The coronation of King Charles will carry on many traditions that date back to the 10th century. If certain elements are immutable, the new sovereign did not hide his desire for modernity. Here is what we know of his plans and a comparison with the coronation of his mother Elizabeth II in 1953.
Around 2,000 people will attend the coronation in Westminster Abbey compared to 8,000 70 years ago, requiring a special seating arrangement.
This decrease is part of Charles’ stated desire to “streamline” the monarchy, reducing the number of active members of the royal family to seven. The duration of the ceremony must also be reduced to just over an hour from nearly three hours in 1953.
At the coronation of Elizabeth II, almost all women of the royal family or the aristocracy wore a tiara.
The dress code for Charles’ coronation has yet to be confirmed but it would appear that women wear hats or headdresses except for the highest ranking women in the royal family.
Limited places for MPs and Lords, members of the Upper House of Parliament, are allocated by vote.
In 1953, more than 800 MPs and Lords, including Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts and Barons who inherited their seats and titles, attended, dressed in long purple velvet cloaks.
The inheritance of titles in the House of Lords was reformed in 1999, and this time its members were asked not to wear this special dress. They can instead opt for the one they use for the Sovereign’s speech in Parliament or regular attire.
Camilla will be crowned with a crown made for Queen Mary, Charles’s great-grandmother, in 1911. She will be the first queen consort in three centuries to have a crown altered rather than a new one made.
The oil used for the anointing will be animal-free and will include olive oil scented with sesame, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom. Traditionally, it included ambergris from whale intestine.
Orthodox Greeks will sing for the first time at a coronation in tribute to Charles’ father, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99. Born in Corfu, he was a member of the Greek royal family.
The Byzantine Chant Ensemble, led by Alexander Lingas, an Orthodox music teacher, was created especially for the occasion. The Ascension Choir will also be the first gospel choir to sing for a coronation and a sign of the new king’s desire for modernity.
For the first time, girls will be among the scholarship students, the “King’s Scholars”, of the very select Westminster School, participating in the ceremony. In 1953, the establishment accepted only boys.
A group of students will cheer the monarch in Latin: “Vivat Rex Carolus!” (“Long Live King Charles!”)
Elizabeth traveled there and back in the ornate but uncomfortable 260-year-old Gold State Coach. Charles and Camilla will only use it for their return.
For the outward journey, they opted for the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach equipped with shock absorbers and air conditioning. They will also make a much shorter return trip (2 kilometres) than Elizabeth’s, which took two hours to cover more than 7 kilometres.
Compared to the 29,000 members of the armed forces present in 1953, the return procession to Buckingham Palace will be less imposing. Nearly 4,000 soldiers, including musicians, will accompany the royal couple.