The crowning event
Charles was hidden from view for the most dramatic part of
the service at London’s Westminster Abbey on Saturday.
Behind a three-sided screen, the Dean of Westminster
poured holy oil from the Ampulla, a gold eagle-shaped flask, on to the
Coronation Spoon, and then the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed Charles on his
head, breast and hands, according to the Church of England’s liturgy.
The 12th-century, silver-gilt spoon is the oldest object
used in coronations. In the background, the Choir of Westminster Abbey sang the
anthemic “Zadok the Priest” by George Frideric Handel, which was composed for
the coronation of King George II in 1727 and performed at every British
coronation since.
Once he re-emerged, the
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed St. Edward’s Crown upon Charles
III’s head. It was the only time Charles will ever wear St. Edward’s Crown,
which is reserved for the coronation of a new monarch; the crown was made for
Charles’ ill-fated namesake, Charles II, in 1661.
After crowning Charles, Welby shouted: “God Save the
King.” Those in attendance repeated the words.
Soon after, Camilla was also crowned. Like her husband,
she was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury – this time in
full view of the audience – before having Queen Mary’s Crown placed on her
head.
A musical celebration
Music underpinned the entire celebration, in keeping with
history. Each stage was marked by either a grand choral work, an ethereal
motet, an extravagant organ composition or an evocative melody, all performed
by some of the most accomplished singers and musicians in the world.
King Charles and Queen Camilla entered the abbey to the
strains of “I was glad,” the stirring coronation anthem written by Hubert Parry
for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and sung at all coronations since
then.
But the old was blended with the new; Charles had asked
Andrew Lloyd Webber – whose music is more familiar to audiences in the West End
than congregations in Westminster Abbey – to write a Coronation Anthem, “Make a
Joyful Noise,” which played after Camilla was enthroned.
And this event featured the first ever appearance by a
gospel choir at a coronation; dressed in resplendent white, the Ascension Choir
performed ‘Alleluia’ just before the Archbishop’s sermon.
Lady in blue
Thousands of people had
packed into Westminster Abbey.
Decked in a teal cape and cap with gold detailing, a woman
in blue commanded attention as she wielded an important object of the
coronation regalia – the Sword
of Offering or the Jewelled Sword, before and after the investiture,
when it was used. But who is she?
Penny Mordaunt is a Conservative lawmaker in the United
Kingdom, and has been since 2010.
She was involved in the ceremony because, as the current
Leader of the House of Commons, she is also the Lord President of the Privy
Council – a body formed of senior politicians who act as the monarch’s official
advisers.
The council’s president is involved in a variety of royal
ceremonies, acting as a symbolic bridge between the King or Queen and the
country’s elected officials. Mordaunt spoke at the Proclamation
of King Charles, two days after the Queen’s death.
Queen Camilla’s outfit
Queen
Camilla was a regal sight in ivory, silver and gold. But who was she
wearing?
Unsurprisingly, it was a British designer, Bruce
Oldfield, who she has a longstanding relationship with.
Simple, tailored and cut from Peau de Soie, a silk fabric
with a dull luster finish, her coronation dress was more akin to a coat dress
with an embroidered underskirt as opposed to a traditional dress.
Arriving at Westminster
Abbey before the service, her dress was protected by the crimson velvet and
ermine Robe of State that was originally made for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
Peeping out beneath her dress were shoes in the same silk
as her clothing, made by British designer Elliot Zed.
Vanishing prince(s)
Never one to disappoint at royal events, Prince Louis, the
youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, again stole the show during
segments of the coronation ceremony.
Keen-eyed viewers may have noticed the 5-year-old yawning,
sitting between his mother, the Princess of Wales, and sister Princess
Charlotte, but then pulling a disappearing act from the service.
It was thought the young royal might leave early, but
luckily for fans, he returned before the end of the service.
For those who don’t remember, Louis gained global infamy
during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, where he was
captured throwing a tantrum and
covering his ears while screaming during the flypast.
Meanwhile, there was
widespread speculation before Saturday as to whether Prince
Harry would be at his father’s coronation.
The Duke of Sussex attended the coronation ceremony at
Westminster Abbey on Saturday, sitting in the third row.
Wearing a morning suit with his military medals, Harry
arrived alongside his uncles, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, and two of his
cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Prince Harry attended without his wife, Meghan, the
Duchess of Sussex, who reportedly stayed back in the US with their children on
the account of Archie’s fourth birthday.
The coronation marked the first time the prince publicly
met members of his family since the release of his memoir, “Spare.”
After it ended, he was
seen talking and smiling with his cousins amidst a downpour, before he took a
car on his own.
He did not appear with members of the royal family to
greet the public from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Saturday afternoon –
a flagship part of royal events.
CNN understands that Prince Harry did not receive an
invitation to join the family for this balcony moment, which featured a
slimmed-down flypast by the Royal Air Force. Prince Andrew wasn’t present
either.
A balcony flypast
The weather did not favor King Charles – and while crowds
seemed unperturbed by the rain, it did alter plans for the traditional Royal
Air Force flypast.
The display was formed only of helicopters and the
colorful Red Arrows, and not the expected Typhoons, Spitfires, Hurricanes and
Lancaster bombers.
But crowds instead enjoyed not one but
two appearances on the balcony by the new King and Queen, who provided an
encore after seemingly waving goodbye to supporters.
That wrapped up an eventful day, which
had drawn thousands onto London’s streets.
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