On May 6, 2023, King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada, and Australia was officially crowned. The ceremony marked an important point in British history and was just one of the consequences of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022. The Coronation was significant in many ways, including its cost, history, and meaning for the monarchy’s future.
According to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the Coronation cost around 124 million US dollars after the monarchy announced in February that it was abandoning plans of a “scaled-back” coronation and would instead go all out. The argument was that it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience such an event. King Charles is in his seventies, and it is possible that once the heir apparent (Prince William of Wales) is crowned king, it will be much less grand. This is due to shifting public opinion of the monarchy and the push to lower its expenses on the British public. The Coronation’s lavishness thus prompted a reconsideration of the legacy of the British monarchy.
During the coronation, the golden scepter (representing the monarch’s temporal power) and the golden orb (representing the monarch’s power over Christendom) were used. Charles held them in his hands as he wore the traditional Imperial State Crown. Both the scepter and the crown contained an important item: the Cullinan diamond, taken from a South African Diamond mine and given to King Edward VII. The Scepter contains Cullinan I, known as the Great Star of Africa, and the Imperial State Crown contains Cullinan II, known as the Second Star of Africa. Both of these carry important cultural values to the UK but also are a reminder of Britain’s colonial legacy. There is a debate on the legality of the monarchy’s ownership of the diamond, and the South African government has demanded its return. The Cullinan wasn’t the only significant diamond in the monarchy’s possession, however. The Koh-I-Noor diamond, which sits among the crown jewels on the Queen Mother’s crown, was taken by British rulers in a treaty signed by a ten-year-old boy (who was technically the King of a region in India) after the British kidnapped his family, and the governments of both India and Pakistan have claimed ownership of it and demanded its return. The British monarchy claims the treaty was legal, but despite this claim, the royal family chose not to have the diamond at the Coronation. Queen Consort Camilla wore Queen Mary’s Crown, which used to have the Koh-I-Noor before it was moved to the Queen Mother’s Crown. Buckingham Palace chose not to hold the diamond placed on her crown or for the Koh-I-Noor to make an appearance at the Coronation, which was marketed as a sign of respect for those harmed by British colonialism in South Asia.
The Coronation was also historic in many other ways. The crowns and diamonds used have been used in almost all coronation ceremonies since the late 1600s after the English Civil War. The procession took place in a golden and historic carriage, and many other events may have seemed odd from a modern point of view but are rooted deeply in historical traditions. For example, the Stone of Destiny was used during the Coronation and is an important symbol, signifying that the King rules England and Scotland. The Coronation was also connected with other celebrations. Canada announced that King Charles would appear on their new twenty-dollar bill.
The people who were and weren’t at the Coronation also played a big role. The Queen Consort, Camilla, was crowned as Queen after a long public relations campaign to make the British public accept her with that title. King Charles, when he was a prince, famously cheated on his then-wife Princess Diana with Camilla and had a nasty divorce. Princess Diana was one of the most publicly beloved members of the royal family and gave birth to the current heir Prince William, and the “spare,” Prince Harry. After her divorce, she stated her goal was not to be Queen of the UK but Queen of people’s hearts. Her death in 1997 was marked by a state funeral. Charles married Camilla in 2005, and at that point, it was understood that she would never be Queen; however, in 2022, before she died, the Queen expressed “her wish” that Camilla be called Queen Camilla upon Charles’s accession to the throne. (Although many refuse to call her Queen Camilla, as she is technically Queen Consort and not the reigning Queen.) Many news outlets reported that this was in exchange for Charles using some of his inheritance money to pay for Prince Andrew’s sexual assault lawsuit settlement, although this is not confirmed. Prince Harry attended the Coronation but quickly left; his wife, Meghan Markle, did not attend and instead remained in California for her child’s birthday. Their departure from the royal family and actions since have garnered much attention from the British media.
While similar to other coronations, this Coronation did have some changes. Buckingham Palace wanted the Coronation to be an environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free event. As such, the holy oil used in the event would no longer be made with the wax of a sperm whale. Rather, olives from Jerusalem would be used. Another decision for a toned-down coronation (and to keep attention on Charles and Camilla) was the choice to ban female members of the royal family from wearing tiaras to the Coronation. It was decided that instead, they would wear newly-made floral headpieces, which just so happened to look like tiaras.
The British monarchy as an institution is being questioned, but within the UK, it is an important part of their culture and history. The Coronation was an effort to honor that while adapting to modern times. King Charles III is now crowned monarch, and Queen Camilla is crowned Queen Consort. Traditionally in the UK, when the monarch changes from a Queen to a King (and vice versa), other things change. The Royal Navy’s HMS ships become His Majesty’s Ship instead of Her Majesty’s Ship. This also occurred with the National Anthem. After Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the national anthem was changed. It is now God Save the King.
