The big moment is finally here! King Charles was formally crowned as the King of England alongside Queen Camilla Parker Bowles on May 6.
King Charles officially accepted his new title during the King’s coronation on May 6. Although Charles became King immediately after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September, the role was formalized during the coronation ceremony. His wife, Queen Camilla, who was named Queen Consort after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, was also crowned as Queen Camilla, a title change that was confirmed when invitations for the coronation were sent out in April. At the coronation ceremony, Charles took his oath to commit to his role as monarch, and was formally declared King. Camilla then followed suit.
At the coronation, Charles wore the St. Edward Crown. The crown was first created for Charles II in the 1600s. Meanwhile, Camilla was given Queen Mary’s Crown, which featured more than 2,000 diamonds and was originally worn by King George V’s wife, Mary, when she became Queen Consort in 1911. Ahead of the coronation, the crown was reset with diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
King Charles has been fulfilling his duties as the monarch of England since his mother passed away after 70 years on the throne. Because Queen Elizabeth II started her reign so young, there has not been a coronation in seven decades, making the May 6 event quite a momentous occasion. Even Prince Harry put his differences with the royal family aside to support his father on the special day. Harry traveled to England from California to attend the coronation amidst tension with his family, which was intensified after the release of his memoir, Spare, in Jan. 2023. However, he had no official role in the ceremony.
The coronation took place at Westminster Abbey in London. The event began with King Charles and Queen Camilla traveling from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the formal ceremony. As the weekend continues, more celebrations will take place. Things will conclude with a star-studded concert on Sunday, May 7. Performers at the event are Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Take That, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench.
For the coronation, King Charles wore the Supertunica, a long shimmering coat, which was originally created for George V in the early 1900s. The robe has been worn at past coronations, and Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, wore it at hers, as well. The coat weighs more than four pounds, according to the BBC.
The Coronation Service of Their Majesties The King Charles III and The Queen Consort was attended by a congregation of more than 2,200 guests, including Members of the Royal Family, international representatives from over 200 countries, and approximately 100 Heads of State. The hand painted invitation, which was shared via the Royal’s Instagram, was sent to all guests. Notably absent among the guests were US President Joe Biden, though his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, attended, and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who stayed in America with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
In the official announcement for the King’s coronation made back in October 2022, Buckingham Palace promised that the coronation would “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.” The Archbishop of Canterbury performed the official crowning of Charles with St Edward’s Crown and the crowning of Camila with Queen Mary’s Crown at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.
