Charles III Crowned Monarch of UK and 14 other Commonwealth Countries

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, May 6: Charles III was on Saturday crowned monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth nations after a lifetime as heir apparent to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Camilla, his wife, was crowned immediately after.

King Charles III becomes the 40th British monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey in London surrounded by heavy symbolism of his many passions, including a drive towards more sustainable living, a multi-faith outlook and a great love for India and the wider Commonwealth.

Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-member congregation, which included foreign royalty and political leaders. Trumpet fanfares sounded along with gun salutes across Britain and beyond. King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted rain-drenched crowds with smiles and waves, alongside other British royals from the balcony of Buckingham Palace shortly after their coronations.

While he ascended to the throne immediately after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last September, the 74-year-was formally crowned King when the Archbishop of Canterbury concluded the religious ceremony by inviting the 2,200-strong congregation and millions watching worldwide to swear allegiance to the new British Sovereign.

At the end of the service, he received a spoken greeting delivered in unison by representatives from Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish communities.

While many of the intricate rituals and ceremony to recognise Charles as his people’s “undoubted king” remained, the king sought to bring other aspects of the coronation service up to date.

Women bishops participated for the first time, as did leaders of Britain’s non-Christian faiths while its Celtic languages — Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic — featured prominently. A gospel choir sang for the first time at a coronation while a Greek choir intoned a psalm in tribute to Charles’s late father, Prince Philip, who was born on the island of Corfu.

As king, Charles is supreme governor of the Church of England and has described himself as a “committed Anglican Christian.” But he heads a more religiously and ethnically diverse country than the one his mother inherited in the shadow of World War II. As such, he sought to make the congregation more reflective of British society, inviting ordinary members of the public to sit alongside heads of state and global royalty.

In another change, the coronation themes mirrored his lifelong interest in biodiversity and sustainability. Ceremonial vestments from previous coronations were reused, and the anointing oil used was vegan. Rishi Sunak — Britain’s first prime minister of colour, who gave a reading from the Bible at the service — has described the coronation as “a proud expression of our history, culture and traditions”.

Earlier, the police arrested dozens of protesters of the anti-monarchy group Republic as they prepared to protest along the route of a procession for the coronation.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the coronation of King Charles III “a testament to the enduring strength of the British monarchy.” “A symbol of stability and continuity. My congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla,” von der Leyen said on Twitter, with a picture of her at the ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London.

King Charles and Queen Camilla left Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach after their formal coronation ceremony.

Pulled by eight horses, the 260-year-old coach was cheered by crowds as it travels back along the 1.4 mile route to Buckingham Palace. Named the Coronation Procession, the return leg features some 4,000 military officers.

The King was dressed in symbolic ‘vestments’, and presented with items of Regalia, each a visible reminder of his role and his responsibility to God, the Royal Family said. The Archbishop of Canterbury anointed King Charles III’s hands, chest and head with holy oil in the Coronation Chair in a sacred ceremony

King Charles III’s wife Camilla was soon after crowned in Westminster Abbey, capping her public evolution from “queen consort” to Queen in her own right.

‘God Save King Charles’ reverberated through Westminster Abbey as Charles III was crowned King at the first U.K. coronation in 70 years. King Charles III wore St Edward’s Crown for the historic coronation ceremony. It is tradition for the monarch to wear the solid gold St Edward’s Crown.

It was worn by the King’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, during her own coronation in June 1953. And by the King’s late grandfather, King George VI, at his coronation in May 1937.

King Charles III during his Coronation ceremony took the second oath — the Accession Declaration Oath — stating that he is a “faithful Protestant.” The Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledged the multiple faiths observed in the UK by saying the Church of England “will seek to foster an environment in which people of all faiths may live freely.”

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made history as the first Indian-origin British Prime Minister to perform a reading at the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The 42-year-old British Hindu leader read from the Epistle to the Colossians from the New Testament reflecting the theme of service to others, in keeping with the recent tradition of UK Prime Ministers giving readings at State occasions.

He and his wife Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, led the procession of flag-bearers as the UK’s Union Jack flag was carried into the Abbey by a high-ranking Royal Air Force (RAF) cadet.

“In the Abbey where monarchs have been crowned for almost a thousand years, representatives of every faith will play a central role for the first time,” said Sunak, in a statement on the eve of the historic event.

“The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be a moment of extraordinary national pride. Together with friends from across the Commonwealth and beyond, we will celebrate the enduring nature of our great monarchy: its constancy, devotion to duty, and service to others. No other country could put on such a dazzling display – the processions, the pageantry, the ceremonies, and street parties,” he said.