The Complete Guide To King Charles III’s Coronation

The United Kingdom will soon have its first coronation in 70 years.

King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, will be crowned in a pared-down ceremony this May. The event, which has been planned under the code name of Operation Golden Orb, "will reflect the monarch's role today and look toward the future, while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously told BAZAAR.

In addition to the actual ceremony, those in the United Kingdom can expect two extra days of coronation celebrations.

Read ahead for every key detail about the upcoming ceremony, and make sure to watch this space for updates.

Related article: Buckingham Palace Announces Details On King Charles III’s Pared-Down Coronation Ceremony

What is a Coronation?

The British coronation is a formal, symbolic ceremony recognizing a monarch's ascension to the throne, during which the monarch will be crowned and presented with various ceremonial and religious objects. It also marks the monarch's role as the head of the Church of England.

However, one does not need to have a coronation in order to be the monarch of the United Kingdom. Charles immediately became the king as soon as his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September 2022.

When is the Coronation?

King Charles's coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. London time (6 a.m. EST).

There will also be two further days of coronation festivities: a Coronation Big Lunch and Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7, and a nationwide volunteering event called The Big Help Out on Monday, May 8.

Where will the Coronation be held?

The ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, the site of British coronations since 1066. The church has hosted 38 coronation servicesthus far, including Queen Elizabeth II's in 1953.

What will happen during the Coronation?

The ceremony is expected to retain the same core religious elements as other coronations, but other aspects of the coronation will likely be less grand and extravagant than its predecessors, especially in light of Britain's current cost of living crisis and a looming recession.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will first arrive at Westminster Abbey in a procession from Buckingham Palace known as The King's Procession. The two will travel via the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which was created for Queen Elizabeth in honor of the 60th anniversary of her reign.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, will then conduct the service.

Coronations traditionally operate in the following structure:

• The Recognition: The Archbishop of Canterbury will present the monarch to the congregation in Westminster Abbey, who will shout in return, "God save the King!"

• The Oath: The monarch will vow to reign lawfully and uphold the Church of England.

• The Anointing: The Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint the monarch with holy oil. The monarch will then remove his ceremonial robe and sit in the 700-year-old Coronation Chair (also known as King Edward's Chair) underneath a canopy held by four Knights of the Garter. The Stone of Destiny, an artifact seized from Scotland by King Edward I, will lie under the chair.

• The Investiture: At this point, the monarch will be presented with several items representing their powers as sovereign, including the Sovereign's Orb and the Sovereign's Sceptres. Then, the monarch will be crowned with St. Edward's Crown.

• The Enthronement: The monarch will move from the Coronation Chair to the throne.

• The Homage: The Archbishop of Canterbury, royal princes, and other senior peers will kneel before the monarch and swear allegiance.

Following the homage, the queen consort will be anointed in a similar, but simpler, ceremony. 

Afterward, the king and queen consort will head back to Buckingham Palace in a larger procession called The Coronation Procession, where they will be joined by other members of the royal family. Charles and Camilla will ride the Gold State Coach, an 18th-century coach that has been used in every coronation ceremony since William IV in 1831. The royals will be accompanied by armed forces from across the Commonwealth and British Overseas Territories.

Related article: Kate Middleton Wears Princess Diana’s Famous Brooch for Royal Engagement with the King

Once at the palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as other royal family members, will appear on the balcony.

How can I watch the Coronation?

Millions of people across the globe are expected to tune in to the ceremony, so various news outlets will live stream the coronation. Check back here closer to the day of the coronation for further details on how to tune in.

What crowns will King Charles and Queen Camilla wear?

The king will don St. Edward's Crown, a 17th-century crown made of a solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes, and tourmalines, as well as featuring four crosses-pattée, four fleurs-de-lis, and two arches. It also includes a velvet cap with an ermine band.

Later, he is expected to wear the Imperial State Crown, which similarly includes a fitted velvet cap and ermine band, plus 2,868 diamonds in silver mounts, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls. The headpiece prominently features the Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Second Star of Africa, prompting controversy for the royal family's role in plundering colonized lands.

In response to that controversy, Queen Camilla's coronation headpiece, Queen Mary's Crown, will reportedly reset the contentious Kohinoor diamond with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds. The stones come from Queen Elizabeth II's personal jewelry collection, but historians have criticized the swap, noting that the Cullinan diamonds were mined from South Africa and are therefore still relics of British imperialism.

Will Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan be there?

BAZAAR.com confirmed in March that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had "recently received" email correspondence from Buckingham Palace regarding the coronation, but it remained uncertain whether the couple would attend.

"An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time," a spokesperson told BAZAAR at the time.

Who else is going to the Coronation?

Other members of the royal family—including Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales—will attend the ceremony. William and Kate's eldest child and future heir to the throne, Prince George, will serve the king as a page of honor during the ceremony. Princess Charlotte will likely attend the ceremony, too, though it is uncertain if Prince Louis will be present. Still, all three Wales children will join the royal procession to Buckingham Palace.

Additionally, government figures from the U.K. and other parts of the globe will be present, such as the British prime minister, representatives from the Houses of Parliament, and other non-British royals. 

The White House recently announced that First Lady Jill Biden will attend the ceremony on behalf of the president.

What does the coronation invitation look like?

Artist Andrew Jamieson designed the official coronation invitation, which he hand-painted in watercolor and gouache. The illustration includes the coronation emblem and the motif of the Green Man (an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth) crowned in leaves of oak, ivy, and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom. Colorful flower illustrations appear throughout in groupings of three, signifying Charles becoming the third monarch of his name. Within the flowers are a lion, a unicorn, and a boar, pulled from the coats of arms of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The design was reportedly printed on recycled card with gold foil detailing.

Related article: King Charles III Has A Photo Of Prince Harry And Meghan Markle In His Office

How much will the Coronation cost, and who pays for it?

The U.K. government pays for the coronation. 

Set amid a rising cost-of-living crisis and impending recession, BAZAAR understands that the coronation will be less grand, and presumably cost less, than previous ceremonies. (For comparison, Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation cost the British public £1.57 million, or $1.74 million at the time, and today's equivalent of around $50 million).

This article originally appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR US.