King Charles’ and Queen Elizabeth’s coronations: The variations

London — King Charles informed his advisors lengthy earlier than his personal coronation ceremony that he “wished them to begin afresh,” in accordance with historian and CBS News royal contributor Amanda Foreman. “So, what we’re going to see is a really, very totally different coronation” in comparison with the ceremony held for his mom, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.

So, what are the variations?

King Charles’ “plus one”

Charles’ spouse Camilla, the Queen Consort, can be formally topped alongside her husband through the May 6 coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Upon her coronation, she’s going to drop the “consort” from her title and be referred to as Queen Camilla.

Prince Philip, the longtime husband of Queen Elizabeth, was by no means topped, and was recognized all through the queen’s reign as her “liege lord.”

While Queen Camilla can be topped — particularly with Queen Mary’s Crown from the royal household’s intensive Crown Jewels assortment — her position doesn’t convey any political energy, like Charles’ mom had because the queen “regnant” and Britain’s sovereign. That position and the facility it conveys, although extraordinarily restricted below trendy Britain’s constitutional monarchy, lies totally with Charles.

What he wears

King Charles will put on a number of historic clothes for his precise coronation ceremony, together with heavy ceremonial robes made from gold thread, however in contrast to his mom, beneath all of it, Foreman mentioned the king was “not going to put on a particular outfit. He’s going to put on his navy uniform.”

Queen Elizabeth, then again, had a particular Coronation Dress commissioned by a British designer.

According to the Royal Collection Trust, the designer “submitted 9 totally different designs and the queen accepted the eighth, however prompt the addition of embroideries in varied colors somewhat than all in silver.” 

A smaller affair

King Charles’ coronation can be a a lot smaller affair than his mom’s. 

Approximately 2,000 visitors have been invited, versus the over 8,000 individuals who have been invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth’s ceremony lasted nearly three hours, however King Charles’ will final solely two hours.

The coronation processions will differ in dimension, too. King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will journey to Westminster Abbey, after which the king and Queen Camilla — along with her new official title — will journey again to Buckingham Palace alongside on the identical route, which takes roughly 40 minutes on the pace of a horse-drawn carriage. 

Queen Elizabeth’s procession from Westminster Abbey again to the palace after her coronation took a way more circuitous route, along with her waving and smiling to well-wishers for round 5 hours.

The coronation oath

Britain has modified so much within the many years since Queen Elizabeth was topped, with a majority of the nation not describing themselves as Christian.

However, England legally stays a Christian nation, and the Church of England, also referred to as the Anglican Church, is the official faith, with the monarch serving as its titular head, referred to as the Defender of the Faith. The coronation ceremony itself is a Christian ritual.

In the 1990’s, then-Prince Charles sparked controversy when he mentioned he could be a defender of religion generally, somewhat than the Defender of the Faith. 

In his coronation oath, he’ll give a nod to different religions, kneeling earlier than the altar in Westminster Abbey and saying: “God of compassion and mercy whose Son was despatched to not be served however to serve, give grace that I’ll discover in thy service excellent freedom and in that freedom data of thy fact. Grant that I could also be a blessing to all thy youngsters, of each religion and perception, that collectively we might uncover the methods of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace; via Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”