King Charles coronation: King Charles and Queen Camilla take centre stage
Buckingham Palace has released behind the scenes photos of Charles III and his wife Camilla after they were crowned. See photos, video.
He knew his destiny at age four, standing beside his newly-crowned mother on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
On that very same balcony, he and Queen Camilla joined a slimmed-down royal line-up to officially usher in their reign.
Buckingham Palace on Sunday released behind the scenes images capturing personal moments between the new monarchs.
It followed a service in Westminster Abbey, where just 229 days earlier the King bid his “darling Mama” an emotional farewell, the 74-year-old was officially crowned monarch to the cheers of “God Save the King”.
With his “darling wife” Queen Camilla by his side, King Charles swore a Coronation oath – to uphold a series of promises sworn in “God’s presence” in a ceremony steeped in pomp and tradition – but less grand than his mother the late Queen Elizabeth’s extravagant affair in 1953.
Nevertheless, their majesties made a spectacular entrance, King Charles wearing the Robe of State, a Crimson Coronation Tunic and cream silk overshirt with Royal Naval trousers, and Queen Camilla looking magnificent in an ivory, silver and gold embroidered Bruce Oldfied outfit in the style of a coat dress, with a short train.
The monarch’s grandchildren walked behind him as he entered the Abbey.
Future king George, nine, was a page boy helping with his grandfather’s robe, while Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, made a sweet sight holding hands in front of their parents William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
Both Catherine and Charlotte were decked out in Alexander McQueen with matching Jess Collett and Alexander McQueen headpieces, according to Vogue Australia.
Royal rebel Prince Harry – sans wife Meghan Markle, who turned down her invitation to the coronation – walked down the aisle by himself behind Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.
Harry smiled at people he knew and offered a word to someone in the front row of the congregation, before being relegated to the third row.
He was seated between cousin Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank and his late grandmother’s cousin Princess Alexandra.
Among the other 2300 guests seated inside Westminster Abbey were Kings and Queens, world political leaders, a string of famous actors and singers, including Dame Judi Dench, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Spice Girl Melanie Brown, as well as commoners personally invited by Charles and Camilla.
Lady Susan Hussey, the Queen’s former confidante who was involved in a ‘race row’ after a Buckingham Palace function, was also in the abbey, proving she is well and truly back in the fold.
During the ceremony Prince William knelt before his father to pledge his loyalty to him and serve as his “liege man of life and limb”.
Three of Camilla’s grandsons – twins Gus and Louis Lopes and Freddy Parker Bowles – also had active roles in the service as page boys.
In stark contrast to the last coronation many of those taking part were chosen to reflect the cultural and religious diversity of modern Britain. For the first time, the ceremony included female bishops and there was a gospel choir.
Australian aristocrat Simon Abney-Hastings, who lives in Wangaratta in Victoria and is the 15th Earl of Loudoun, was also part of the ceremony, presenting the King with the great golden spurs.
Along with historical rituals involving priceless coronation regalia from the crown jewels collection, new music by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was played, and Australian violin virtuoso Madeleine Easton performed.
The centrepiece of the ceremony – which was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby – was the crowning of the King, using the St Edward’s crown, which weighs 2.23kg and is decorated with 444 precious stones. It came after he was anointed behind a private screen, in the most sacred part of the process, and fitted with a new ceremonial robe.
Other priceless pieces used in the ceremony included an orb, representing the world under Christ; a sceptre representing earthly power, and a sceptre with a dove, representing spiritual authority exercised chiefly in mercy.
A ring, with rubies and sapphires, was presented to the King, representing the faithful ‘marriage’ of a monarch to his people.
Those watching all around the world were to be invited to participate if they wanted to by confirming their allegiance to the King.
The Duke of Sussex, whose relationship with his father is strained, was seen, along with the other royals around him, speaking the words: “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live forever.”
After the crowning little Louis, who was spotted yawning, was allowed a little break from the proceedings, returning to see his grandfather leave the abbey.
Outside the historic church – which has hosted all the coronations for the past nine centuries – more than 1.2 million people gathered along The Mall and royal parks turning the streets of London into a party zone. Many had umbrellas, cagoules or waterproof ponchos, to ward off the famous British drizzle.
They lined the streets 20-deep as earlier the King and Queen made their way to Westminster Abbey in the horse-drawn Diamond Jubilee state coach, escorted by the Sovereign’s Escort, which have carried out coronation duties since 1660.
As the national anthem was being played by the marching bands, the crowd joined in with a rousing rendition.
More than 5000 troops, including 39 Australian defence personnel, took part in the parade.
Following the two-hour service, the newly-crowned King and Queen made their way back to Buckingham Palace seated in the gold state coach. They were followed by members of the royal family travelling in carriages.
AUSSIES PILOT JAW-DROPPING FLYPAST
Australia’s military was not just on the ground with King Charles as part of the grand Coronation procession - it was also overhead in the scaled-back Buckingham Palace fly-past.
Two Aussie airmen took part in the jaw-dropping moment after the ceremony when various aircraft fly past the newly-crowned King and Queen on the palace balcony.
RAN Lieutenant Daniel Cochrane, flying a Merlin Mk2 Helicopter, and RAAF Warrant
Officer Paul Shepherd, are on exchange with UK armed forces. They’re part of a long-standing relationship that allows Aussies to serve on secondment with certain overseas militaries.
Like all other aircrew in the fly-past - always a high spot of grand royal events and something of a grand finish for Saturday’s happenings - they were hoping the weather, which was rainy and cloudy, wouldn’t ruin their part of the parade.
Unfortunately it did, in part.
Around 60 different types of aircraft were due to take part, including the famous stunt jets of the Red Arrows, 16 helicopters and Second World War-era aircraft from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
With the weather not improving, the Ministry of Defence said the vent would be cut back to just Red Arrows and helicopters - which meant WO Shepherd and his crewmates in a Royal Air Force Boeing KC-135W had to miss out.
Ahead of the fly-past, 39 Australian soldiers, sailors and air force personnel marched with the 400-strong Commonwealth contingent in the grand procession, alongside thousands of British servicemen and women, then paraded into the palace gardens, where they joined a massive synchronised “hip-hip-hooray” for the King and Queen - something all the troops were looking forward to.
Two of them were in the special guard of honour next to the King’s Gold State Coach: Corporal Tegan Ross, 22, and Bombardier Michael Nona, 28.
“I was shocked when I was asked to be a part of the procession. I feel proud -- it’s an amazing opportunity and I’m feeling pretty excited,” Corporal Ross said.
Bombardier Nona said it was a privilege, adding: “I am a little nervous, though, when I think that the eyes of the world will be on us -- I want to make Australia proud.”
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