Coronation Order Explained

 With less than two weeks to go until King Charles III is crowned in Westminster Abbey I found an article in Town and Country Magazine which sets out what to expect in the ceremony. A handy brief overview. 

If any of my lovely readers have particular questions that I could research please add to the comments section or email me and I will do my best.

Here is the article:

What happens during the service?

At the Abbey, the coronation procession will be led by the Cross of Wales, which will include fragments of a relic known as the "True Cross." Pope Francis gifted the fragments to King Charles as a coronation gift.

The service is conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and there are six key elements that will definitely take place:

1. The recognition: At the start of the service, King Charles will stand beside the Coronation Chair as the Archbishop of Canterbury presents him to the congregants. The congregation will shout "God Save the King!" (The Coronation Chair is an oak chair that is "extremely fragile," as it is 700 years old.)
2. The oath: King Charles will swear to uphold the Church of England and the law. 
3. The anointing: King Charles will remove his ceremonial robe, and sit in the Coronation Chair, and then the Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint him with holy oil. The Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem consecrated the oil at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre earlier this year. At Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, the anointing was not filmed. 
4. The investiture: King Charles will be presented with two sceptres and an Orb. One sceptre, The Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove, represents his spiritual role, and the other, The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, represents his temporal power and good governance. The orb represents "religious and moral authority." A coronation ring will also be placed on Charles's right hand.
5. The enthronement / the crowning: After being presented with these items, the Archbishop places St. Edwards's Crown on King Charles's head.
6. The homage: Historically, royal blood princes, the Archbishop, and other senior peers kneel to pay homage and swear allegiance to the monarch. It's unclear what this will look like at King Charles's coronation
7. After Charles is crowned and receives homage, Camilla will also be anointed and crowned as Queen Consort.

8. During the service, there will be twelve new compositions performed, including music by Judith Weir, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Patrick Doyle. Performers at the service include the Coronation Orchestra, the royal harpist Alis Huws, the Westminster Abbey Choir, the Ascension Choir, and more.

   I hope this was useful. By the way I have added a few blog posts to my Royal Children Blog so pop over there if you get a chance!