Buckingham Palace: Coronation of King Charles III Set for May 6th 2023

The Coronation of King Charles III will take place next May, Buckingham Palace had said, a thousand-year-old ceremony laden with tradition and symbolism, but possibly with a modern twist this time around.

A statement Tuesday afternoon from Buckingham Palace, the official London residence and administrative centre of the monarchy revealed the Coronation of King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6^th May, 2023. The date is earlier than some Royal-watchers supposed, with a summer date to make the most of the weather thought likely.

As with every Coronation of every king and queen in English and then British history since 1066, next year’s Coronation is to take place at Westminster Abbey, the 1,060-year-old church in central London.

While the Coronation is one heavy with history, symbolism, and tradition, the statement by Buckingham Palace appears to nod at reports in the press in recent days that the ceremony will be somewhat shortened to appeal to modern attention spans, and be made more “relevant” to the recently diverse people living in the United Kingdom. The communication read: “The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”

According to a report in the Mail on Sunday — difficult if not impossible to confirm at this stage given the plans are essentially secret — the length of the Coronation ceremony will be slashed from four hours to one, and the number of people invited to attend reduced by three-quarters. In the paper’s own words, “Ancient and time-consuming rituals” will be removed and even the dress code may be relaxed.

Nevertheless, Charles will take the Coronation oath, be anointed with holy oil, and receive the Orb and Sceptre before wearing the crown. The four-ton gold state coach, built in London in 1762 will also feature.

While the Coronation will not take place until May 2023, it does not an event that marks the start of King Charles III’s reign. By the customs and traditions of the British monarchy — which is also the monarchy of 14 other countries worldwide including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea — Charles became King the moment his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, passed.

So rather than confirming the new King, the Coronation is rather a “solemn religious ceremony” and an occasion to celebrate the new monarch with an event of pageantry. Of course, it would be inappropriate to celebrate a new King at the time he takes his throne, given that is a time of national mourning in respect of the old monarch. A Coronation taking place the following year gives time for mourning to pass, but also an ample chance to adequately plan the enormous logistical challenge of a public event as large as a Coronation.