Coronation pageantry should stir republican fervour

Then Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, after reading the Queen's speech in parliament in 2022.

On Saturday, Australians will be called upon to rise and swear loyalty and allegiance to King Charles III, inheriting an ancient monarchy on the other side of the world who also happens to be our head of state, with a “homage” that the Archbishop of Canterbury believes will be a “joyful moment” to be shared by “persons of goodwill”.

When Reverend Justin Welby proclaims “God Save the King!” in a religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey marked with pomp and pageantry, and drawing on ancient texts and ceremonial traditions, we are invited to respond again with: “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live for ever.”

Queen Mother Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Princess Margaret attend the ceremony of coronation of the Queen Elizabeth II, in Westminster Abbey, in London.

The suggestion that those of us in what will be described as merely “the other realms” are meant to proclaim our “homage” with “heart and voice” is utterly ridiculous in this age. Yet Welby believes this represents a modernisation of the ceremony because the King’s subjects around the world will be able to watch and respond as one in real time.

However, the idea that Charles will have a secret engagement with God during the ceremony to signify he has been chosen by the ­almighty is even more ludicrous. We are not allowed to watch this holiest of moments because it will take place behind a special screen, perpetuating the idea of a sacred and spiritual event, as Charles faces the high altar.

Charles will be anointed with a holy oil that has been blessed in Jerusalem and poured from the ampulla into a spoon that dates back to the 12th century. Welby performs the anointing by marking the symbol of the cross on Charles’s head, breast and hands. It is based on Old Testament tradition when, apparently, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon the king.

All of this should make us want to be a republic without delay. While one can respect tradition, conventions and institutions, and even personally admire Charles and Elizabeth II (as I do), this is not how a modern head of state with parliamentary and executive functions and duties to perform should be inaugurated.

King Charles III walks behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown.

The monarchy is a profoundly anti-democratic institution. It cannot be defended by anyone who believes in freedom or equality, or the right to choose our own head of state. It is utterly illogical that the firstborn person into one family and the head of the Church of England should inherit a throne and reign over the UK and 14 other Commonwealth realms, including Australia.

Some monarchists claim the Governor-General is Australia’s head of state. In truth, the Constitution vests the executive power of the commonwealth in Charles and it is exercised by David Hurley, as his vice-regal representative. Buckingham Palace and Government House do not agree with the assertion that the Governor-­General is head of state. So, Charles’s coronation is significant for Australia.

Most Australians who were alive when the last coronation took place in June 1953 are now long gone. Only those aged over 75 would likely remember it. That is why Charles’s coronation may come as a surprise to those who bother watching it. At a time when cost-of-living pressures around the world are front of mind, this gilded religious spectacle could not be more poorly timed.

The liturgy for the coronation has five elements: The recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture and crowning, and the enthronement and homage.

Much has been made of “modernisation”, with the inclusion of various faith leaders, aspects spoken in different languages, and with female clergy.

Charles has dispensed with a succession of hereditary peers kneeling before him and then touching the crown on his head and kissing him on the cheek. But he will still require Prince William, heir to the throne, to kneel before him and pledge his loyalty. This act of “fealty” is known as The Homage of Royal Blood. Really.

There are many other bizarre elements that underscore the monarch’s wealth and authority. Charles and Camilla will journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Jubilee State Coach with 200 military personnel. Dressed in the Robe of State, Charles will walk through the Abbey, escorted by bishops.

Patrick O'Brien at the Constitutional Convention

Charles will be preceded by the carrying of two maces, the St Edward’s Staff and four swords – the Sword of State, the Sword of Temporal Justice, the Sword of Spiritual Justice and the Sword of Mercy – along with other ancient regalia. For the anointing, Charles will sit on the Coronation Chair which encloses the Stone of ­Destiny, which has been used for more than 700 years.

The investing will see Charles presented with gold, leather and velvet spurs; the jewelled sword; gold-decorated armills; the Robe and Stole Royal; the Gold and Jewelled Orb; the Ring and Glove; and the Sceptre with Cross and Sceptre with Dove. The St Edward’s Crown is then lowered onto Charles’s head. “God Save the King!” He then sits on his throne and surveys his kingdom as the homage is made.

All of this is a bit much. It harks back to a bygone age. Most Brits have little interest in the coronation, and support for the monarchy is declining. Just 46 per cent of people surveyed in Britain say they are likely to watch coronation. For those aged 18-35, a large majority of 70 per cent say they are “not interested” in the royal family at all, according to YouGov.

An Australian republic remains a distant prospect. But the coronation should serve to wake Australians out of their complacency. I have written about my admiration for the late Queen’s dignity and devotion to duty. But respect for an individual should not cloud our judgments about institutions. It is time we fully severed the link with Great Britain.