Key moments of the day of the coronation of King Carlos

From the religious symbolism of his anointing to the moment the crown above his head, what are the highlights to pay attention to during the coronation of the king charles Saturday?

Schedule

The coronation ceremony will begin at 1000 GMT following a procession from Buckingham Palace. Unlike the coronation of Carlos’ mother, Queen Elizabeth, which lasted almost four hours, Carlos’s ceremony will last about two hours.

float procession

For the coronation, Charles and his wife Camilla, who will be crowned queen during the ceremony, will break with tradition and travel from Buckingham Palace to London’s Westminster Abbey in the modern “Diamond Jubilee State Coach” made to commemorate his mother’s 60 years on the throne.

They will return in the “Coronation Procession” in a 260-year-old golden carriage, which weighs four tons and must be pulled by eight horses. It has been used at every coronation since that of King William IV in 1831, although it was first used by George III to attend the opening of Parliament in 1762.

The return trip will be much slower, as the Gold State Coach can only go at the pace of a man, but the distance itself will be 1.4 miles, about a third of the distance Queen Elizabeth took in 1953. when millions of people thronged the streets.

Some 4,000 members of the armed forces will also participate in a mile-long procession, making it the largest of its kind in several generations.

Unction

During the mass, Carlos will be anointed with the chrism oil, made with olives from the Mount of Olives and consecrated in Jerusalem.

The tradition dates back to the Old Testament of the Bible, which describes the anointing of King Solomon by the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan, and has been maintained to underscore the spiritual status of the monarch.

“It is often considered the holiest part of the ceremony”explains Charles Farris, public historian at Historic Royal Palaces. “It is an ancient and very symbolic ceremony (…) historically it was similar to the anointing of priests and bishops”

Camila

Camila, the second wife of Carlos, whom he married in 2005, will be crowned queen separately during the ceremony and, like her husband, will be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

He will receive Queen Mary’s crown, commissioned and worn by King George V’s consort for the 1911 coronation. As a tribute to Queen Elizabeth, the crown has been set with diamonds from her personal collection.

Music

Twelve new works commissioned or selected by Carlos will be performed at the ceremony, including a new coronation anthem by musical theater impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Of the music used at coronations throughout the centuries, the most notable is “Zadok the Priest” composed by George Frideric Handel as the anthem for King George II’s coronation in 1727 and has been sung at every coronation since.

Coronation

The key moment of the ceremony will be when Carlos – seated in a coronation chair that is more than 700 years old – receives his regalia, from jeweled orbs and scepters to swords and a ring.

As a climax, the Archbishop of Canterbury will place on Charles’s head the 360-year-old crown of Saint Edward, which weighs 2.2 kilos and replaces an original from the 11th century.

balcony scene

After returning to Buckingham Palace, the big climax – as with weddings, jubilees and other great royal events – is the family’s appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Depending on the weather, military aircraft are expected to pass through, including the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows aerobatic team and historic WWII aircraft.

All eyes will also be on Charles’ youngest son Prince Harry, and on Prince Louis, the youngest son of the heir apparent, Prince William, who stole the show during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Isabel covering her ears and screaming in a context of noise caused by the passing of the planes.

guests

There will be some 2,300 guests at Westminster Abbey, far fewer than the 8,000 who attended Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.

Among them will be the British royal family, including Prince Harry, but not his wife Meghan, nor their two children, as the ceremony will take place on the fourth birthday of their son, Prince Archie.

There will also be other royals, officials and foreign heads of state, with First Lady Jill Biden representing the United States and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attending on behalf of Beijing.

Source: Reuters