Charles III was crowned king on Saturday, in an eighth-century ceremony that included concessions to the modern age, not on display since 1953 when his mother Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned.
“I come not to be served, but to serve,” Charles said in his first remarks of the ceremony, before the 74-year-old, was anointed with holy oil, symbolizing the sacred nature of his rule. He was vested with an imperial mantle, and the archbishop of Canterbury placed the ancient crown of St. Edward onto his head.
More than 2000 people, including Bahamian government officials, are expected to attend King Charles III’s coronation. Charles III and his wife Camilla will be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London.
The service will begin at 11 am after the arrival of the king’s procession.
Here’s what we know about the royal affair:
What happens at a coronation?
This time, the coronation will be shorter and smaller when compared to the last coronation in 1953 when his mother Queen Elizabeth II was crowned.
King Charles will travel to Westminster Abbey in a relatively modern horse-drawn carriage which has electric windows and air conditioning. They will ride in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, first used in 2014, before returning in the Gold State Coach used in every coronation since the 1830s.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will ride in this horse-driven carriage to Westminster Abbey.
There are several stages to the service:
The recognition: While standing beside the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, the monarch is presented to those gathered in the Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The congregation shouts “God Save the King!” and trumpets sound
The oath: The sovereign swears to uphold the law and the Church of England
The anointing: The King’s ceremonial robe is removed and he sits in the Coronation Chair. A gold cloth is held over the chair to conceal the King from view. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the King’s hands, breast and head with holy oil made according to a secret recipe, but known to contain ambergris, orange flowers, roses, jasmine and cinnamon. The oil created for Charles will not contain any ingredients derived from animals
The investiture: The sovereign is presented with items including the Royal Orb, representing religious and moral authority; the Sceptre, representing power; and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, a rod of gold topped with a white enamelled dove, a symbol of justice and mercy. Finally, the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head
The enthronement and homage: The King leaves the Coronation Chair and moves to the throne. Peers kneel before the monarch to pay homage
The Queen will then be anointed in the same way and crowned.
Westminster Abbey in London
Who will go to the Coronation?
Because it is a state occasion, the government sends out invitations to politicians and world leaders.
Governor General C.A Smith, Prime Minister Philip Davis, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Smith and Opposition Leader Michael Pintard are in attendance.
US President Joe Biden will not attend but his wife Jill is attending on his behalf.
Charles’ controversial son Prince Harry is also expected to attend the crowning but his wife and children will remain in the USA. This will be his first time in public since the release of his controversial memoir Spare.
850 representatives of charitable organisations will be in attendance, in recognition of their work in communities around the world.
The title Queen Camilla was used for the first time by Buckingham Palace on the Coronation invitation after it emerged that “Consort” would be officially dropped after next month’s ceremony.
According to her death certificate, Queen Elizabeth II died of “old age.”
No other contributing factor was listed.
The death record revealed that she died at 3:10 pm, approximately three hours before it was officially announced to the public.
Her death was registered in Aberdeenshire by her daughter Princess Anne who spent the last 24 hours with the Queen.
The 96-year-old had been experiencing sporadic mobility problems during the final stages of her life and used a walking stick to attend to duties in public.
On the day of her death, Buckingham Palace released a statement just after 12.30 p.m. stating that doctors were “concerned for her health” and she was resting “comfortably” at Balmoral Castle.
Her death was officially announced at 6:30 pm.
Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarchy, spending 70 years on the throne.
Prince William addressed the protest in Jamaica over the British royal family’s association with the slave trade by expressing his “profound sorrow,” adding that “it should never have happened.”
Prince William addresses protesters’ concerns at the dinner on Wednesday evening. His wife Kate and Prime Minister Andrew Holding look on.
Speaking at a dinner in Jamaica surrounded by dignitaries, William said, “I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history. I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent. And it should never have happened. “
This comes after some Jamaicans protested the royal couple’s arrival to the Caribbean nation on Tuesday and demanded reparations and an apology for the slave trade and colonialism while mounting 60 reasons why Queen Elizabeth ll should no longer be the country’s head of state.
William stopped short of apologizing, but added, “While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude.”
Prince William and Kate at the dinner reception in Jamaica.
William promised to further address the discussion on International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade scheduled next week.
Following Barbados’ removal of Queen Elizabeth as head of state in November, Jamaica is in discussions to do the same. Reports are that Prime Minister Andrew Holding has already given instructions to reform the constitution for the island nation to become a republic which may require a referendum.
Holness told William during a photoshoot, “There are issues here which as you would know are unresolved. But Jamaica is as you would see, a country that is very proud…and we’re moving on. And we intend…to fulfill our true ambition of being an independent, fully developed and prosperous country.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge board the RAF Voyager Plane for Jamaica this afternoon, where demonstrators are demanding reparations for the slavery sins of the royal family.
Prince William and wife Kate left Belize, bound for Jamaica the second stop of their Caribbean Tour.
A group of protesters in Jamaica, ahead of the royal couple’s arrival on Tuesday.
Protesters held signs like, “Seh yuh sorry,” and “60 reasons to go back home” in front of the British High Commission in Kingston where organisers say the monarchy should apologize for “the exploitation of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialization.”
The tour which began on Saturday, has spurred reaction from Caribbean people who believe the enslavement and colonialism of its people deserves acknowledgement by the Queen and her family who benefitted from its ‘blood, sweat and tears.’
Famous Jamaican musician Beenie Man told Good Morning Britain that his countrymen want nothing to do with the Queen because the British monarch has done nothing for the country.
“Jamaicans nuh want the queen, me can tell you that. Them nuh like be controlled by nobody. If Harry did deh yah, people would a react different, people would a go meet Harry. But William, nobody nuh want see that.”
He added: “We are just here, controlled by the British, ruled by the British law when you go in the court. It’s all about the Queen and the Queen this and the Queen that, but what are they doing for Jamaica? They are not doing anything for us.”
This comes after a small but similar protest in Belize happened where villagers asked William to leave the land which in dispute with an organization in which he is a patron.
The couple’s next stop is the Bahamas on Thursday.
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