Buckingham Palace has taken into account that the death of Queen Elizabeth II and all related events have attracted huge media attention worldwide and hopes that the coronation of her successor Charles III will also serve as a good opportunity to promote Britain internationally, writes The Daily Telegraph. So the new king has rejected the idea of saving money for the ceremony, despite a rather difficult period for the whole country due to the rising cost of living crisis, the article says.
One of the key lessons of the London Bridge and Spring Fling operations during the period of mourning between Queen Elizabeth II’s death and her funeral was the fact that it proved to be “great publicity” for the UK. And while it was always expected to be a major event of national significance, such massive global implications were difficult to fully predict, reports The Daily Telegraph.
So Buckingham Palace intends to stage the upcoming coronation of Charles III, to be held at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023, with great fanfare, despite numerous calls for austerity amid the rising cost of living crisis. Organisers have envisioned the ceremony as a unique example of “magnificent” opulence and spectacle, the paper said.
The new monarch’s coronation is expected to be slightly shorter than that of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and with fewer participants. The reason, however, is that elements that are now considered “outdated and unwieldy” should be removed from the ceremony so that it “better reflects the modern monarchy”, as organisers of the event claim.
According to insiders at Buckingham Palace, the new King Charles III is “deeply aware” of the rising cost-of-living crisis and the fact that the ceremony will take place at a time of economic hardship, so any money spent should be counted and justified, but rejects the idea of maximum economy. Thanks to recent events, the palace has realised that a grand spectacle involving the royal family is “the most effective way to boost Britain’s international standing”, writes The Daily Telegraph.
Many British politicians also agree that any attempt to cut the event to save money would be a “missed opportunity” to raise the country’s profile on the world stage, according to the article. In particular, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunack this week called the coronation “a unique moment for the country”, discussing with cabinet ministers the possibility of using the ceremony to “showcase the very best of the United Kingdom”.
Lord Roberts of Belgravia, the historian and broadcaster, recalled that the coronation in 1937 was held under threat of Nazi domination of Europe, while in 1953 the country was still undergoing austerity and rationing, but the ceremonies were not cancelled. “In both cases we were able to remind ourselves of our values and the sense of optimism which helped us to overcome these terrible crises. The government should be applauded for taking the courageous decision to duly host next year’s much-needed celebrations,” he stressed.
According to the organisers’ plan, traditional ceremonial and religious elements will be retained, but the service will last one to two hours (instead of three), the article explains. The new king will be anointed with holy oil, given an orb, coronation ring and sceptre and then crowned with St. Edward’s crown, which was made for Charles II in 1661. It is also expected that around 2,000 people will attend the event – rather than the 8,000 who crammed into the abbey during Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 (which was four times its normal capacity).
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will also be invited to the ceremony, despite their recent public criticism of the royal family. Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned alongside the new king. Charles III is also expected to announce that he serves “all religious denominations”, not just the Church of England. The coronation will be organised by the Earl of Marshall as well as the Duke of Norfolk, who organised Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the article reports.
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