“The coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The population should also benefit from this: on the Monday after the event, the British can look forward to another public holiday. Not only in England.
On the occasion of the coronation of the new British King Charles III. on May 6, 2023, the British can look forward to a long weekend. As the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced, there should be an extra holiday for this. “The coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country,” the Conservative politician said in a statement, adding: “In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional UK-wide bank holiday.”
The palace said the coronation date had been agreed between the government, the church and the royal household. It was initially unclear whether the date had a deeper meaning. On May 6, 2023, Charles’ grandson Archie, the son of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, will celebrate his fourth birthday. It’s also the wedding anniversary of Charles’ aunt Princess Margaret, the Queen’s younger sister.
In addition to Charles, his wife Camilla is also to be crowned on May 6th by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has been the spiritual leader of the Church of England since the break with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. Around 2,000 guests are expected to attend the coronation in the British capital.
The “bank holiday,” as public holidays are known in Britain, is set to fall on May 8, the Monday after the coronation, which is scheduled to take place on a Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London. The day of the funeral of Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was also declared an extraordinary holiday.
Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed her support for the decision. In a statement of her own, the politician from the secessionist Scottish National Party described the upcoming coronation as a “historic moment” for her part of the country, for which the Scots wanted to send their best wishes to King Charles and his queen wife Camilla.
(This article was first published on Sunday, November 06, 2022.)