between the divine, the human and the tradition

The rite, shorter, without less pomp and with a little more than 2,000 guests, is expected to be in keeping with the economic reality of the country, under the shadow of a recession, and the reflection of a more modern and multicultural society.

The coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey, an icon of British history and religion. The great historical events of the country have passed through this church.

Among them, each coronation since 1066 with William, the conqueror; the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the funeral of Princess Diana of Wales in 1997 and the marriage of the heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales, William to Kate 12 years ago.

In addition to thirteen kings, four queens, illustrious Britons such as the naturalist Charles Darwin and, more recently, the scientist Stephen Hawking, are buried in the Abbey.

That morning, Camilla Parker Bowles, Carlos’s wife and current queen consort, will also be crowned.

The total cost of this ceremony has not been revealed but, according to the tabloid ‘The Sun’, it would be around 100 million pounds sterling.

The coronation of King Carlos III has five elements:

Recognition:

King Carlos will make a short movement and say a few words in the direction of the south, east, west and north.

Oath:

There will be three legal oaths: the Scottish, the declaration of accession and the coronation itself.

Carlos, initially, will be seated in the Chair of State, where he will take the coronation oath.

On display will be a special edition of the bible that has been specially designed for this event and decorated with a ring of crowns and leaves, as a symbol of Carlos’ love for nature.

Unction:

It will be a moment as sacred as it is private, the only one that will not be broadcast or seen on television.

After the religious sermon, King Carlos will be anointed with olive oil, with fruits that grew on the Mount of Olives, scented with roses and essences such as cinnamon, jasmine, orange blossom, among others.

Maintaining the tradition and emphasizing that the monarch is ‘chosen’ directly by God.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will pour the oil from the ceremonial eagle-shaped jug into the Coronation Spoon. He will anoint Carlos on the head, hands and chest. This is a rite introduced by William the Conqueror dating back to the year 1066.

Carlos will be covered with a hand-embroidered screen that will envelop him in that sublime moment.

Investiture and Coronation:

The monarch will be presented with insignia, including two sceptres, symbols of authority; swords, bracelets, a ring and the sovereign’s orb, which is the representation of the monarch’s power. This is placed on the right hand of the king.

For the first time in history and trying to incorporate a more diverse society, senior representatives of non-Christian religions will participate.

Then there will be a prayer of blessing before the coronation.

It will be the peak moment of this religious and constitutional ceremony. The king will be seated in the coronation chair, holding the two sceptres. In this chair, made of oak, all monarchs have been crowned since 1308.

This includes the fate stone which has been a matter of contention with Scottish nationalists.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest representative of the Anglican Church, will lower the crown on Carlos’ head and say “God save the King”, “Dios salve al Rey”, in Spanish.

King Charles will be crowned with the crown of Saint Edward, or ‘the Imperial State Crown’, the most symbolic of the monarchy, made of solid gold with 2,868 diamonds, including some priceless, and many other precious stones such as sapphires, tourmalines and rubies .

Enthronement and homage:

Once crowned, Carlos will be taken to the throne and symbolically elevated to the throne, at which point the beginning of his reign materializes because the king takes possession of his kingdom.

The archbishop will read a prayer that has been in force since the Middle Ages in which he asks, among other things, to stand firm.

Once seated on his throne, crafted solely for Charles, Prince of Wales, William, his eldest son, will pay homage to his king and swear allegiance to him. He has invited the public, so that, from his houses, they also swear allegiance to the king. The king will also be honored by the bishops and lords.

Camilla, the queen consort, will also be crowned queen, but will not have any constitutional role or be granted any additional power.

The associate editor of the newspaper ‘The Telegraph’, Camilla Tominey, defined the coronation of Carlos as “a combination between the modern and the traditional with massive differences”, referring to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 that had, among others, 8,000 guests.

At the end of the coronation, which lasts approximately two hours, King Charles and Queen Camilla will return in the Gold State Coach, in the golden carriage used by Elizabeth II for her coronation 70 years ago.

Minutes later, King Charles, Queen Camilla and a few other members of the royal family will appear, for the first time since Buckingham Palace making it official that the era of Charles III has begun.