Buckingham Palace announced the official date of the crowning ceremony of Britain’s new monarch, King Charles III. The event will occur on Saturday, 6 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London. 

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month, Charles automatically took her place on the throne. The coronation ceremony was initially scheduled for the first days of June as a tribute to the day when the Queen had her coronation in 1953, on 2 June 1953.

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Following British tradition, the king will be seated on a famous throne known as Edward’s Chair. He will hold the sovereign’s orb, sceptre and rod. 

Senior clergy will anoint him with oil before blessing and consecrating him. The new monarch will then have the prestigious crown of St Edward (2.23 kg) placed on his head.

As the Royal Family’s official website explains, the sovereign will take the coronation oath, promising to rule according to law, exercise justice with mercy, and maintain the Church of England. 

By May, the new king will be 74. This will make him the oldest Brit to be crowned in the country’s history. The British Government confirmed that UK workers would receive a day off, the date of which has not been announced so far.

Following over 900 years of tradition, the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the service. The palace also confirmed that Charles (73) would be crowned alongside his wife, Queen Camilla.

Image: Twitter @RoyalFamily

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen