The coronation of King Charles III, the former Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son, is scheduled for Saturday, May 6. Charles ascended to the throne as soon as his mother died in September, although acceding to the throne is normally a somber ceremony, usually taking place in the shadow of death. A coronation, on the other hand, is a joyous occasion.
A coronation, according to The New York Times, can refer to both the actual act of laying a crown on a monarch’s head and the religious rite in which a sovereign is crowned. Let us now address the average man’s concerns regarding this magnificent regal event. Who will attend, who will not, the dress code, the performances… all of these questions are answered below.
King Charles coronation: Timings
The coronation service for King Charles is slated to begin at 11 a.m. London time, which means it will begin very early in the morning in the United States — 6 a.m. on the East Coast and 3 a.m. on the West Coast.
King Charles coronation: Telecast details
If you live in the United Kingdom, you won’t have to look far. The ceremony will be broadcast live on the BBC, ITV, and Sky News. Other British and American television networks have yet to make their intentions known.
The Coronation Concert
The Coronation Concert, produced and televised by the BBC, is set to take place at Windsor Castle on Sunday, May 7. Members of the general public will attend the concert. 5,000 of these candidates were chosen, and those who were chosen are invited to bring along the plus-one they “nominated” during the application process.
The complete program has yet to be announced, but Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Italian opera artist Andrea Bocelli are expected to perform. According to insiders, Adele and Elton John have denied invites to perform due to scheduling issues, and Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, and the Spice Girls have also declined.
Sonam Kapoor will be joined by actor Tom Cruise and Pooh, who will appear alongside “Dynasty” star Joan Collins, singer Tom Jones, adventurer Bear Grylls, and dancer Oti Mabuse in a series of pre-recorded VTs revealing “little-known facts about the King” for the coronation, which will commemorate King Charles’ ascension to the throne.
The Meghan Merkel Question
For months, it was unclear whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would travel from California to London for the big day. Finally, Buckingham Palace announced in a brief statement that Prince Harry would attend the coronation – by himself. Meghan will remain in America with the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It will be Prince Harry’s first public appearance with the royal family since his explosive memoir, “Spare,” was published in January.
Invite
Because the coronation is a state ceremony, the government carefully manages the guest list, with only about 2,000 people invited. The list is mostly made up of royal family members, including young children such as 9-year-old Prince George and his even younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. There are also past prime ministers and members of Parliament, world leaders, foreign rulers, and religious figures.
What is the weight of the Crown and is there a dress code for the coronation?
The Crown is a little more than two pounds. Though Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was full of glitz and tiaras, this one will be more like the Casual Friday version of a coronation, in keeping with King Charles’s modernized-monarchy theme. Members of the House of Lords have been told to exchange their special coronation crimson velvet-‘n’-ermine robes and coronets (silver circlets with ermine trim and velvet linings) for a business dress or the normal robes they wear for the opening of Parliament for business attire or the standard robes they wear for the opening of Parliament. Regular visitors will dress in “day dress” (for ladies) or a morning coat, suit, or military uniform (for men). In both circumstances, “celebratory national dress” and “decorations” (presumably of the military/state variety, not tinsel) are permitted. Hats are also optional.
Is there a curated playlist?
Yes, and the second song is “Daddy Cool” by Boney M. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, an actual department in the real British government, released a 27-song Coronation Celebration Playlist with no skips, including some songs Charles might sing in the shower (“Come Together” by the Beatles, “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie) and some he almost certainly does not (“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush). Fingers hoped for a royal rendition of the Spice Girls’ “Say You’ll Be There.”