King Charles crowned in spectacle marking turning point for UK

07 May 2023 09:00

Charles III was crowned king, ending his seven-decade wait in a gilded spectacle marking a turning point for the UK and the monarchy as it attempts to adapt to the current era of technological and social change.

Charles, who became king after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September, formally received St. Edward’s Crown in a religion-infused ceremony during which he was anointed with holy oil behind a screen, Bloomberg reports.

The king said before the packed Gothic cathedral that he had come “not to be served, but to serve.”

The event put enduring British soft power on display as some 2,000 dignitaries, spiritual leaders and celebrities watched on, with thousands gathering on London’s streets and millions more tuning in from around the globe.

To conclude the event, the king and Queen Camilla made the traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, flanked by two generations of heirs in the form of Prince William and his nine-year-old son, George. The royal couple traveled to and from the abbey in horse-draw coaches used in past processions.

The coronation marked the start of a new era for the UK as it adjusts to life without Elizabeth, who largely succeeded in maintaining popular support during her record-breaking reign. The event was carefully choreographed to mark a new beginning for the monarchy, as Britain continues to struggle with a cost-of-living crisis and the lingering fallout from Brexit, the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The coronation came after a period of political and economic turmoil in the UK, which has had five prime ministers since its seismic decision to leave the European Union in 2016, including three in the past year. A general election is likely next year after 13 years of Conservative governments that have overseen the recovery from the financial crisis, a referendum on Scottish independence, Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Support for retaining the monarchy sits at 62%, according to a YouGov poll of 2,030 Britons published this week. However, younger Brits are more likely to want an elected head of state, with just 36% of 18-24-year-olds wanting to keep the Royals.

The king is also head of state of 14 Commonwealth countries around the world, although a survey by pollster Michael Ashcroft found that in six of those nations, more voters said they would choose to become a republic than would back the monarchy if a referendum was held.

Security at the coronation events was tight amid the prospect of protests by Republicans and climate activists, and London’s Metropolitan Police had more than 11,500 officers on duty in what the force described as the largest one-day mobilization in decades. Facial recognition technology was deployed to identify criminals in the crowds, according to the police — a move described as “Orwellian” by civil liberties group Big Brother Watch.

Before the ceremony, police arrested anti-monarchy protesters including Republic leader Graham Smith on St. Martin’s Lane near Trafalgar Square, the Press Association reported. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that four people were detained in the area on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

Nevertheless, the Palace tried to create an event that the whole country could get behind, emphasizing the king’s desire to embrace diversity and project a modern image of the monarchy. Religious leaders representing Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists took part, and well-known television personalities and sports stars were invited.

In a late change to plans, the public was invited, rather than called to show support for the monarch, following media criticism of the planned “Homage of the People” element of the service.

Some 4,000 workers in Britain’s National Health Service and military veterans were given seats at a screening of the event in front of Buckingham Palace. Tens of thousands of people converged on the capital, and thousands of street parties were organized across the country. A concert will be held on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday.

In the morning, the so-called “King’s Procession” moved down Pall Mall toward Trafalgar Square, then along Whitehall, past the Palace of Westminster, before reaching the Abbey. The two-hour coronation service saw the king presented with St. Edward’s Crown, which was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661, weighs over 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) and boasts 444 precious and semi-precious stones.

He was seated in the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, housing the Stone of Destiny, or Stone of Scone — an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy which has been used in coronations for centuries. It was officially returned to Scotland in 1996, but has been transported back to London for Saturday’s ceremony.

After the service, the king took the Gold State Coach, the iconic carriage built in 1762 that has been used at every coronation since 1831, on a walking-pace procession back to Buckingham Palace.

Crowds were then allowed to approach the palace — some could be seen running to take position — before the Royal Family then appeared on the palace balcony to conclude the day’s events. They were treated to a flyover, reduced because of the poor weather, by military aircraft including helicopters and the Red Arrows.

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