AND the big day: today, May 6, Charles III will be crowned the new King of England in Westminster Abbey. It happens, as is known, to Queen Elizabeth II who died on 8 September.
The king will be the 40th reigning monarch crowned there since 1066. Camilla will also be crowned with him. The celebrations begin with a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
It starts from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Trafalgar Square, then along Whitehall and Parliament Street before turning into Parliament Square and the Broad Sanctuary for Westminster Abbey.
Coronation Charles III: God Save the King
13.01 (12.01 in London) – It is the moment of the coronation. On the head of Charles III the crown of Saint Edward. God Save the King.
12.54 pm (11.54 in London). The king is given the symbols of the monarchy
Prince William delivers the stole, a symbol of salvation.
12.47 (11.47 in London). The anointing of the king
The time comes for the anointing of Charles III. It takes place in a secret way: it is the moment in which the king symbolically strips himself of the earthly element.
There is a bit of Made in Italy at the ceremony: part of the fabric of the Anointing Screen, the screen for “undressing”, was created with the precious linen yarns of the Italian spinning of Marzotto Group Linificio e Canapificio Nazionale.
The screen is the element that hides from the eyes of the world the most sacred moment of the ceremony, the anointing, when the Dean of Westminster pours the sacred oil from the cruet into the spoon with which the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints his hands, chest and head of the sovereign, an instant historically considered the moment in which God and the king join.
12.30 (11.30 in London). gospel choir
A gospel concert conducted by Debbie Wiseman breaks into the ceremony.
12.20 – Prime Minister Sunak’s reading
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reads the first reading during the liturgy. It is the Letter to the Colosseums with a call from Saint Paul to Christ’s conversion and love for all people and all things.
Sunak, 42, the son of Indian parents, has Hindu religious family roots. After him, the reading of a page of the Gospel entrusted for the first time to a female Anglican bishop.
12.14 pm (11.14 in London). Charles III swears
Charles III swears on the bible (then kisses it) before the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
12.10 – Charles III: «I am here to serve, not to be served»
“I’m here to serve, not to be served”: is the ritual formula with which King Charles replied to the child of the Westminster Abbey choir. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, presides over the rite,
Charles III and Camilla enter Westminster
11.58 am (10.58 in London) – The King and Queen enter Westminster
The ceremony presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, begins. Queen Camilla chose a floor-length white dress with golden floral embroidery and a precious diamond necklace. Carlo and Camilla wear the traditional cloaks, the Robe of State and the Coronation Robe.
Camilla wears the dress made by Elizabeth II in 1953, and adjusted for her by the tailor Ede & Ravenscroft. On leaving the abbey, however, she will wear a new cloak made by Ede and Ravenscroft and embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework, an institution which enjoys the patronage of the new queen.
11.54 am – Queen Camilla complains about the weight of the cloak
Next to her are the pageboys, including Prince George. Behind the little boys Kate and William. The Prince of Wales will have to swear allegiance to his father Charles III. Middleton is in Alexander McQueen.
11.47 am – The carriage of Charles and Camilla has reached Westminster
Sound of trumpets. British royalty enter Westminster. Third row Prince Harry chatting with Eugenie of York’s husband Jack Brooksbank.
The Procession from Buckingham Palace
Coronation of Charles III: live minute by minute
11.39 am. Prince Harry arrives. Silence reactions
Prince Harry enters the abbey with his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie. With them also Prince Andrew. Then follow Princess Anne, her husband, the Dukes of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie of Wessex. Harry appeared serene and jovial. But silence fell as he entered.
11.21 am. The golden carriage with Carlo and Camilla left punctually under a rainy London
The king wears an ermine. The queen is dressed in white. Charles III greets the crowd. To accompany the procession six thousand people among the forces of order.
11.18am – Prince Andrew booed
Prince Andrew was booed as he passed along the Mall. This was reported by the Pa news agency. Queen Elizabeth’s third child has fallen into disgrace after the sex scandals linked to the Epstein trial.
11.15 am – Camilla becomes “Her Majesty the Queen”
From today Camilla also officially becomes “Her Majesty the Queen”. This is certified by the cover of the Order of Service released by Buckingham Palace before the start of the ceremony. In fact, the document refers to the “Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla”.
Coronation of Charles III: Charles and Camilla at Buckingham Palace
The procession to Westminster
11:14 am. The former British prime ministers arrive
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie arrive in Westminster. Shortly before, former Prime Minister Blair entered with his wife Cherie
11 o’clock – The live broadcast of iO Donna on Twitter Spaces starts.
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10.35 am – Carlo and Camilla have arrived at Buckingham Palace
Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla arrived at Buckingham Palace. The king was photographed in a dark suit, white shirt and blue tie.
10 am – Waiting for the procession
The procession will depart at 10.20am from Buckingham Palace local time. French President Macron has arrived.
9:45 am – The leader of the republican movement is handcuffed
At 7.30 (8.30 in Italy) in Trafalgar Square a demonstration of anti-royalists was held with banners and T-shirts with the inscription “Not My King”. Graham Smith, the leader of one of Britain’s main republican movements, has been arrested after bringing a megaphone to the demonstration.
9.30 – Emma Thompson is also there
Guests arriving in Westminster have already seen Emma Thompson, Lady Susan Hussey, Lionel Richie, Ant and Dec, Jay Blades, Dynamo, and Joanna Lumley.
9.20am – First guests arrive in Westminster
More than 2,200 people are expected at the coronation ceremony of Charles III. The Italian president Sergio Mattarella will also be there. For Elizabeth II there were 8,000 guests. The doors of Westminster Abbey opened at 7. The first to enter were twenty members of the House of Lords in their traditional red robes.
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