“Not my king!”
On the morning before the coronation of Charles III in Westminster Abbey, the streets of London were restless. The people of Great Britain were divided between those who looked forward to the ceremony of enthronement of a new monarch – and those who preferred to shout out “Not my king!” in protest.
Especially ardent opponents of the coronation were detained by the police a few hours before the ceremony. So, in St. James’s Park, a man with a megaphone was taken into custody, which, according to the police, could “scare the horses.” The police also detained activists of the anti-monarchist and environmental movements Just Stop Oil, Animal Rising and Republic – according to Sky News, human rights activists even criticized the actions of law enforcement officers who behaved very harshly towards opponents of the monarchy.
London Police confirmed seven arrests so far, but Just Stop Oil said 20 of their supporters were taken into custody for wearing anti-monarchist T-shirts (the police suggest they planned to jump over the fence and interfere with the movement of the king’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey on The Mall).
Graham Smith, the head of the Republican movement, is known to have been detained at 7:30 a.m. on the Strand while he was collecting drinks and posters for display as a sign of
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King Charles III of Great Britain and Queen Camilla ride in a carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey for the coronation ceremony, May 6, 2023
Dylan Martinez / Reuters
The demonstration nevertheless took place – about 2,000 people gathered in Trafalgar Square near the statue of King Charles I, shouting “Not my king!” One of them was holding a sign saying “Don’t you think this is pretty stupid?” Also, a photo of a protester holding a poster with the image of Meghan Markle was circulated in the media.
However, according to The Guardian, tens of thousands of fans of the British royal family gathered along the Mall, places to see the royal procession and the military parade.
“God Save the King!”
Despite the protests, only rainy weather could interfere with the ceremony – because of it, a large-scale air parade was canceled, which the royal family was supposed to watch from the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end coronation, it was replaced only by a flight of the Red Arrows aerobatic team.
and Zoroastrians). After that, the flags of 15 states under the rule of the British king were introduced.
At the beginning of a two-hour ceremony in Westminster Abbey, the church choir sang a hymn in Welsh, the bells rang – and the king, shaking hands with the queen , got out of the Diamond Jubilee carriage (light, made of aluminum and equipped with air conditioning and power windows), drawn by six gray Windsor stallions. The king’s mantle was carried among the pages of honor by one of the grandsons of Charles III, a role that went to nine-year-old Prince George.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla, 6 May 2023 Prince George at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, 6 May 2023 Prince Louis at the coronation of Charles III at Westminster Abbey, 6 May 2023 Pages of Honor Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Nicholas Barclay, Ralph Tollemache and Prince George of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, May 6, 2023 You can see the full gallery in a separate report See photo
Following the king, his heir entered the abbey , Prince of Wales, with Princess Catherine of Wales and children not involved in carrying the mantle – Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Then the rest of the royal family proceeded to their seats at the ceremony, including Prince Andrew, who was allowed to wear a military uniform for the coronation, and the lone Prince Harry – he came in civilian clothes, but still pinned awards to his chest.
The younger son of the king, unlike the eldest, was placed at the coronation not in the first, but in the third row, peeking out from behind the hat of his aunt, Princess Anna.
Anticipating the key moments of the coronation ritual – anointing the new king and presenting him and the queen with the corresponding regalia – Christian hymns sounded in the hall, including those performed by a gospel choir that performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. The Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak, although he professes Hinduism, as the head of the cabinet of ministers of the country, read from the New Testament the “Epistle to the Colossians”. Charles III repeated one thought: the monarch is crowned in the service of the people. This idea was embedded in the personal prayer of the king, which he read publicly. “God of mercy and compassion, whose son was not sent to be served, but to serve, bless me so that I find true freedom in my service, and in this freedom the knowledge of the truth. I am grateful that I can give blessings to all children, of all religions and beliefs, and that together we can walk the path of goodness and be guided to the path of peace,” the king said.
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King Charles III of Great Britain during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023
Jonathan Brady/Pool/Getty Images
Climaxing The moments of the ceremony were the anointing to the kingdom, for which a special screen was brought into the hall – as in 1953 during the coronation of Elizabeth II, the application of oil on the hands, head and chest of the monarch was hidden from the public.
After that, the king took an oath to rule according to the Protestant faith and kissed the Bible.
Finally, the king was presented with numerous regalia, including gloves, a golden table scarf, armillo bracelets, spurs, orb, scepter. After that, the Archbishop of Canterbury, according to the age-old tradition, laid on the head of the new king the crown of St. Edward, which weighs more than 2 kg and is used only at the time of the coronation itself.
The anthem sounded: “God save King Charles! Many years to King Charles! May the king live forever!
Queen Camilla also received the royal regalia and the crown of Queen Mary, made in 1911 on the occasion of the coronation of King George V and his wife Mary of Teck. True, it did not include the famous Kohinoor diamond.
“God help me”
This was followed by the oath of the heir to the throne, Prince William, to his father. “I, William, Prince of Wales, swear allegiance to you, I give myself to you in faith and trust, as your vassal, here and in heaven. God help me,” said the eldest son of the king, kneeling on one knee. Rising, he kissed the monarch on the cheek, and he unexpectedly said not only “Amen”, but also, breaking the protocol to the tenderness of the audience, “Thank you, William.”
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Prince William kisses father of King Charles III of Great Britain during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023
Yui Mok / Reuters
Leaving Westminster Abbey, the procession The monarch and his family went to Buckingham Palace in an old and uncomfortable Golden carriage to go out onto the balcony in front of the subjects. the birth of his son Archie Harrison, who was four years old on the day of the coronation of his grandfather.
Not only members of the British royal family and British politicians (including all former prime ministers of the country starting with John Major). Representatives of the Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian monarchies, the Japanese Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the King of Thailand, King Abdullah II of Jordan with Queen Rania, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the King of Bhutan and the Sultan of Brunei were also guests of honor.
close King Carl of Great Britain III leaves Westminster Abbey after his coronation ceremony in London, May 6, 2023 King Charles III of Great Britain during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023 Coronation ceremony of King Charles III of Great Britain in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023 The King Great Britain Charles III during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023 The Prince and Princess of Wales William and Catherine with children at the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023 The full gallery can be viewed in a separate report View photo
Stars also appeared in the gossip column – Katy Perry in a pink hat, who took a selfie in Westminster Abbey, actress Emma Thompson, singers Nick Cave and Lionel Richie, former football player David Beckham and his designer wife Victoria Beckham was also among those invited to the first British coronation of the 21st century.