The day has finally arrived. Almost eight months since Queen Elizabeth II passed away, aged 96, last year, King Charles III has finally been crowned in one of the most televised and historic occasions in modern history.
Following the late Monarch’s passing on September 8, 2023, King Charles III, formerly known as The Prince of Wales, became King. However, much like the matriarch, his coronation was scheduled to take place months after his ascension to the throne (the Queen ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, and was crowned the following year on June 2, 1953).
After months of speculation regarding the coronation’s invitation, guestlist, procession route and more, today thousands of fans gathered in the streets of the capital to catch a glimpse of the new King and his wife, Queen Camilla.
The event began this morning at Westminster Abbey, where the King became the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned there since 1066, following a procession that involved almost 200 members of the armed forces, who set off from Buckingham Palace and travelled along The Mall to Trafalgar Square, to Whitehall and Parliament Street before reaching the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey.
The royal couple delighted onlookers as they travelled to the ceremony in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, as opposed to the more traditional, Gold State Coach previously used by the Queen on her coronation day. In a break from tradition, King Charles opted to wear his military uniform instead of breeches and silk stockings worn by previous kings.
On arrival at the Abbey, the King’s eldest grandson, Prince George, was spotted among the pages, alongside Camilla's grandchildren, Lola, Eliza, Gus, Louis and Freddy.
Following the ceremony – which included the coronation’s tradition ‘recognition’, oath, anointing, investiture and enthronement – the King departed the Abbey and was seen alongside his wife greeting and waving at the crowds in The Mall from the Buckingham Palace balcony, before watching the royal fly-past.
Here are the biggest moments from the King's Coronation:
Penny Mordaunt wielding swords
The Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt was the unlikely breakout star of King Charles III's coronation, and impressed viewers both thanks to her striking teal look, custom-made for the occasion by London-based label Safiyaa, as well as the remarkable upper-body strength she displayed by so gracefully wielding swords for over an hour.
Kate Middleton's headpiece
The Princess of Wales surprised us all by breaking with tradition and wearing an embroidered tiara for the historic occasion as opposed to a family heirloom. The royal's headpiece featured a silver bullion, crystal and silver thread leaf-inspired design, and was made by Alexander McQueen in collaboration with milliner Jess Collet. The choice is thought to be a sweet reference to the new King and Queen's love of nature, and Princess Charlotte also donned a matching design.
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
The two young royals put on a sweet display during the Coronation, as they arrived and left Westminster Abbey together while holding hands. The siblings were on their best behaviour for the event, but that didn't stop Prince Louis from delighting us all with his cheeky facial expressions and occasional yawns.
A gospel choir performed
The Coronation ceremony was steeped in British tradition, while also incorporating modern elements. Chief among them: the performance by Ascension, a gospel choir who donned sleek all-white outfits and performed a specially composed rendition of Alleluia. Interestingly, this was the same choir that famously performed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018.
A reduced flypast
Per tradition, the working royals and new monarchs gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet crowds and watch the iconic flypast. However, due to the less-than-optimal weather (rain, grey clouds, the lot!), the flypast was significantly scaled down, formed of just helicopters and The Red Arrows rather than the 60-plus aircraft originally planned, and lasting just two minutes and thirty seconds.
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.
Clementina Jackson is the Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health UK, covering everything from celebrity style and catwalk trends to buzzy brands and the cult products you need to know about (and shop before they sell out). She also commissions first-person and long-form fashion features, oversees shopping content and tests out the latest industry innovations. Clementina previously worked as Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, during which time she profiled high-end designers, interviewed everyone from Priyanka Chopra to Jane Fonda, and launched the Cut To Size franchise to shine a light on size-inclusive fashion. During this time, she was also named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner. Having worked in journalism for more than six years, Clementina has also written for the likes of Harper’s Bazaar, Red, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller and Italy Segreta, covering everything from luxury travel, lifestyle and restaurants to photography and interiors.
