WASHINGTON — Nearly eight months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III will celebrate his coronation on Saturday, May 6.
While Charles officially became king the moment his mother died, and has already been formally proclaimed sovereign of the United Kingdom, he won't be crowned until his coronation on Saturday, May 6. It's during this ceremony that the new monarch takes a coronation oath and is anointed and blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Camilla, Britain's queen consort, will be crowned alongside her husband. Buckingham Palace’s official coronation invitations referred to her as “Queen Camilla” for the first time last month, marking another step in Camilla’s long road to rehabilitating her image.
What time is the coronation of King Charles?
The ceremony at Westminster Abbey is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. local time in London (6 a.m. Eastern/5 a.m. Central/3 a.m. Pacific) after Charles and Camilla ride in a 1.3 mile procession from Buckingham Palace.
How long is the coronation?
The coronation, which reportedly is codenamed Operation Golden Orb, is expected to be a shorter and less extravagant affair than the three-hour service that installed Elizabeth II during the first televised coronation 70 years ago. It is expected to last two hours, ending at 1 p.m. local time in London.
That won't be the end of the festivities, though. Charles and Camilla will return to Buckingham Palace in the half-hour 'Coronation Procession' and appear on the palace's balcony with members of the royal family to wave at spectators. Another day of events is scheduled for Sunday, including a concert headlined by Katy Perry, Lionel Ritchie and other singers.
Who is attending the coronation?
As many as 2,800 attendees are expected, including many members of the royal family, key political figures and world leaders.
After months of speculation, it was announced that Prince Harry will attend the service but his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain in California with the couple’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The coronation date coincides with their son’s birthday.
President Joe Biden will not be at the ceremony, but first lady Jill Biden will represent the United States. No previous U.S. president has attended a British monarch's coronation.
How much does the coronation cost?
While there has been no official word on the expected total cost, some predictions suggest the weekend of festivities could cost between 50 and 100 million pounds. According to Sky News, the late Elizabeth II's coronation cost roughly 20.5 million pounds in today's money, while George VI's coronation in 1937 would've totaled nearly 25 million pounds in present day.
Unlike royal weddings, the bill for the coronation is paid by the British government. A recent poll from YouGov found about 51% of British adults think it shouldn't be publicly funded.