Westminster Abbey

As the carriage was towed by the white horses and accompanied by members of the Household Cavalry, emotions flooded the streets, and in those who have watched the spectacles on television and streaming apps due to the breathtaking sight of livery, regalia, military formation, and views of the procession, as if we were watching a scene from a historical film. 

A heart-pumping royal spectacle!

The royal spectacle in the street of London

However, the ancient tradition of wearing coronation robes and coronets were no longer practice by members of the Royal Family and Peers of the Realms. 

The King's brothers, The Duke of York and The Duke of Edinburgh donned their Garter regalia, while the Princess Royal wore her Order of Thistle regalia. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales in full coronation regalia

The Prince of Wales also wore his Garter regalia. But his brother, The Duke of Sussex who is not yet a Knight of the Garter, and who could no longer wear his military uniform in public, wore a morning suit with his medals. 

The King's uncles, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent also wore their Garter regalia. Princess Alexandra The Lady Ogilvy, The Princess of Wales, The Duchesses Edinburgh and Gloucester wore blue coronation robes, and instead of a tiara, they wore a flower headdress. 

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their children, James, the Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise

The Princess Royal and her husband Sir Tim Laurence

The Princess Royal wearing her Order of Thistle regalia

In the past weeks leading to the Coronation day, royal analysts doubted if the disgraced brother of the king, Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, will be allowed to attend the ceremony, but he surprised everyone when he arrived at Westminster Abby in full Order of the Garter regalia, just like other working members of the Royal Family.

Princess Beatrice and Prince Harry

King Charles has always been known to have a soft heart for his siblings and has not abandoned Prince Andrew despite the controversies he got involved in. But while his brother was allowed to wear his Garter regalia, his second son was not allowed to don his military uniform.

Prince Harry also did not join the procession and walked with the Yorks inside the church. He wore a morning suit and appeared distracted all throughout the service. He reportedly left London after the ceremony to be with his wife, Meghan, who did not come to London for unclear reasons, and children.

Prince Andrew the Duke of York wearing his Garter regalia

The King on his way to the Abbey

Members of the Royal Family

The service at Westminster Abbey was a profoundly religious affair, reflecting the fact that aside from being head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other countries, the King is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a protestant church.

However, instead of assuming the role in his official title as Defender of the Faith, King Charles wants to be known as Defender of Faith to cover multiple faiths in the United Kingdom and His Realms.

Gold State Coach

Defender of the Faith is one of the most ancient official titles of the British monarch since King Henry VIII. It was granted by Pope Leo X to King Henry when he defended the role of the Papacy against the attack of Martin Luther. 

It wasn't abrogated by the Vatican even after King Henry VIII severed his ties with the Roman Catholic Church when Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Queen Catherine. All British monarchs after King Henry VIII continued to carry the title of Defender of the Faith.

The Queen is crowned

In the most significant moment of the day, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the St. Edward's Crown on the King's head, then declared: "God Save the King."

The King took the Coronation Oath and became the first monarch to pray aloud at his coronation. In his prayer he asked to "be a blessing" to people "of every faith and conviction."

Queen Camilla wearing Queen Mary's Crown

In what is considered the most sacred part of the ceremony, the King was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was also presented with coronation regalia, including the  Sovereign's Ring, the Orb, and Swords. 

Then, for the first time in coronation history, the archbishop invited the British public, as well as those from "other Realms," to recite a pledge of allegiance to the newly crowned monarch and his "heirs and successors." 

Coronation Day

The St. Edward Crown and the Queen Mary's Crown

The King is dressed in symbolic garments also worn from the previous Coronations. The Supertunica, a coat of gold silk representing the King's role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Armills, gold bracelets which represent sincerity and wisdom. 

Apart from St. Edward Crown, two scepters were prominently seen in the hands of the King during the ceremony. 

The Sovereign Scepter with Dove and the Sovereign Scepter with Cross to represent His Majesty’s role in the Church of England and his worldly power. 

The ceremony also included a reading from the Bible by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and, in another coronation first, gospel music.

Members of the Royal Family

Prince and Princess of Wales

Queen Camilla after being crowned

His wife, Queen Camilla, was crowned in her own, a shorter ceremony with Queen Mary's Crown -- marking the first time in recent history that a new crown wasn't made specifically for this occasion.

The Queen Mary's Coronation Crown, which was crafted by Garrard in 1911, was resized and refitted with Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds to replace the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamonds. 

The Queen Consort wears a white gown with gold embroidery

The newly crowned King and Queen waved to the crowd

Unlike in the previous Coronations where royal dukes and British Peers traditionally pay homage to the newly-crowned monarch, during this Coronation only two personalities did this tradition - the Archbishop of Canterbury and The Prince of Wales, who uttered the similar words of allegiance that his grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, pronounced in front of the Queen in 1953: "to be your liegeman for life".

Queen Camilla also wore the coronation necklace of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Prince Harry was relegated to the third row

Princess Charlotte held her brother Prince Louis

Following the Ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Their Majesties began the Coronation Procession riding in the Gold State Coach from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace.

The King and Queen inside the Gold State Coach

The pomp and pageantry concluded with a royal salute and the customary balcony appearance by the King and family members. Followed by a flypast presentation of military aircraft.

The Royal Family and the Coronation entourage

Only the working royals were invited to appear with the King and Queen at the palace's balcony, so Prince Andrew, despite being permitted to wear his Garter regalia, was not seen in the balcony.

Prince Harry was reportedly left London right after the ceremony and traveled back to the United States to be with his family.

The King and Queen waved to the crowd

The guests and foreign royals

There were 2,000 guests who were invited to the Coronation Ceremony at Westminster Abbey. US First Lady Dr. Jill Biden represented the United States on behalf of her husband, US President Joe Biden.

Previous Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and their spouses were there, and the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and his wife also attended.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg in front

King of Thailand in front

King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

All reigning royal houses in Europe were represented. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his daughter, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, Crown Princess Victoria, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.

Foreign royals we saw included the royals from the Arab peninsula, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, the King and Queen of Bhutan, King of Thailand, Sultan Bolkiah and his son Prince Matti, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan, Princess Lalla of Morocco, King Tupou VI of Tonga among others.

The Yorks and Prince Harry

The Wales and the Edinburghs