King Charles’s coronation: How Aussies will party
Buckingham Palace has announced new details about the weekend of spectacular celebrations lined up for the coronation of King Charles III.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australians will be encouraged to party during the coronation of King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort with a jam-packed weekend of royal festivities in May.
Some of Australia’s biggest names – Kylie Minogue and Hugh Jackman are known to be particular favourites of the King – are expected to head to London to take part in the celebration.
Buckingham Palace has announced a three-day Coronation Weekend between Saturday, May 6 and Monday May 8.
It will start with the formal proceedings of the coronation at Westminster Abbey on the Saturday, a big lunch where neighbourhoods and communities gather for street parties and a televised Coronation Concert featuring global stars at Windsor Castle on the Sunday.
Then on the Monday, the public, including Australians, will be encouraged to take part in the Big Help Out, working with volunteering organisations to support local areas.
The palace said in a statement: “Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families and communities across the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023.’’
The coronation of the King and Queen Consort will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
According to the palace, it will be “a solemn religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry”.
The service will “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry”.
King Charles and Camilla will arrive at the Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as “the King’s procession”, and after the service, they will return to the palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as “the coronation procession”, joined by other members of the royal family.
At the palace, King Charles and Camilla will be joined by family members on the balcony to conclude the day’s ceremonial events.
The palace has not said exactly which family members will appear in the coronation procession or on the balcony.
The audience at the Windsor Castle concert will include volunteers from the King and Queen Consort’s charities.
The show will feature a world-class orchestra playing interpretations of musical favourites fronted by “some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance”, the palace said.
The Coronation Choir will be a diverse group made up of singers from refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs.
It’s unclear if Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, both of whom are believed to be invited to attend, will travel to the coronation.
The palace said the centrepiece of the coronation concert, dubbed “lighting up the nation”, will see the country join together in celebration as landmarks across the UK are lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
Earlier, it was reported that King Charles III is expected to break centuries of tradition and wear his military uniform at his Westminster Abbey coronation ceremony on May 6.
British newspaper The Sun reports that he wants the celebration to represent the modern monarchy, which means no stockings or breeches.
The 74-year-old sovereign considered wearing the ceremonial dress donned by his grandfather and many generations before him, but decided it was too dated.
King George VI, who was crowned in 1937, opted to wear his crimson velvet great robes of state, which was so heavy it he required the assistance of nine pages.
Charles, on the other hand, is expected to arrive in military uniform - most likely that of Admiral of the Fleet, an honorary title bestowed upon him back in 2012.
He is, however, expected to wear the Imperial State Crown was made specifically for his grandfather’s ceremony. The dazzling gold crown weighs just over one kilogram and features 2868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and four rubies.
The late Queen Elizabeth II wore the same crown for her coronation in 1953.
The robes aren’t the only change on the horizon.
Insiders say dukes will no longer have to kneel and swear allegiance to the King.
That includes Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, if he attends the ceremony.
Only Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is expected to make the gesture.
It’s also believed that the ceremony run-time will be drastically reduced to reflect modern tastes, estimated to run for 90 minutes instead of three hours like the Queen’s.
There will also be a slimmed down guestlist, with far fewer politicians and dignitaries than previous coronations, with a congregation that reflects a more modern Britain.
Queen Margrethe rushed to hospital after fall
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, who abdicated in January in favour of her son King Frederik and his Australian wife Queen Mary, has been hospitalised after an accident at her home.
Read more
Diana’s confidant Al Fayed accused of multiple rapes
The late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi died alongside Princess Diana, has been accused of multiple sexual assaults amid claims the luxury store covered up the alleged abuse.
Read more