From the iconic coronation procession and religious symbolism of the anointment to the moment the crown is placed on the new king’s head, there’s an undeniable enchantment that comes with watching a Royal event.
All eyes will be facing England as the first coronation in 70 years following the death of Queen Elizabeth II is set to take place later this morning, with King Charles III and the Queen Consort having prepared for their historic carriage ride to Westminster Abbey.
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What is a coronation?
A coronation – derived from the Latin word ‘corona’ meaning a crown – is a public celebration of the anointment of the new king. A true spectacle attended by dignitaries from across the globe, witnessed by thousands gathered outside Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the surrounding areas.
Steeped in historical, national and religious significance, a coronation is much more than literally placing the crown on the sovereign’s head. It’s the symbolic union of the monarchy, church and state for a ritual during with the new king makes vows to both God and the country.
Eight months after the death of his mother and following months of intense planning, the 40th coronation since 1066 will be taking place today from 8:30am to 4:30 pm.
Here’s everything to look out for during the coronation of King Charles and where to catch the action right here in Cape Town:
Coach procession
A grand procession by the royals in historic coaches through central London is always a highlight of any British pageantry. And today, we witness two.
To take the king to be crowned, Charles and his wife Camilla who will be crowned queen during the ceremony, will travel from Buckingham Palace to London’s Westminster Abbey in the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach, made to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne, accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry.
After the service and accompanied by 4000 armed forces personnel, Charles and Camilla will return from the Abbey in the Coronation Procession in the 260-year-old Gold State Coach weighing four tonnes and needs to be pulled by eight horses. It has been used at every coronation since King William IV’s in 1831 and was first used by George III to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762.
The route itself is significantly shorter than the Queen’s 7.2 kilometre route in 1953 and should take around 40 minutes in comparion to the 2-hour procession of 70 years ago.
Anointing
The coronation service, which will last almost two hours will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and seen first-hand by over 2000 guests.
Rituals, including the the recognition, the coronation oath, the anointing, the investiture, the enthronement and the homage make up the six phases of the coronation service which is set to commence at 10am.
During the service, Charles will be anointed with holy Chrism oil, made using olives from the Mount of Olives and consecrated in Jerusalem and perfumed with rose, cinnamon, sesame, benoin, amber and neroli.
‘This is often thought to be the most sacred part of the ceremony,’ says Charles Farris, public historian at Historic Royal Palaces
‘It’s an ancient and very symbolic ceremony. Historically it was akin to the anointing of priests and bishops. It’s a way of the church cementing its relationship with the new monarch but also a clear symbol to all present that the monarch has been marked out as very special.’
Crowning
The key moment of the ceremony will be when Charles, sitting on a coronation chair dating back more than 700 years, is given traditional regalia of the monarchy from sceptres and bejewelled orbs to swords and a ring.
The culmination of the service will see St Edward’s 360-year-old crown, weighing 2.2kg placed onto Charles’ head by the Archbishop of Canterbury before he takes the throne. Among the 13 crowns in the Crown Jewels collection this one is the most venerated.
King Charles III will include the Cullinan in his crown at his coronation.
The Cullinan, the largest diamond ever found, also known as the Great Star of Africa as it was discovered in South Africa, was split into nine pieces – named Cullinan I to IX – that are known across the world for their significant size and their shimmery transparency.
King Charles III will only ever wear it once – at the ceremonial start of his reign.
Balcony scene
Having returned to Buckingham Palace, the big finale – as it is for weddings, jubilees and other major royal events – is the customary appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet the crowds in The Mall.
While the newly-crowned king and queen will be the centre of attention, there will be a six-minute fly-past of more than 60 aircraft involving members of the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army and culminating in a display by the Red Arrows.
Where to watch the coronation
- BritBox South Africa
- BBC News (DStv channel 400)
- BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174)
- SABC News (DStv channel 404)
- Sky News YouTube channel (live stream)
Two documentaries, live shows and a concert with a performance by South Africa’s very own singer, Pretty Yende, will air until Sunday night.
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Picture: @RoyalFamily / Twitter