Following Queen Elizabeth’s death, aged 96, her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, automatically became King.
Soon after news of Her Majesty’s passing hit headlines, it was revealed that King Charles had chosen the title King Charles III on ascending the throne. However, it's now known that Charles’ official coronation will take place on May 6, 2023 - the same day as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie's birthday.
The couple's son (whose full name is Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor) will turn four on the day, eight months after the King's accession and the 17-day period of mourning for the Queen.
King Charles and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort returned to London on Friday, September 9 after paying their respects with loved ones to the Queen on Thursday, September 8 at Balmoral, where the Queen passed away.
The monarch later addressed the nation on television, paying his respects to his mother and pledging to serve the Crown and serve as head of state.
So what do we know about the King's coronation and it's date and time? Here are all the details we have so far:
When will King Charles’ coronation take place?
King Charles' coronation will be held on Saturday May 6, 2023.
'It will take place at London's Westminster Abbey and see the monarch crowned alongside his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort.
According to a press statement shared with ELLE UK and other media outlets, King Charles' Coronation 'will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry'.
'The Coronation is a solemn religious service, together with an occasion for celebration and pageantry,' the statement reads.
'The Ceremony has retained a similar structure for over a thousand years, and next year’s Coronation is expected to include the same core elements while recognising the spirit of our times.
'For the last 900 years, the Ceremony has taken place at Westminster Abbey, London. Since 1066, the Service has almost always been conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.'
It's tradition for the coronation of a new sovereign to occur months after accession to the throne, following a period of national and royal mourning, and to allow for sufficient preparation for the ceremony.
The King is expected to sign a proclamation formally declaring the date of his Coronation at a meeting of the Privy Council later this year.
'During the Ceremony, the Sovereign is "anointed, blessed and consecrated" by the Archbishop of Canterbury,' the statement concludes.
Further details are to be announced in due course.
Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, September 20, royal biographer Hugo Vickers previously predicted the King will introduce a 'slimmed down' monarchy, meaning there could be less working members of the royal family.
According to Vickers, the newly-appointed monarch's coronation is due to be shorter and smaller than the Queen's in 1953. Queen Elizabeth’s accession took place on February 6, 1952, but her coronation didn’t take place for another year, on June 2, 1953.
The then-Prince Charles’ first coronation came in 1953, when he was just four years old.
He sat in the royal box at Westminster Abbey to watch his mother’s coronation. He was flanked at the time by the Queen mother and his aunt, Princess Margaret.
It’s expected that the King’s children, Prince William and Prince Harry, will attend the coronation. It's unknown whether their respective partners, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, as well as their children (Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Archie and Lili) will be present.
Members of the Houses of Parliament, the Church of England, as well as world leaders and members of the Commonwealth will attend.
Who will attend King Charles' coronation?
It is now unclear whether Markle and Prince Harry's will fly to the UK to attend the ceremony, but Entertainment Tonight has reported they will undoubtedly be invited, and that King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort want them present.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl has explained: 'Behind the scenes, Camilla has done really everything she can to try and bring this family back together, and press the importance of trying to move on from this rift, and I think she would be very pleased, as would the king for Harry and Meghan to be at the coronation.'
Nicholl continued: 'It remains to be seen whether or not they attend. But of course, it will be down to the Sussexes to make the ultimate decision as to whether they’re going to come over for King Charles’ coronation on May 6.'
While the guest list is yet to be revealed, Nicholl said Markle, Prince Harry, and other senior and extended royal family members are likely to be invited.
She also clarified the King did not 'snub' the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by staging his coronation on their son’s birthday. 'Having the coronation on Archie’s birthday is definitely not a snub. I think it’s very much a happy coincidence,' Nicholl said.
'Obviously, a huge amount of planning has to go into an important moment in history, such as a coronation, and the royal calendar is full of anniversaries and birthdays, so I think this is absolutely one of those occasions where it’s a coincidence and hopefully a happy coincidence.'
What will happen after the proclamation of the new monarch?
During the royal mourning period Charles read a declaration and took an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland. He also swore an oath relating to the Church of England.
The oath read by King Charles at an Accession Council meeting at St James's Palace in London stated:
'I, Charles III by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of My other Realms and Territories King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion as established by the Laws made in Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly by an Act intituled ‘An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government' and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of the Church of Scotland. So help me God.'
The meeting was attended by the Queen Consort, Prince William (the new Prince of Wales), and approximately 200 members of the Privvy Council, such as Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly 2021-22.
Both Royals signed the oath with Alister Jack MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, and Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland.
Will there be a Bank Holiday after King Charles' coronation?
Yes. It was announced on November 6 that King Charles' coronation will be followed by a Bank Holiday on Monday, May 8.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: 'The Coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country. In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday for the whole United Kingdom next year.
'I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour.'
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden said: 'The Coronation combines the sacred and the solemn but it is also celebratory.”
'This bank holiday will once again give people across the United Kingdom the opportunity to come together as families and communities to welcome His Majesty to the throne as we mark this important day in our nation’s long history.'
We will continue to update this article as more information comes in.
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
