Now that the mourning period and state funeral for the late Queen Elizabeth II is over, government officials are said to making plans for King Charles III’s coronation.
The last time Britain held a coronation ceremony was 70 years ago, when the Queen was crowned on 2 June 1953 at the age of 27.
Prior to that, her father King George VI’s coronation ceremony took place 16 years earlier in 1937, when Her Majesty was just 11 years old.
Now, the new King is due to be crowned in a series of days of celebration to mark the official beginning of his reign – even though he acceded to the throne following his mother’s death on 8 September.
But it has been reported that Charles intends to have a much more slimmed-down ceremony, shirking the extravagance that is usually associated with the coronation.
Here’s everything we know about his forthcoming coronation.
When will King Charles III’s coronation be?
It was reported earlier this week that the King is expected to be crowned in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 3 June 2023, alongside his wife Camilla, Queen Consort.
If confirmed, this would mean Charles will be crowned almost 70 years to the day after his mother the Queen was crowned.
He will turn 74 years old in June 2023, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history.
The Prince of Wales is expected to play an important role in the committee organising his father’s coronation.
Why does King Charles III want a ‘slimmed-down’ coronation?
The new monarch is said to be “very aware” of the cost of living crisis, which is impacting many people throughout the UK.
A source told the Daily Mirror that the event “will be shorter, smaller and less expensive” than the Queen’s in 1953.
The source was quoted as saying: “The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons so will see his wishes carried through that although his coronation ceremony should stay right and true to the long-held traditions of the past, it should also be representative of a monarchy in a modern world.
“The King has long been an advocate of a streamlined of slimmed-down monarchy and this project could certainly be said to fit with his vision,” they continued.
“He has already spoken of his wish to continue his mother’s legacy and this includes continuing to recognise what the people are experiencing day by day.”
What does a ‘slimmed-down’ coronation look like?
It has been reported that Charles’ coronation ceremony will last just over an hour, a stark departure from his mother’s coronation, which lasted more than three hours.
The Queen’s coronation was attended by a total of 8,251 guests, with 129 nations and territories officially represented at the service.
But according to the Mail on Sunday, the guest list for Charles’ ceremony will be slashed from 8,000 to just 2,000.
Some rituals will be foregone to save time, but others will reportedly still remain, such as the anointing of the monarch.
It is said that the ceremony will also include a more relaxed dress codes, possibly allowing peers to wear lounge suits or morning suits instead of luxurious ceremonial robes made with crimson velvet and ermine.
In terms of what the King himself will wear, the newspaper reported that, unlike his mother’s multiple outfit changes during her coronation, Charles is “unlikely to do the same”.
The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying: “The King has stripped back a lot of the coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years.”
The more modern coronation is also expected to be more religiously and culturally diverse, with plans reported to include a multi-faith congregation composed of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist figures.
The King confirmed he will take an oath to the Church of England at his coronation, but made it clear he wants to head a Britain that respects all faiths.
While many aspects of the ceremony are expected to change, the 1762 Gold State Coach will be seen in the coronation procession as it usually is at such major royal events.
The ornate gilded carriage was last seen during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant on 5 June.
Another aspect that will remain the same is that the King’s coronation will be televised, as his mother’s was.
The Queen’s coronation was the first ever to be televised and was watched by 27 million people in the UK alone, alongside millions more around the world.
