King Charles III will be crowned on May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London.

King Charles III will be crowned on May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, in a “forward-thinking” ceremony, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday.

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Eight months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8 aged 96, the religious rites will traditionally be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Charles III, 73, will be “anointed, blessed and consecrated” by the spiritual head of the Church of England, of which the monarch is supreme governor.

“The coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look to the future, while remaining rooted in the long tradition and luxury of the monarchy,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

In a country currently in the grip of a severe economic and social crisis, the ceremony should retain the structure of the coronation ceremonies of the British monarchy for a millennium, while incorporating contemporary elements.

Coronations of British monarchs have been held at Westminster Abbey for 900 years. Since the Norman Conquest in 1066, the ceremony has always been performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

This event is usually held in the months following the accession to the throne. This period allows for the observance of national mourning and state mourning and the organization of ceremonies.

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Shorter, cheaper and more representative

Became Queen on 6 February 1952 upon the death of her father, George VI, and Elizabeth II was crowned 16 months later, on 2 June 1953. For the first time, the ceremony was televised and watched by 27 million Britons. 36 million people at that time.

In the post-war years, it lasted more than three hours in front of 8,251 guests who packed the Abbey. 129 countries and territories were officially represented.

In keeping with Charles’s preference for a strict monarchy, the ceremony was to be short, simple and inexpensive, but also more representative of the diversity of modern Britain.

The capacity of the Abbey is approximately 2,000, which corresponds to the number of people, including heads of state and members of the royal family, who attended Elizabeth II’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey on 19 September.

After his death his son Charles automatically became king.

Queen Consort Camilla – the title Elizabeth II intended for her son’s second wife – will be crowned during the ceremony, which is being called “Operation Golden Orb”.

After the seven-decade reign of Elizabeth II, who celebrated her platinum jubilee last June, Charles is the oldest monarch in the history of the British monarchy.

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Coronation oath

During the ceremony, the Archbishop of Canterbury first introduces the new sovereign to the audience, who applauds him.

The sovereign takes the coronation oath. By this “Coronation Oath Act” written in 1688, he specifically promised to “do all he could” to protect the Anglican Church and Protestantism.

Installed on King Edward’s chair, a wooden throne made in 1300 and used at every coronation since 1626, the king would then receive an anointing and blessing from the archbishop.

Charles III would finally receive his royal attributes, notably a scepter, then a crown, placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Queen’s death was followed by ten days of national mourning. More than 250,000 people queued for hours to pay their respects at his coffin, first in Edinburgh and then in London, at Westminster Hall, the oldest chamber of the British Parliament.

Thousands of people lined the roads to take a last look at the coffin of her country’s most popular queen.

After the death of Elizabeth II, Charles recorded an improvement in popularity (70% favorable opinions), but remains behind his son William (84%) and his wife Kate (80%).