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After succeeding his deceased mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to the throne last September, the world observes this Saturday, May 6, the coronation of Charles III as King of the United Kingdom and sovereign of the Commonwealth of Nations, a moment for which the monarch waited more than 70 years. He will do it with his wife Camila Parker, who will be crowned queen consort. Most of the ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey in London. Follow the France24 broadcast live.
Historic moment. The world watches the first coronation of the British monarchy in 70 years.
And at 74 years of age, Carlos III becomes this May 6 the sovereign of the United Kingdom and the oldest Commonwealth of Nations to hold the 360-year-old crown of Saint Edward, with which he officially assumes the throne at Westminster Abbey.
Together with his second wife, Camila Parker, who will be crowned queen consort, the ceremony will be full of pomp. However, it is expected to be shorter and less ostentatious than that of his predecessor, his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died last September.
For more than 1,000 years, British monarchs have been crowned in grand ceremonies confirming their right to rule. Although the King no longer has executive or political power, he remains the UK’s head of state and a symbol of national identity.
At a time when double-digit inflation impacts the pockets of the British and reverence for the monarchy has been replaced, for many, by mild affection or even apathy, Charles III takes on the challenge of showing that he can still be a unifying force in a multicultural nation, and lead a modern and less expensive monarchy for the 21st century.
Here are the highlights of this day:
- 4:17 (BOG) Crowds gather on the streets of London to witness a historic moment
Since the early hours of this Saturday, crowds have gathered along The Mall, the grand boulevard that leads to Buckingham Palace, as they watch troops in ceremonial uniforms and marching bands pass by.
Thousands of citizens, both British and from different countries, gather with flags and flowers awaiting the procession and the caravan that the monarch will lead in the next few minutes.
“It’s a moment in history. We wanted to be here to see it and make some memories,” said Rachel Paisley, a 45-year-old woman, who traveled from Switzerland with her husband and two children to witness an unprecedented moment in their lives.
The authorities deployed more than 11,000 police officers to guarantee security, after some opponents of the monarchy announced that they would demonstrate.
- 3:55 (BOG) Carlos III arrives at Buckingham Palace, prior to the coronation procession
Aboard a black vehicle and with his wife Camila Parker, the sovereign arrived at Buckingham Palace, just before starting the coronation procession.
Both will leave the Palace and walk through the streets of the British capital until heading to Westminster Abbey, where most of the ceremony will take place.
Carlos III and Camila stayed on the eve of the iconic event at Clarence House, the residence built between 1825 and 1827 to John Nash’s designs and which has been his London home for 20 years.
With Reuters and local media
