Picture : Twitter/ ANI
Charles Phillip Arthur George has finally been crowned as the new King of England. The couple Charles III and the Queen consort Camilla, departed from the palace in the Diamond Jubilee state coach to Westminster Abbey, where they were crowned in front of thousands of people. The royal couple, were chauffeured through central London to Westminster Abbey for the two-hour Coronation ceremony wherein, he was anointed with oil from the Mount of Olives in the Holy Land, a part of the ceremony so sacred it was concealed behind screens — before being presented with the Sovereign’s Orb and other regalia. King Charles III was crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey in Britain’s first coronation since 1952.
The 74-year-old became the oldest sovereign to be crowned as the heir to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II. Charles pledged “I come not to be served but to serve” during the Anglican service, much of which would have been recognisable to the 39 other monarchs crowned at Westminster Abbey since William the Conqueror in 1066.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid-gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the king’s authority. Charles’ wife Camilla who has now become the Queen after his coronation. After returning to the Buckingham Palace in the second horse-drawn parade, the royal family appeared on the balcony to applause and more chants of approbation from thousands of well wishers.
Always surrounded with controversies, be it his marriage with the late Princess Diana, his then relations with Camillia Parker Bowels which eventually ended in his divorce with Diana and last but not the least his relations with his sons, especially Harry.
#KingCharlesIII coronation ceremony | Travelling in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of Household Cavalry, The King and The Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation Service. The service is underway.
(Pictures: The Royal Family… pic.twitter.com/R5zODbh51a
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2023
The road to becoming the King of England has been a roller coaster ride for Charles III. Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse Dr Sudesh Dhankhar attended the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III in London alongwith many other dignitaries from other Nations. United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was present with his wife Akshata Murthy. Sunak later tweeted
Today’s #Coronation is a moment of extraordinary national pride.
No other country could put on such a dazzling display.
But it is not just a spectacle.
It’s a proud expression of our history, culture, and traditions.
It is a vivid demonstration of the modern character of our… pic.twitter.com/iDtuICOF9h
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 6, 2023
In another tweet Sunak wrote, God Save The King!
God Save The King! https://t.co/7Bm6QUVkrt
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 6, 2023
Wishes for the new King and Queen poured from all over the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation. “Warmest congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation. We are sure that the India-UK relationship will be strengthened further in the coming years. @RoyalFamily”, the prime minister tweeted.
Warmest congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation. We are sure that the India-UK relationship will be strengthened further in the coming years. @RoyalFamily
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2023
US President Joe Biden also congratulated the King and Queen, noting the “enduring friendship” between the United Kingdom and United States in a tweet. “Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their Coronation. The enduring friendship between the U.S. and the U.K. is a source of strength for both our peoples. I am proud the First Lady is representing the United States for this historic occasion,” tweeted Biden.
Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their Coronation. The enduring friendship between the U.S. and the U.K. is a source of strength for both our peoples.
I am proud the First Lady is representing the United States for this historic occasion.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 6, 2023
However, presence of Prince Harry alone was acknowledged with much deserved media attention. As expected, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, arrived without his wife Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. He was spotted engaging in friendly conversation with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the husband of his cousin Princess Beatrice, during the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. Additionally, the prince briefly exchanged words with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, with whom he shares a history as Welby presided over Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018 at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
During the coronation of King Charles III, both Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, 38, and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York at, 63, were present among the royal family members at London’s Westminster Abbey. However, they were seated in the third row and did not join the rest of the family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Despite their demotion to the third row of the royal family seating, both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, appeared in good spirits as they made their way through Westminster Abbey to their designated seats.
Harry stepped down as a working member of the royals in 2021, and the coronation marks the first time he’s been seen publicly with family members since the release of his memoir, “Spare.” His relations with his brother, Prince of Wales, Prince William, too aren’t cordial.
With crown on his head, King Charles III has a lot to be delivered. With his mother, late Queen Elizabeth ruling the country for over seven decades, King Charles III will have to deliver his duties well not only towards his country but also to keep his family one despite indifferences. And also maintain cordial relations with the world leaders just like his mother.
