King Charles III coronation: First details emerge of streamlined ceremony amid cost of living crisis

King Charles III is said to be opting for a stripped back coronation as details of ‘Operation Golden Orb’ are leaked.

King Charles III is expected to have a cut-down coronation, setting the tone for a modern monarchy, according to a report in The Mail on Sunday. The new Head of State reportedly wants to slim down on time-consuming traditions.

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His Majesty has been monarch for just over a month after he acceded to the throne on September 8, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. His Majesty’s Coronation will take place on Saturday May, 6, 2023.

In line with tradition, the ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey and the service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Buckingham Palace said: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the Coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023. The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort. The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. ”

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The first details have emerged of what King Charles III’s coronation may look like.The first details have emerged of what King Charles III’s coronation may look like.
The first details have emerged of what King Charles III’s coronation may look like. | POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The Palace said further details will be announced in due course, however. early reports of what his coronation may look like are emerging with a well-placed source telling The Mail on Sunday: “The King has stripped back a lot of the coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years.”

Palace insiders have reportedly said the Duke of Norfolk - who as Earl Marshal is in charge of arranging details of the coronation - has been asked to prepare a short and simple ceremony. Plenty of traditions will still remain, but there will also be a reduction from what has been seen previously.

King Charles III coronation: Shorter, fewer guests and ancient rituals removed

The coronation ceremony - which would normally take around four hours - is predicted to be cut in length. Charles is said to want a ceremony that lasts about an hour instead - and with far fewer guests, cutting around 8,000 down to 2,000, meaning thousands will miss out.

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Ancient rituals, such as the presenting of gold ingots to the monarch, are set to be revoked to save time, and discussions have reportedly been held for a more relaxed dress code to be implemented for guests. Peers could see ceremonial robes replaced with lounge suits, for example.

Although it won’t change the amount of time the ceremony takes, another tradition set to be taken away is the use of velvet chairs. The seating that was crafted especially for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 is likely to be replaced by more standard furniture.

Further details about what the reported blueprint - known as Operation Golden Orb - may look like, as well as the date the coronation will take place, will be published as and when more information circulates.

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