Coronation 101 - What you need to know about the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

The Coronation of King Charles III promises to be a once-in-a-generation kind of event. King Charles ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on the 8th September 2022. The coronation marks the formal investiture of a monarch's regal power. With the big weekend approaching, here’s what you need to know.

The coronation will take place over three days with the first day (Saturday 6 May 2023) marked by two grand processions and a religious service at Westminster Abbey. That will be followed by an all-star concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May which will feature a selection of global stars and the Coronation Choir. Monday 8 May is a special Bank Holiday proclaimed by the Prime Minister in honour of the Coronation. This is the first time a coronation ceremony will take place on a weekend since 1902 when Edward VII was crowned King. 

Coronation Procession and religious service 

The Coronation is centred around a solemn religious ceremony and has remained largely unchanged for more than 1,000 years. For the last 900 years, the ceremony has taken place at Westminster Abbey and is conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Their Majesties will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as ‘The King’s Procession’. After the Service, Their Majesties will return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as ‘The Coronation Procession’, joined by other members of the Royal Family. At Buckingham Palace, The King and The Queen Consort, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, will appear on the balcony to conclude the day’s ceremonial events. The timings for the King’s coronation have not yet been announced, but Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 ceremony started at 11.15 am and lasted nearly three hours, so it may end up following a similar schedule.

Coronation Concert, Big Lunch and Big Help Out

The Coronation Concert will be staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC. There will also be a ‘lighting up the nation’ moment during the concert. Landmarks across the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations, and street parties will be encouraged around the country. The Coronation Big Lunch at which neighbours and communities are invited to share food and fun together, will take place across the country also on the Sunday. The celebrations will culminate on the Monday Bank Holiday when citizens will be encouraged to volunteer in their local areas – an event that’s being billed as ‘The Big Help Out’. 

What happens during a royal coronation ceremony?

During the ceremony, the monarch will take the coronation oath, before he is anointed, blessed and consecrated by the Archbishop. He will then receive the orb and sceptres before the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head. Representatives of the Houses of Parliament, Church and the State, as well as prime ministers and leading citizens from the Commonwealth are expected to be present.

Coronation robes

The coronation robes carry symbolic meaning and new robes are traditionally made for each coronation. Queen Elizabeth II wore a satin dress for her coronation, similar in silhouette to her wedding dress. The late Queen’s Robe of State was made of velvet trimmed with Canadian ermine and gold lace, with embroidery by the Royal School of Needlework. It has been suggested that the King may choose to arrive at the service in military uniform, which could be his main attire for the ceremony. Worn at the conclusion of the coronation is the Imperial Robe – also known as the Robe of Estate. The Imperial Robe is not to be confused with the Robe of State, which is the plainer crimson mantle on show at the beginning of the ceremony.

The Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels collection is the nation’s most precious treasure, including the sacred Coronation Regalia used at the coronations of new monarchs. Comprising more than 100 objects and over 23,000 gemstones, the Crown Jewels are priceless, being of incalculable cultural, historical and symbolic value. They are part of the Royal Collection, held in trust by the monarch for the nation and have been protected at the Tower of London since the 1660s, where they have attracted visitors ever since.

The Crown Jewels collection includes St Edward’s Crown, which is only used to crown a new king or queen during the coronation ceremony and the Imperial State Crown, used by the monarch at state occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament.

Charles will wear the St. Edward’s Crown for his coronation at Westminster Abbey. The magnificent solid gold frame weighs 2.23kg (nearly 5lbs) and is adorned with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines. It was made for the coronation of Charles II to replace the medieval crown melted down by parliamentarians in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I.

The King will swap this out for the Imperial State Crown before the end of the ceremony and wear that as he leaves. The crown is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and four rubies. The crown contains some of the most famous jewels in the collection, including the Black Prince's Ruby, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Cullinan II diamond. St Edward’s Sapphire, set in the centre of the topmost cross, is said to have been worn in a ring by St Edward the Confessor and discovered in his tomb in 1163. The Imperial State Crown was made for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria in 1838.

Coronation Regalia

At the heart of the Crown Jewels collection are the Coronation Regalia: the sacred objects used during the coronation ceremony. These unique objects represent the powers and responsibilities of the monarch. The Coronation Regalia includes the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, the Sovereign’s Orb, and the Coronation Spoon. At the end of the ceremony, the newly crowned sovereign exits Westminster Abbey, enrobed in the Imperial Robe, wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Sceptre and the Orb. 

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross has been used at every coronation since Charles II’s in 1661. It was transformed in 1910 for George V by the addition of the spectacular Cullinan I diamond. At 530.2 carats, it is the largest colourless cut diamond in the world. The Cullinan Diamond was discovered in 1905, in modern-day South Africa, named after the mine's chairman, Sir Thomas Cullinan. At 3,106 carats, The Cullinan Diamond remains the largest gem-quality uncut diamond ever found. The two largest stones were named the Cullinan I and the Cullinan II. They are set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, 1661, and the front band of the Imperial State Crown, 1937. One of the oldest objects in the Crown Jewels is the twelfth-century Coronation Spoon. It is used for anointing the sovereign with holy oil, the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony.

Coronation medal & emblem

Each monarch has a medal which is given to members of the royal family and other selected members of the household and state, as well as public servants, mayors, army, police and more. King Charles III’s medal will be issued following the coronation. King Charles III Coronation Emblem, designed by Sir Jony Ive KBE, is a circular emblem featuring a floral design in honour of the King’s love of the planet, nature and his deep concern for the natural world.

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