UK royals: King Charles III to be crowned in May

The coronation is booked for May 6 next year with the Palace vowing a ceremony that will reflect the monarchy’s historic traditions and its modern role.

King Charles will be crowned in May next year.

King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6 next year, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The King’s coronation, which will also see the Queen Consort Camilla crowned at the same time, will be much shorter than the four hour extravaganza of Queen Elizabeth II back in 1953 and it will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Charles wants the ceremony, expected to be just over an hour in length, to “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future” while also acknowledging 1000 years of tradition and pageantry.

It is expected that the coronation will include the core elements, where the Sovereign is “anointed, blessed and consecrated’’ by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Charles and Camilla will ride to and from the Abbey, down the Mall in the spectacular 1762 gold state coach which was refurbished for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to flock to central London to witness the pomp. Australian Governor-General David Hurley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be invited to the occasion in acknowledgement of Australia’s status as a constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state - although the guest list is to be heavily pruned to just over 2000 invitees.

That’s a big change from Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, modelled heavily on the coronation of her father King George VI, in 1937, and that of King George V in 1911, where more than 8000 lords and commoners crammed into the Abbey, which has held the coronation of the monarch for the past 900 years.

Queen Elizabeth II, Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher and dignitaries at her coronation.

Queen Elizabeth II poses on her coronation day in London at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.

Planning for the coronation, dubbed Operation Golden Orb, will be headed by the Duke of Norfolk, who oversaw the step-perfect funeral of the Queen on September 19, with the Prince of Wales also heavily involved.

Their roles may be eased somewhat if Charles, who will be 74 when he is crowned, alongside Camilla, 75, decides to do away with the Court of Claims, an ancient ritual where the gentry contest which role they can carry out during the coronation.

Some of the quaint traditions may be remodelled: the presentation of a pound weight of gold may be dispensed with; and the elaborate dress code of tiaras for women and breeches for men may be updated.

It is expected that the King will sign a proclamation formally declaring the date of the coronation at a meeting of the Privy Council later this year.