(London) King Charles III plans to take a shorter, more peaceful route to Westminster Abbey for his coronation, cutting short the processional route his mother took in 1953 to hold a smaller event that will include some modern touches, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday.
The low-key ceremony on May 6 will still be steeped in ancient traditions and adorned with the Royal Crown Jewels, but will also feature its own bespoke emoji, reflecting Britain’s first coronation of the social media era. That of Queen Elizabeth II was the first televised coronation 70 years ago.
Breaking with tradition, Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will ride out of Buckingham Palace in the horse-drawn black-gold Diamond Jubilee carriage that was built for Elizabeth’s 60th birthday. He has heating, air conditioning, power windows and a suspension system that will provide a more comfortable ride than his mother had for her induction.
The two kilometer route is a little shorter than the one Elizabeth took to get to the royal church. The procession will pass by Admiralty Arch, Trafalgar Square and a statue of Charles I, the monarch beheaded in 1649, and through the Houses of Parliament before arriving for the 11am church service.
While Charles wants to show the monarchy is still relevant in modern, multicultural Britain, he has said he plans to lighten up the institution. The coronation should reflect this with a shorter and less extravagant ceremony than the three-hour service that enthroned Elizabeth II.
Nonetheless, much of the priceless coronation paraphernalia used for centuries will form part of Charles and Camilla’s coronation, including five symbolic swords, two sceptres and the sovereign’s sapphire ring with a diamond-set ruby ​​cross.
Camilla, who will wear Queen Mary’s crown, will hold a controversial ivory scepter. Britain has almost completely banned the trade in elephant ivory products and Prince William, heir to the throne, has campaigned against the illegal trade in animal parts.
In the solemn ceremony led by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles will be crowned King with St Edward’s Crown, the centerpiece of the Crown Jewels seen by millions every year at the Tower of London.
The crown, which is the inspiration for the coronation emoji, features a solid gold frame weighing 2.2 kilograms set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, topazes and tourmalines and has a metal cap. purple velvet and an ermine band. It was worn by Elizabeth at her coronation and readjusted for her son.
At the end of the ceremony, Charles will change to the lighter Imperial State Crown for the procession back to the palace.
Unlike the five-mile route Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip took around London in 1953, Charles and Camilla will return as they came, but in a 260-year-old car used at every coronation since William’s. IV in 1831.
The Gold State Coach, which weighs 4,000 kilograms and is pulled by eight horses, is known for its rough ride.
Elizabeth described it as “awful”, Queen Victoria complained of its “distressing wobble”, and William IV – known as the Sailor King – said it was like “being tossed around on a ship in rough seas”.
“When you follow it, you can hear it creak, which gives the impression that an old galleon is moving forward,” said Martin Oates, who took part in its restoration and who walks behind as a brakeman. It’s not quite a washing machine, but where other vehicles just go from back to front, it moves side to side. »
The golden carriage is so heavy that it can only move at a walk. This should give people along the route more time to see the newly crowned King and Queen.
Military troops on parade will salute the King and Queen in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, followed by three cheers from the military.
