After a lifetime as the heir to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles III was officially crowned king of Britain in the first coronation since 1953. The coronation ceremony, which was steeped in 1,000 years of British history and tradition, took place at Westminster Abbey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head, and cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-strong congregation, while bells pealed in celebration at churches across the country.
However, before the ceremony began, police arrested dozens of protesters using new powers to crack down on direct action groups. Despite the arrests, dozens of Republic activists held aloft banners on the procession route, declaring “Not My King.” Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International voiced concern at the arrests, and the Metropolitan Police warned that it had an “extremely low threshold” for protests.
The two-hour Anglican service saw many intricate rituals and ceremonies, but Charles brought some aspects up to date. Women bishops participated for the first time, as did leaders of Britain’s non-Christian faiths, while gospel and Greek choirs performed. In another change, the coronation themes mirrored Charles’s lifelong interest in biodiversity and sustainability.
Charles is the supreme governor of the Church of England and has described himself as a “committed Anglican Christian.” As such, he sought to make the congregation more reflective of British society, inviting ordinary members of the public to sit alongside heads of state and global royalty.
However, not everyone is convinced, as polling indicates waning support for the monarchy, particularly among younger people. The cost of the coronation has also been questioned by Britons struggling with the soaring cost of living.
Despite opposition, huge crowds of royal fans gathered all week outside Buckingham Palace, indicating that the royals still have a central role in British culture and history. Many of those camping out to watch have flown in from abroad, underlining the royal family’s untouched position as Britain’s leading global brand.
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