World News

King Charles III crowned in historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey

Britain’s King Charles III on Saturday was crowned in the first coronation in Britain since 1953, a once-in-a-lifetime royal event witnessed by hundreds of high-profile guests.

The King and Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey in a splendid coach drawn by six horses, accompanied by the Household Cavalry. They then walked down the long aisle flanked by top Church of England officials as well as some of their closest family members.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at about 12:02 pm, placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority. The spiritual leader of the Anglican Church then declared: “God Save the King.”

The intricate service lasted just over two hours – about an hour shorter than Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 – and followed a traditional template that has stayed much the same for more than 1,000 years.

King Charles III took the Coronation Oath and became the first monarch to pray aloud at his coronation. In his prayer he asked to “be a blessing to people of every faith and conviction.”

In what is considered the most sacred part of the ceremony, the King was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was also presented with the coronation regalia, including the royal Robe and Stole, in what is known as the investiture part of the service.

Then, for the first time in coronation history, the archbishop invited the British public, as well as those from “other Realms,” to recite a pledge of allegiance to the newly crowned monarch and his heirs and successors.

After the ceremony, the newly crowned King and Queen rode back to Buckingham Palace in a much larger parade, featuring 4,000 members of the armed forces, 250 horses and 19 military bands.