Crowning Glory.... A new page turns in the history of the monarchy as King Charles III is crowned at Westminster Abbey in London on 6 May 2023.
THE WORLD WITNESSES A STUNNING DAY STEEPED IN MAJESTIC SPLENDOUR, SACRAMENT …AND A SPOOKY SPIRIT
By SHAMLAL PURI
Associate Publisher & Senior Editor – UK
Worth Noting:
- Leaders worldwide, British politicians and charity champions are at today’s celebrations. They will join the British Royal family members, including King Charles’ children – the Prince and Princess of Wales – William and Kate, Prince Harry and King Charles’ younger brother Edward, the Duke and Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, Duchess of Edinburgh.
- The list of foreign royals attending the Coronation includes Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife, Princess Charlene, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his daughter, Crown Princess Victoria.
- The next generation of royals was also not left out – King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands are with their daughter and heir, Princess Catharina-Amalia.
- Queen Margrethe II. Of Denmark, whom Charles wanted to see at the Coronation, could not attend as she is recuperating from painful back surgery.
Britain came to a standstill last Saturday as hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the historical crowning glory of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a lavish ceremony that cost more than £100 million at Westminster Abbey, in the heart of London, adding a new chapter in this country’s monarchy.
There was a ring of steel with water-tight protection around the VIPs from around the world. A record 29,500 police officers were taking no chances with security in one of the most extensive police operations in recent history
A record 20.4 million people witnessed the celebrations on their TV screens, coloured with cultural traditions, pomp and pageantry not seen this Century.
Fewer people were glued to their TV sets to watch the marriage of King Charles’s youngest son, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and Hollywood actress Meghan Merkel, the Duchess of Sussex.
Even though there was a light rain and a cloudy sky on the day, it failed to dampen the spirits of hundreds of thousands of Royalists – lovers of the monarchy – locals and tourists from all over the world who descended on London last weekend to watch the ceremony, not seen for 70 years, from the side-lines and join the celebrations and street parties throughout the country.
Those attending the ceremony at the Westminster saw an eerie and ghostly apparition in a black cloak walk past the hall just behind the proceedings setting tongues wagging and rumour, and the superstitions machine was fully revving. It sent a cold chill down the spines of many.
Guests were not hallucinating; It was not a figment of anyone’s imagination – TV cameras recorded it at the event.
Was this a ghost of his late parents – Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth or his troubled former wife, Diana, the Princess of Wales (RIP)? The question remains unanswered.
The last Coronation was of the late Queen Elizabeth in 1953, when she ascended to the Throne.
A total of 2,200 VIPs, members of royal families from across the world and leaders from the Commonwealth countries and other nations joined to witness the crowning of King Charles III.
The glittering list of foreign royals includes families from Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Jordan, Greece, Bhutan, and Tonga.
There were few noticeable absentees, including President Joe Biden of the United States, even though he was invited. However, the first Lady Jill Biden attended.
Leaders worldwide, British politicians and charity champions are at today’s celebrations. They will join the British Royal family members, including King Charles’ children – the Prince and Princess of Wales – William and Kate, Prince Harry and King Charles’ younger brother Edward, the Duke and Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, Duchess of Edinburgh.
The list of foreign royals attending the Coronation includes Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife, Princess Charlene, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his daughter, Crown Princess Victoria.
The next generation of royals was also not left out – King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands are with their daughter and heir, Princess Catharina-Amalia.
Queen Margrethe II. Of Denmark, whom Charles wanted to see at the Coronation, could not attend as she is recuperating from painful back surgery.
Her son and daughter-in-law, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary represented the Danish Queen instead.
King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway are represented by their son Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
Emperor Naruhito of Japan’s brother, Crown Prince Fumihito, and Crown Princess Kiko attended
King Abdullah II of Jordan and his beautiful wife, Queen Rania, are here. The Dragon King of the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wanchuck, and his wife, Dragon Queen Jetsun Pema, made a rare visit to the UK as one of the royal guests.
The Luxembourg Grand Ducal Royal family Grand-Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, are here.
Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, close friends of King Charles, were among the royal guests.
Some 3,000 street parties were held to mark the occasion during the three-day bank holiday weekend.
Shops and stores are open to allow people to buy their celebratory food for tea parties.
An extra fizz of excitement is added to the British pubs reeling from their recent losses. They are hoping for a king-size £120 million bonanza as a whopping 62 million pints will be raised in cheers to welcome the newly crowned King and his Queen.
No doubt, there was excitement all around among die-hard monarchy lovers who form the bulk of the British population – during the celebrations
Britons of all ages stood in the procession and witnessed history’s turning page. They waved flags and wore colourful clothes in Union Jack colours. The eccentric ones went further by adorning replica crowns on their heads.
The Coronation celebrations were steeped in ancient rituals from the ninth Century. It has been modified over the following centuries adapting to changing needs, but the basis remains the same.
The 6 May coronation service conducted by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, drew on this long tradition, with Bible passages read and hymns sung preaching of sermons.
The King and Queen offered, consecrated, and received bread and wine to strengthen and guide them in public service.
Early in the service, the King turned to each of the four points of the compass and was recognised by his people as their ‘undoubted King’, who acceded immediately upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
A Bible was presented to the King, upon which he took the oath to govern the people with justice and mercy and uphold the Churches.
Then, for the first time at a Coronation, the King prayed publicly for grace to be a blessing to all … of every faith and belief’ and to serve after the pattern of Christ.
The changing face of Britain’s diaspora brought out leaders of all faiths to the ceremony. All religions were represented.
The most sacred rite was when the King was anointed with holy oil. He sat on his Coronation Chair behind a screen, shielding him for the most solemn and personal moments.
Once anointed, the King was vested in priestly garments, including a Stole and Robe symbolising humility and splendour.
Various items of regalia were presented to the King, each a visible reminder of his great responsibility under God.
These included Spurs and Armills, worn by medieval knight, and sword that the King had first to wear and then offer to the service of God.
Then came the symbols of secular and spiritual power: an Orb, representing the world under Christ; a Sceptre with Cross, representing earthly power, held in a restrained, gloved hand; and the Sceptre with Dove, representing spiritual authority exercised chiefly in mercy. He also received a ring to symbolise a Monarch’s faithful ‘marriage’ to his people.
In particular, those presenting the regalia to the King reflected the diversity of the United Kingdom and its peoples, in striking contrast to 70 years ago.
This followed a moment of great symbolism when the Archbishop placed St Edward’s Crown on The King’s anointed head, and all sang ‘God Save The King’.
The King then moved from the Coronation Chair to his Throne in the centre of the Abbey and was encouraged by the Archbishop to ‘Stand firm and hold fast’, confident in God ‘whose throne endures forever.’
Once crowned, The King received Homage (a promise of allegiance and faithfulness, recognising his spiritual and earthly authority), first from the Archbishop of Canterbury, then The Prince of Wales, and finally, the opportunity for the congregation and people elsewhere to participate in various ways.
The King’s glittering crown of St Edward is solid gold and decorated with over 400 gemstones, including rubies and sapphires.
Queen Camilla’s crown, called Queen Mary, was last worn by the wife of King George V during his 1911 coronation,
It comprises about 2,000 brilliant diamonds, with a frieze of quatrefoils and rosettes. The diamonds in her crown weigh 94.4 carats, 63.6 carats, and 18,8 carats.
Before joining The King, enthroned alongside him in the centre of the Abbey, The Queen was anointed and crowned and presented with her items of regalia.
A fanfare was sounded, the Abbey bells rang out, and gun salutes were fired.
The skies were lit with a rainbow of colours with a fly past by the Red Arrows.
Watched by thousands of admiring Britons (and foreigners) lining up on the 1.3 miles direct 33-minute route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, the King and the Queen travelled in the opulent 260-year-old Gold State Coach.
This is solely for the Monarch and the consort. This Giltwood body coach has giant gilded sculptures over wheels. It has cherubs on the roof representing England, Scotland and Ireland. It weighs four tons, is seven metres long, 37.49 metres high and pulled by eight horses. It has been used in every Coronation since 1831.
When built in the 17th Century, it cost the old shillings £7,661.18 – around £2 million n today’s value. Old is Gold!
Then in the afternoon, Monarchs were joined at Buckingham Palace balcony by the other royals – a tradition that goes back many years—watched by a sea of royal family admirers.
Over 3,000 street parties throughout Britain followed the joy of the new King and Queen.
After the event, a section of the public – considered anti-royalists – started asking questions about the money spent for this extravagant celebration which came out from the public purse.
Critics believe that money could have been spent on the current cost of living crisis that has hit nearly every lower and middle-class household in the country.
There is a hot debate on the source of millions paid to sustain the monarchy. Some say it is the taxpayers’ money others say that the tourist industry brings on the money, some £19,000 million visiting royal estates. Critics dismiss this as deluded thinking.
Your opinion depends on which side of the fence you are!
They have questioned the need for the Government to fork out so much money from the public purse, which should have come from the personal income of King Charles, whose personal wealth is over £2 billion.
The Royals, on their part, argued that they were doing a public service to the people of this country and that the taxpayer should pay for the Coronation.
It is known that Royals cost the British taxpayer £102.4 million in the 2021-22 financial year, which keeps increasing annually.
The Government believes that the money is justified as they deliver sterling service to the nation with some 2,300 plus official engagements.
The royals carry out intensive foreign travel. These engagements generate public relations that attract tourists to the country.
For example, the 6 May coronation gave £450 million to London’s businesses.
Shops and stores were open to allow people to buy their celebratory food for tea parties.
An extra fizz of excitement was added to the British pubs reeling from their recent losses. They received a king-size £120 million bonanza as an estimated 62 million pints were raised in cheers to welcome the newly crowned King and his Queen.
Pub landlords were allowed to stay open until late.
There were protests as sections of British society slammed the celebrations, calling them a waste of time and precious money.
Even though the Government had warned that they would not tolerate protests during the Coronation to protect the King’s image, anti-Royal protesters hit the streets proclaiming that Charles was not their King. The Home Office, headed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, had warned that the Police would not tolerate protests. This incensed any anti-royalists
The vociferously anti-royals Republic movement advocating for the abolition of the monarchy and introducing a Presidential rule in the UK was at the forefront, saying it would brush aside these warnings.
They took to the streets many were arrested in what they alleged were high-handed tactics of the Police.
The Police refuted these claims saying only 60 odd were, and they regretted some of the arrests arrested during protests.
They have been accused of high-handedness, and a probe is underway to investigate the Police’s role in putting protests. They will no doubt say that they were following orders.
Some policemen who did not wish to be identified said partly; they disagreed with the order if it was applied to peaceful protests though they agreed that if there were a threat of violence and public order, law enforcement authorities would exercise the right to make arrests and restore peace.
The buck of blame will finally rest on the hoe Seecretary#s decision and the letter.
The Coronation was not without its controversy.
The public asked the big question: How did Queen Consort Camilla get the title of Queen?
Media speculated that they may have been free and frank exchanges between the monarchs with the final decision to give Camilla the title of the Queen.
In the same vein – some asked why King Charles’s father, Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, remained a Prince throughout his life, and the late Elizabeth didn’t see the need to confer the title of King or King Consort on Philip.
A part of the Royal family is blamed for ignoring the family of his former wife Diana, the Princess of Wales, with whom he had his two children -princes Wiliam and Harry.
Public members believe the Royals should have extended invitations to Diana’s brother and relatives on her side. It is incorrect to say that the family’s connection with Diana’s relatives was severed
As for that ghost which appeared during the coronation ceremony, the public debate rages on. Good omen or bad omen, they ask?
Some claim it may have been a clever gimmick to distract the public attention from the ceremony and on the TV screens. Others offered a somewhat rational and plausible explanation – the silhouette of a clergyman at service walking in the shadows in the background.
So far, no clergy member has claimed to be in that shadow. Conspiracy theories rage on.
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