by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

NOTE: This is the first in a series of new articles about Royal Ceremonies and Events in the ten European monarchies. This article is being published to coincide with the Royal Maundy Service of March 28, 2024, at Worcester Cathedral where Queen Camilla represented King Charles III who canceled engagements due to his cancer diagnosis. Additional Royal Ceremonies and Events articles will be published starting in May. Unofficial Royalty has some previously published articles at Unofficial Royalty: Royal Ceremonies, Events.

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The Royal Maundy Service is held on Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter and the day before Good Friday. It is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles and Jesus washing of the feet of the Apostles, known as Maundy from Old French mandé and from Latin mandatum meaning “command”. The root of the practice of washing the feet is found in the hospitality customs of ancient civilizations, especially where sandals were the usual footwear. A host would provide water for guests to wash their feet, provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests, or even serve the guests by washing their feet. The traditional Maundy of washing feet is still observed in many Christian denominations. Today, the Royal Maundy Service involving the British monarch no longer involves foot washing. Instead, the monarch gives small silver coins known as Maundy Money as symbolic alms to elderly people. The only traces of the washing of the feet at the modern Royal Maundy Service are the nosegays, small flower bouquets, traditionally with the stems bound by doilies, and the linen towels worn by several officials.

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History of the Royal Maundy Service

On April 15, 1210, King John (reigned 1199 – 1216) became the first recorded English monarch to distribute alms to the poor at a Maundy service when he gave clothes, forks, food, and other gifts to the poor of Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England. In 1213, King John also became the first recorded English monarch to give gifts of small silver coins to the poor when he gave gifts of thirteen pence to thirteen poor men at a ceremony in Rochester Cathedral. The number thirteen represented those at the Last Supper, Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. By 1363, during the reign of King Edward III (reigned 1327 – 1377), the monarch gave gifts of pence but also washed the feet of the recipients. King Henry IV (reigned 1399 – 1413) was the first monarch to decree that the number of pence given be determined by the monarch’s age.

When washing the feet, the monarch used scented water to hide any unpleasant odors from the poor. In addition, the feet were washed three times before the monarch washed the feet, once by a servant and twice by court officials. In later years, sweet-smelling nosegays were used to hide odors and the nosegays are still carried today during the Royal Maundy Service. During the years when the plague was running rampant, the monarch did not attend the Royal Maundy Service. Instead, the Lord High Almoner attended, washed the feet, and distributed the alms.

The Catholic Queen Mary I (reigned 1553 – 1558) and her Protestant half-sister Queen Elizabeth I (reigned 1558 – 1603) both participated in elaborate Royal Maundy Services. In 1556, Mary washed the feet of forty-one poor women, one for each year of her age while “ever on her knees”, and gave each woman forty-one pence, along with gifts of bread, fish, and clothing. She also donated her gown to the poorest woman. In 1572, Elizabeth gave each woman £1 instead of gifting her gown because she disliked seeing the women trying to grab a piece of the royal gown.

King Charles I (reigned 1625 – 1649), who was beheaded resulting in the monarchy being replaced by the Commonwealth of England, rarely attended the Royal Maundy Service. After the Restoration in 1660, when the monarchy was restored, King Charles I’s son King Charles II (reigned 1660 – 1685) attempted to gain popularity by always attending the Royal Maundy Service. He even attended during the plague years of 1661 and 1663. His brother and successor King James II (reigned 1685 – 1688) also attended the services during his reign. King William III (reigned jointly with his wife and first cousin Queen Mary II, the daughter of King James II) attended the Royal Maundy Service in 1685. Pre-1725 records are vague and there is no record of any monarch attending the service from 1698 to 1932. However, over those years, the Lord High Almoner continued to attend and represent the monarch.

In the early 20th century, members of the royal family sometimes attended the Royal Maundy Service. Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII (reigned 1901 – 1910) attended twice. Most Royal Maundy Services during the first part of the 20th century were attended by Princess Helena, the fifth child, and third daughter of Queen Victoria, or Princess Helena’s daughter Princess Marie Louise. In 1931, Princess Marie Louise attended the Royal Maundy Service and suggested that her first cousin King George V (reigned 1910 – 1936) distribute the gifts the following year. King George did so in 1932, the only time he attended the service during his reign.

In January 1936, King George V died and his son King Edward VIII attended the Royal Maundy Service that year. King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in December 1936 and was succeeded by his brother King George VI (reigned 1936 – 1952). King George VI attended the Royal Maundy Service only twice during his reign in 1940 and 1944. He was represented at the services during the other years of his reign by the Lord High Almoner, Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Queen Elizabeth II (reigned 1952 – 2022) attended all but five Royal Maudy Services during her seventy-year-reign. She missed two services following childbirth and two services because she was on official visits to Commonwealth countries. In 2022, the year of the death of the 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, she was represented at the service by her son then The Prince of Wales and her daughter-in-law then The Duchess of Cornwall. Due to COVID, two services during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (2020 and 2021) were canceled but the gifts of coins were mailed to the recipients.

King Charles III‘s first Royal Maundy Service as king took place at York Minster on April 6, 2023, and he was accompanied by Queen Camilla. After the announcement in February 2024 that King Charles III was temporarily stepping back from royal duties following a cancer diagnosis, he was represented by Queen Camilla at the 2024 service at Worcester Cathedral.

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Royal Maundy Service Sites

For the monarch’s convenience, the Royal Maundy Service was usually held in or near London. After 1714, when the monarch no longer attended, the Royal Maundy Service was held at the renovated Chapel Royal, Whitehall in the former Banqueting Hall, the only part of the Palace of Whitehall to survive a fire in 1698, until the chapel was given to the Royal United Services Institute.

From 1890 – 1954, the service was held at Westminster Abbey, London except for years when there was a coronation. Because Westminster Abbey had to be closed for the coronation preparations, the Royal Maundy Service was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London during the coronation years. From 1954 to 1970, the service was held in even-numbered years at Westminster Abbey and in odd-numbered years at cathedrals throughout the United Kingdom. Since 1970, the Royal Maundy Service has been held at different churches, usually a cathedral, throughout the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II had directed that the service be held in London only once every ten years. However, during the last years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Maundy Service was held or scheduled to be held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle or Westminster Abbey in London for the convenience of the elderly Queen Elizabeth II.

• Wikipedia: Sites of the Royal Maundy Service during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II
• Wikipedia: Sites of the Royal Maundy Service during the reign of King Charles III

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The Royal Maundy Gifts

Preparing the Maundy Money in 1932

Currently, the gift recipients are pensioners, retired people, one man and one woman for each year the monarch has lived including the year the monarch is currently living. They are chosen from various Christian churches for their service to their churches and communities. The gift recipients attend a Maundy Lecture so they will be familiar with the Royal Maundy Service. Until the joint reign of King William III and Queen Mary II (1689 – 1694), the gift recipients were poor people of the same gender as the monarch. During the the joint reign of King William III and Queen Mary II, each monarch made gifts to poor people of their gender but after Queen Mary II died in 1694, only men received gifts from King William III who reigned alone until he died in 1702. Beginning with the reign of King George I (1714 – 1727), both men and women have received gifts, with each gender in a number coinciding with the monarch’s age and each recipient receiving that number of pence. The gifts of food and clothing were eventually discontinued and replaced by monetary allowances. In 1837, when 71-year-old King William IV died and was succeeded by his 18-year-old niece Queen Victoria caused a large drop in the number of gift recipients.

Today, each gift recipient receives two small leather purses, one red and one white. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the red purse contained a total of £5.50, symbolizing the monarch’s gift of food and clothing once presented: £1 representing the money for the redemption of the monarch’s gown, £3 in place of the clothing, and £1.50 in place of the food. However, in 2023, the first Royal Maundy service during the reign of King Charles II, the red purse contained two commemorative coins, one to mark the King’s upcoming 75th birthday, the other to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of West Indian workers on the Empire Windrush and their contribution to multi-racial Britain.

The white purse contains the Maundy coins equivalent in pence to the monarch’s age. The coins are legal tender but recipients usually consider them as a keepsake. At the 2023 Royal Maundy Service, the new Maundy coins using the official coinage portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings made their debut.

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The Royal Maundy Service

King Charles III and Queen Camilla with the traditional nosegays, enter York Minster for their first Royal Maundy Service as King and Queen (2023)

After being greeted at the door of the church by the clergy, the monarch is presented with the traditional nosegay and then proceeds up the nave of the church.

The Yeomen of the Guard carrying the Maundy Money

The purses containing the Maundy Money are carried into the church by the Yeomen of the Guard on six silver dishes, held above their heads. Although the exact origin of this custom is uncertain, historians have speculated that it is related to earlier times when food was distributed to the gift recipients and that the dishes were held high to prevent premature grabbing of the food. The six silver dishes date from the reign of King Charles II (reigned 1660 – 1685) and are part of the Royal Regalia which is kept at the Jewel House of the Tower of London when not in use.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the 2023 Royal Maundy Service at York Minster in York, England

The Order of Service for Royal Maundy is short and simple. It begins with the reading of the Gospel of John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The second reading from the Gospel of Matthew 25: 35-36, says: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.”

King Charles III distributing the Maundy Money in 2023

The monarch distributes half the gifts after the first reading, and the other half after the second reading. During the gift distribution, the Chapel Royal Choir and the local choir sing anthems, concluding with George Frideric Handel‘s magnificent coronation anthem Zadok the Priest. The Royal Maundy Service concludes with prayers, the blessing and the singing of God Save the King.

• YouTube: The Royal Family: Royal Maundy Service 2023 at York Minster (video clips)

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

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Works Cited

• Royal Maundy Service. The Royal Family. https://www.royal.uk/royal-maundy-service
• Royal Maundy Service 2023. The Royal Family. (2023). https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-04-06/royal-maundy-service-2023
• The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard – Royal Maundy Service. The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard. https://www.yeomenoftheguard.co.uk/maundy-service
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Maundy (foot washing). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_(foot_washing)
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Royal Maundy. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Maundy

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

BEING REVISED! The text is mostly completed but photos of the coronation need to be added.

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place at Westminster Abbey in London, England on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 11:00 AM British Time.

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The Procession

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at Westminster Abbey in a procession that started from Buckingham Palace. They arrived in the 2014 Diamond Jubilee State Coach and returned to Buckingham Palace in the 1762 Gold State Coach.

The procession route was only 1.3 miles. The same route was used for the return trip to Buckingham Palace. The route is the normal route royals use to get to Westminster Abbey: leaving Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, and proceeding down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and south of King Charles I Island, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street, around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary, arriving at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth II had somewhat the same route to the Abbey with a small .3-mile addition but had a five-mile return trip. On the map above, Charles’ route to and from is in red, Elizabeth’s route to the Abbey is in light blue and her route back to Buckingham Palace is in dark blue. Elizabeth’s route allowed for people to stand on 5.3 miles of street while Charles’ route allowed for people to stand on only 1.3 miles of street.

Participants

One of King Charles III’s grandchildren and three of Queen Camilla’s grandchildren and one of her great-nephews participated.

King Charles III was attended by four pages of honour:

• Prince George of Wales, the King’s grandson, son of The Prince and Princess of Wales
• Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, the son of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley
• Nicholas Barclay, the grandson of Sarah Troughton, a second cousin of the King and a  relative of the Bowes-Lyon family, the birth family of the late Queen Mother, King Charles III’s maternal grandmother
• Ralph Tollemache, the son of The Honorable Edward Tollemache

Queen Camilla was attended by four pages of honour:

• Gus Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, son of her daughter Laura Lopes
• Louis Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, son of her daughter Laura Lopes
• Frederick Parker Bowles, the Queen’s grandson, son of her son Tom Parker Bowles
• Arthur Elliot, the Queen’s great-nephew, son of her nephew Ben Elliot

In addition, Queen Camilla had two Ladies in Attendance:

• Fiona Mary Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne, the Queen’s long-time friend and one of her six Queen’s Companions
• Annabel Elliot, the Queen’s sister

Some Peers of the Realm carried standards, banners, and the coronation regalia in the procession and/or presented regalia during the coronation. Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England is the most senior peer in the Peerage of England. The Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder. The Dukes of Norfolk have held the office since 1672. The Earl Marshal organizes major ceremonial state occasions such as the monarch’s coronation and state funerals. He is also the leading officer of arms, oversees the College of Arms, and is the sole judge of the High Court of Chivalry.

Peers of the Realm Who Participated in the Coronation

• Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England
• Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensberry, carried the Sceptre with Cross
• Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington, carried Queen Mary’s Crown
• Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, carried the Standard of the Royal Arms of England
• Charles Paget, 8th Marquess of Anglesey, carried the Standard of the Principality of Wales
• Anthony Lindsay, 30th Earl of Crawford and 13th Earl of Balcarres, Deputy to the Great Steward of Scotland
• Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland
• Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun, carried the Golden Spurs
• Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee, carried the Royal Banner of Scotland
• Nicholas Alexander, 7th Earl of Caledon, carried the Standard of the Royal Arms of Ireland
• Delaval Astley, 23rd Baron Hastings, carried the Golden Spurs
• Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain of England, presented the Golden Spurs
• Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos, participated in the act of Recognition of His Majesty
• Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, carried The Queen Consort’s Rod
• Narendra Patel, Baron Patel, presented the Ring
• Elizabeth Manningham-Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller, carried St. Edward’s Staff
• Floella Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin, carried the Sceptre with the Dove
• Nicholas True, Baron True, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
• Indarjit Singh, Baron Singh of Wimbledon, presented the Coronation Glove
• General David Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, carried the Sword of Spiritual Justice
• Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• General Nicholas Houghton, Baron Houghton of Richmond, carried the Sword of Temporal Justice
• Richard Chartres, Baron Chartres, carried The Queen Consort’s Ring and presented The Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross
• Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham, carried the Armills
• Syed Kamall, Baron Kamall, presented the Armills
• Gillian Merron, Baroness Merron, presented the Robe Royal
• Air Chief Marshal Stuart William Peach, Baron Peach, carried the Sword of Mercy (The Curtana)

Armed Forces Who Participated in the Coronation

• General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, carried the Queen’s sceptre
• Cadet Warrant Officer Elliott Tyson-Lee, carried the Union Flag
• Petty Officer Amy Taylor, carried the Jewelled Sword of Offering

Others Who Participated in the Coronation

Penny Mordaunt memorably bore the heavy Sword of State throughout the coronation.

• Penny Mordaunt, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, presented the Jewelled Sword of Offering and carried the Sword of State
• Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain, presented the Golden Spurs
• Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, presented The Queen Consort’s Rod
• John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, presented the Sovereign’s Orb
• Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, presented the Bible
• Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, presented the Sceptre with Cross
• Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor, presented the Sceptre with Dove
• John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, Usher of the White Rod

The Coronation Ceremony

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were crowned in Westminster Abbey in London in a service conducted by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster with other clergy participating.

Read about the British coronation regalia at the links below:

• Unofficial Royalty: British Coronation Regalia
  • Unofficial Royalty: The Coronation Chair and the Stone of Scone
  • Unofficial Royalty: St. Edward’s Crown
  • Unofficial Royalty: The Imperial State Crown
  • Unofficial Royalty: Queen Consort’s Regalia
  • Unofficial Royalty: The Cullinan Diamond
  • Unofficial Royalty: The Chairs of Estate and Throne Chairs

Like many other Christian churches, Westminster Abbey is built in the shape of a cross. The space where coronations happen, called the Coronation Theatre, is at the point at which the two parts of the cross meet, at the very center of Westminster Abbey, directly in front of the High Altar. It is here that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair, on which the monarch sits for the majority of the service, is placed, facing the High Altar.

The coronation involves six basic stages based on the coronation service written by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury used in 973 for the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture/the crowning, the enthronement, and the homage.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation service was shorter than coronations in the past. The Coronation Liturgy for the coronation (link below) followed the six basic stages but the text of the service was quite different from the text of past coronations, and there were some changes from past coronations and some modern additions.

• Church of England: The Coronation Liturgy – Called To Serve
• British Monarchy: A first glimpse at Their Majesties’ Coronation robes
• British Monarchy – The Anointing Screen
• British Monarchy – Historic Coronation Vestments from the Royal Collection will be reused by His Majesty The King for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey

King Charles III was crowned with the traditional St. Edward’s Crown and Queen Camilla was  crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown, first worn by King Charles’ great-grandmother Queen Mary when she was crowned as Queen Consort with her husband King George V in 1911.

Coronation Music

The music at the coronation of King Charles III, who was very much involved in the music selection, featured twelve new orchestral, choral, and organ pieces commissioned for the coronation including a coronation anthem based on Psalm 98 by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd Webber. One of the liturgical sections of the ceremony was performed in Welsh in tribute to King Charles III’s long tenure as Prince of Wales. At King Charles III’s request, Greek Orthodox music was included in tribute to his late father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince.

• April 16, 2023 – British Monarchy: New Music Commissions for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey

I Was Glad, with text from Psalm 122, has been sung at the entrance of the monarch at every coronation since that of King Charles I in 1626. Sir Hubert Parry wrote a setting of the psalm for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. It was also used for the coronations of King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Charles III.

At the coronation of every monarch since the coronation of King James II in 1685, the King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars of the Westminster School have had the privilege of acclaiming the monarch by shouting “Vivat” during the monarch’s procession from the Quire of Westminster Abbey towards the Coronation Theatre in front of the High Altar. The Vivat was incorporated into Sir Hubert Parry’s anthem I Was Glad, at the end. The Latin version of the names is used, and so “Vivat, Rex! / Vivat, Rex Carolus! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” and “Vivat, Regina! / Vivat, Regina Camilla! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” was heard.

In 1727, George Frederic Handel composed four coronation anthems for the coronation of King George II and his wife Queen Caroline. One of the anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been played at every British coronation since the coronation of King George II in 1727, traditionally performed just prior to the sovereign’s anointing, including the coronation of King Charles III.

Zadok the Priest is the most famous of the anthems and is every bit as rousing as Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from the oratorio The Messiah. The text of Zadok the Priest comes from the biblical account of the anointing of King Solomon of ancient Israel by Zadok, the High Priest of Israel and the prophet Nathan, and the rejoicing of the Israelites. These words have been used in every English coronation since that of King Edgar the Peaceful at Bath Abbey in 973.

From 1 Kings 1:34-45:

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king.
And all the people rejoiced and said:
God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King!
May the King live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.

The Coronation Liturgy

Liturgy information is from THE AUTHORISED LITURGY FOR THE CORONATION RITE OF
HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES III for use on Saturday 6th May 2023, 11:00am at Westminster Abbey. Commissioned and Authorised by The Most Reverend & Right Honourable Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury. The liturgy can be seen at the link below along with an excellent and informative commentary.

• Church of England: Authorised Coronation Liturgy with Commentary

The Procession of The King & The Queen: As King Charles III and Queen Camilla entered Westminster Abbey, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry was sung by the choir.

Greeting The King: A  young person (a Chapel Royal chorister) greeted King Charles III, saying:
“Your Majesty, as children of the Kingdom of God we welcome you in the name of the King of Kings”. King Charles III responded: “In his name, and after his example, I come not to be served but to serve.”

Silent Prayer: King Charles III stood at his Chair of Estate, head bowed, in a moment of silent prayer.

Greeting and Introduction: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury started the service with a blessing of God’s love, grace and presence for all who gathered in God’s name.

Kyrie eleison: Kyrie eleison, an ancient Christian prayer, is Greek for ‘Lord, have mercy’. Sir Bryn Terfel, a Welsh bass-baritone opera singer, performed Kyrie Eleison by Paul Mealor in Welsh, composed for the coronation.

The Recognition: The Archbishop of Canterbury along with Lady Elish Frances Angiolini (a Lady of the Order of the Thistle), Christopher Finney (a holder of the George Cross for bravery under friendly fire during the 2003 invasion of Iraq) and Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos (a Lady of The Garter) presented King Charles III to the East, South, West, and North sides of the coronation theater. Each person said: “I here present unto you King Charles, your undoubted King: Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service: are you willing to do the same?” Each time, the congregation responded, “God save King Charles.”

The Presentation of the Bible: Dr. Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, presented the Bible to King Charles III saying, “Sir: to keep you ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, receive this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.”

The Oath: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Your Majesty, the Church established by law, whose settlement you will swear to maintain, is committed to the true profession of the Gospel,and, in so doing, will seek to foster an environment in which people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely. The Coronation Oath has stood for centuries and is enshrined in law. Are you willing to take the Oath?” King Charles III replied, “I am willing. King Charles III placed his hand on the Bible, and the Archbishop administered the Oath, saying, “Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, your other Realms and the Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?” King Charles III responded, “I solemnly promise so to do.” The Archbishop said, “Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgements? King Charles III responded, “I will.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Will you to the utmost of your power to maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain inthe United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?” King Charles III responded, “All this I promise to do. The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep. So help me God.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Your Majesty, are you willing to make, subscribe and declare to the statutory Accession Declaration Oath?” King Charles III responded, “I am willing.”

King Charles III said, “I Charles do solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God profess, testify, and declare that I am a faithful Protestant, and that I will, according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the Throne, uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers according to law.”

During the signing of the Oath, the choir sang the anthem Prevent Us, O Lord by William Byrd.

The King’s Prayer: King Charles III said, “God of compassion and mercy whose Son was sent not to be served but to serve, give grace that I may find in thy service perfect freedom and in that freedom knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and conviction, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Gloria: The choir sang Gloria from Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd.

Collect: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Let us pray. Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour: look with favour upon thy servant Charles our King, and bestow upon him such gifts of wisdom and love that we and all thy people may live in peace and prosperity and in loving service one to another, to thine eternal glory; who with the Father and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

The Epistle: The Prime Minister The Rt Hon. Rishi Sunak, MP read the Epistle of St. Paul Colossians 1: 9-17: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

The Prime Minister: This is the word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God.

The Ascension Gospel Choir sang Sung Alleluia Psalm 47:1-2 by Debbie Wiseman

The Gospel: Dame Sarah Mullally,Bishop of London, Dean of HM Chapels Royal read the gospel according to Luke 4:16-21: ”

Dame Sarah Mullally: The Lord be with you
Congregation: And with thy spirit.
Dame Sarah Mullally: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Dame Sarah Mullally Glory be to thee, O Lord.

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Dame Sarah Mullally: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation: Praise be to thee, O Christ.

The Ascension Gospel Choir sang Sung Alleluia Psalm 47:6-7 Debbie Wiseman

Sermon: Given by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

The choir sang Veni Creator (Come Creator Spirit), Plainsong, mode VIII

Thanksgiving for the Holy Oil: The Archbishop of Canterbury was presented with the coronation oil, by The Most Reverend Dr Hosam Naoum, The Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem. The Archbishop said, “Blessed art thou, Sovereign God, upholding with thy grace all who are called to thy service. Thy prophets of old anointed priests and kings to serve in thy name and in the fullness of time thine only Son was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be the Christ, the Saviour and Servant of all. By the power of the same Spirit, grant that this holy oil may be for thy servant Charles a sign of joy and gladness; that as King he may know the abundance of thy grace and the power of thy mercy, and that we may be made a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for thine own possession. Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation, now and for ever. Amen.

The Anointing: During the Annointing the choir sang Zadok the Priest by George Frederic Handel. The Anointing was done in private. The Annointing screen was arranged around the Coronation Chair where King Charles III sat. The Dean of Westminster poured oil from the ampulla into the spoon and the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed the King on hands, breast, and head, and said, “Be your hands anointed with holy oil. Be your breast anointed with holy oil. Be your head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The clergy returned to the High Altar. The Annointing screen was removed to the St. Edward the Confessor Shrine behind the High Altar. King Charles III moved to the faldstool in front of the High Altar, and knelt. The Archbishopof Canterbury said ‘Oil of Gladness’ prayer of blessing: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who by his Father was anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows, by his holy Anointing pour down upon your Head and Heart the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and prosper the works of your Hands: that by the assistance of his heavenly grace you may govern and preserve the People committed to your charge in wealth, peace, and godliness; and after a long and glorious course of ruling a temporal kingdom wisely, justly, and religiously, you may at last be made partaker of an eternal kingdom, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

King Charles III was vested in the Colobium, Sindonis, Supertunica and Girdle.

The Presentation of Regalia:

The Spurs: The Spurs were brought forward from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and handed to The Lord Great Chamberlain. The Lord Great Chamberlain approached The King, and presented the regalia. The King acknowledgesdthem. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive these spurs, symbols of honour and courage. May you be a brave advocate for those in need.” The spurs were returned to the altar.

The Sword: During Exchange of Swords, a Greek choir sang Psalm 72 (Psalm 71 in the Greek Septuagint Psalter) in honor of The King’s late father The Duke of Edinburgh who was born a Prince of Greece.

The Jewelled Sword was presented to The Lord President of the Council in its scabbard and passed to the Archbishop of Canterbury who held it up before the altar. The Archbishop said, “Hear our prayers, O Lord, we beseech thee, and so direct and support thy servant King Charles, that he may not bear the Sword in vain; but may use it as the minister of God to resist evil and defend the good, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Archbishop returned the sword to The Lord President and it was carried to the King. The sword was placed in the King’s right hand. The Archbishop said, “Receive this kingly Sword. May it be to you, and to all who witness these things, a sign and symbol not of judgement, but of justice; not of might, but of mercy. Trust always in the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this life, that you may reign for ever with him in the life which is to come. Amen. The King stood, the sword was clipped on the girdle, and the King sat.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect the holy Church of God and all people of goodwill, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order: that doing these things you may be glorious in all virtue; and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this life, that you may reign for ever with him in the life which is to come. Amen.”

The King stood, the sword was unclipped and The King stepped forward and offered the sword to the Dean of Westminster, who placed it on the altar. The sword was redeemed from the altar by The Lord President of the Council, who placed the redemption money on the almsdish, held by the Dean of Westminster. The sword was handed to the Lord President of the Council, who carried it thereafter before The King.

The Armills: The Armills were taken from the altar and given to Lord Kamall by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Kamall approached The King, and presented the regalia. The King
acknowledged them. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Bracelets of sincerity and
wisdom, tokens of God’s protection embracing you on every side.” The Armills were returned to the altar.

The Robe and Stole Royal: The Prince of Wales entered the Coronation Theatre. The Stole Royal and Robe Royal were brought to The King. The Bishop of Durham vested the King in the Stole Royal. Baroness Merron with The Prince of Wales and Assisting Bishops clothed The King in the Robe. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Robe. May the Lord clothe you with the robe of righteousness, and with the garments of salvation.”

The Orb: The Dean of Westminster gave the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh the Orb, who brought the Orb to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who placed it in the King’s right hand.
The Archbishop said, “Receive this Orb, set under the Cross, and remember always the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” The Orb was retrieved by The Archbishop of Armagh, who gives it to the Dean, who places it back on the altar.

The Ring: The Ring was taken from the altar and given to The Lord Patel, KT, by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Patel approached The King, and presented the Ring. The King acknowledged it. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Ring, a symbol of kingly dignity, and a sign of the covenant sworn this day between God and King, King and people.” The Ring was returned to the altar.

The Glove: The Glove was taken from the altar and given to The Lord Singh of
Wimbledon by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Singh approached The King, and presented the ring. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this glove. May you hold authority with gentleness and grace, trusting not in your own power but in the mercy of God who has chosen you.” The King picked up the glove and placed it on his right hand.

The Sceptre and Rod: The Sceptre and Rod were taken from the altar and given to The Archbishop of Wales and The Primus of Scotland by the Dean of Westminster. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered them into The King’s right and left hands respectively. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Royal Sceptre, the ensign of kingly power and justice; and the Rod of equity and mercy, a symbol of covenant and peace. May the Spirit of the Lord which anointed Jesus at his baptism, so anoint you this day, that you might exercise authority with wisdom, and direct your counsels with grace; that by your service and ministry to all your people, justice and mercy may be seen in all the earth: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Crowning: The Dean of Westminster brought The Crown of St Edward to The Archbishop of Canterbury who said the prayer of blessing: “King of kings and Lord of lords, bless, we beseech thee, this Crown, and so sanctify thy servant Charles upon whose head this day thou dost place it for a sign of royal majesty, that he may be crowned with thy gracious favour and filled with abundant grace and all princely virtues; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, supreme over all things, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Archbishop of Canterbury brought the crown down onto The King’s head and said, “God save The King!” The congregation said, “God save The King!”

Fanfare: The Wiener Philharmoniker Fanfare by Richard Strauss was played and the the Abbey bells rang for 2 minutes. A fanfare was sounded followed by a Gun Salute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery stationed at Horse Guards Parade. There were Gun Salutes at His Majesty’s Fortress the Tower of London fired by the Honourable Artillery Company, and at all Saluting Stations throughout the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Bermuda, and Ships at Sea.

The Blessing: The Archbishop of York said,”The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you his peace.”

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira & Great Britain said, “The Lord protect you in all your ways and prosper all your work in his name.”

The Moderator of The Free Churches said, “The Lord give you hope and happiness, that you may inspire all your people in the imitation of his unchanging love.”

The Secretary General of Churches Together in England said, “The Lord grant that wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the fear of the Lord your treasure.”

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster said, “May God pour upon you the riches of his grace, keep you in his holy fear, prepare you for a happy eternity, and receive you at the last into immortal glory.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “…and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.”

The choir sang the anthem O Lord, grant the king a long life by Thomas Weelkes.

Enthronment The King: King Charles III was set upon the throne. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Stand firm, and hold fast from henceforth this seat of royal dignity, which is yours by the authority of Almighty God. May that same God, whose throne endures for ever, establish your throne in righteousness, that it may stand fast for evermore.”

The Homage of The Church of England: The Archbishop led the words of fealty: “I, Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you,
our Sovereign Lord, Defender of the Faith, and unto your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

The Homage of Royal Blood: The Prince of Wales led the words of fealty. “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God.”

The Homage of The People: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “I now invite those who wish to offer their support to do so with a moment of private reflection, by joining in saying ‘God save King Charles’ at the end, or, for those with the words before them, to recite them in full.”All who so desired, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, said together: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”
A fanfare is played. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “God save The King.” The congregation said, “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May The King live for ever.”

The choir sang the anthem Confortare by Sir Walford Davies.

The Coronation of The Queen

The Annointing: The Dean of Westminster poured oil from the ampulla into spoon, and held the spoon for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Queen Camilla was anointed on the forehead as the
Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Be your head anointed with holy oil.” The Archbishop then said, “Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness; hear our prayer this day for thy servant Camilla, whom in thy name, and with all devotion, we consecrate our Queen. Make her strong in faith and love, defend her on every side, and guide her in truth and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Ring: The Ring was presented by The Keeper of The Jewel House to The Queen who
acknowledged it. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Ring, a symbol of royal
dignity, and a sign of the covenant sworn this day.” The Ring was returned to the High Altar.

The Crowning: The Dean of Westminster brought Queen Mary’s Crown from the altar and handed it to the Archbishop of Canterbury who said, “May thy servant Camilla, who wears this crown, be filled by thine abundant grace and with all princely virtues; reign in her heart, O King of love, that, being certain of thy protection, she may be crowned with thy gracious favour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Archbishop of Canterbury brought the crown down onto The Queen’s head.

The Rod and Sceptre: The Rod was presented to The Queen by The Bishop of Dover, and the Sceptre by Lord Chartres and she acknowledged them both. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Royal Sceptre and the Rod of equity and mercy. May the Spirit guide you in wisdom and grace, that by your service and ministry justice and mercy may be seen in all the earth.”

Enthroning The Queen: Queen Camilla was set upon the throne as the choir sang the anthem Make a Joyful Noise by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Offertory Hymn: At the start of the communion service, the choir and congregation sang the hymn Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation.

Prayer over the Gifts: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee, these thy gifts, and sanctify them unto this holy use, that by them we may be made partakers of the Body and Blood of thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, and fed unto everlasting life of soul
and body: And that thy servant King Charles may be enabled to the discharge of his weighty office, whereunto of thy great goodness thou hast called and appointed him. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.”

The Eucharistic Prayer:

The Archbishop of Canterbury: “The Lord be with you.”
Congregation: “And with thy spirit.”
The Archbishop: “Lift up your hearts.”
Congregation: “We lift them up unto the Lord.”
The Archbishop: “Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God.”
Congregation: “It is meet and right so to do.”

The Archbishop said, “It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord; who hast at this time consecrated thy servant Charles to be our King, that, by the anointing of thy grace, he may be the Defender of thy Faith and the Protector of thy people; that, with him, we may learn the ways of service, compassion, and love,
and that the good work which thou hast begun in him this day may be brought to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying:”

Sanctus:

All sang: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.”

Eucharistic Prayer continues:

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “All glory be to thee, almighty God, our heavenly Father, who, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again. Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee, and grant that, by the power of thy Holy Spirit, we receiving these thy creatures of bread
and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks to thee, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

The Archbishop continued, “Likewise after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to thee, he gave it to them, saying: Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy humble servants, having in remembrance the precious death and passion of thy dear Son, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,
entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain
remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences; and to grant that all we, who are partakers of this holy communion, may be fulfilled with thy grace and
heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father almighty, world without end. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Let us pray with confidence as our
Saviour has taught us. All say: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,for ever and ever. Amen.

Agnus Dei: The choir sang Agnus Dei by Tarik O’Regan during which Holy Communion is
privately received by The King an Queen.

Prayer after Communion: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty
protection,both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and  Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.”

The Final Blessing: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Our help is in the Name of the Lord;Who hath made heaven and earth. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; Now and henceforth, world without end. Christ our King, make you faithful and strong to do his will, that you may reign with him in glory; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, rest upon you, and all whom you serve, this day, and all your days. Amen.

Sung Amen: The choir sang a Sung Amen by Orlando Gibbons.

Hymn: The choir and congregation sang Praise my Soul by Henry Francis Lyte

Anthem: The choir sang the anthem The King Shall Rejoice by William Boyce

Te Deum: The choir sang The Coronation Te Deum by Sir William Walton

The National Anthem: The choir and congregation sang the national anthem God Save The King.

The King’s Outward Procession & Organ Voluntaries: The orgamist played Pomp & Circumstance March no 4 by Sir Edward Elgar, arranged by Iain Farrington and March from The Birds, Sir Hubert Parry, arranged by John Rutter.

Greeting Faith Leaders & Representatives and The Governors-Generals: At the end of the procession The King received a greeting by Leaders and Representatives from Faith Communities (Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist). As the King stood before the Leaders
and Representatives of the Faith Communities, they delivered the following greeting in unison.
Faith Leaders & Representatives: “Your Majesty, as neighbours in faith, we acknowledge the value of public service. We unite with people of all faiths and beliefs in thanksgiving, and in service with you for the common good.” The King acknowledged the greeting, and
turned to greet the Governors-General. The King acknowledged their greeting and proceeded to the Gold State Coach.

After the Coronation

King Charles III and Queen Camilla proceeded to St. Edward’s Chapel, directly behind the high altar, where the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, King of England stands. King Charles gave St. Edward’s Crown, the Sceptre, and the Rod to the Archbishop of Canterbury who placed them on the altar in the chapel. After a short period, King Charles III emerged from St. Edward’s Chapel wearing the Imperial State Crown with the Sceptre with the Cross in his right hand and the Orb in his left hand. King Charles III and Queen Camilla, still carrying her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left hand, left St. Edward’s Chapel to the singing of the National Anthem and then proceeded up the aisle to the West Door of the Westminster Abbey. They returned to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach using the same route as their outgoing route.

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Guests

There were 8,000 guests at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Westminster Abbey was closed for five months prior to the coronation so that the construction needed for seating the 8,000 guests could be completed. However, because of current safety and health regulations, the capacity of Westminster Abbey is legally approximately 2,000.

In 1953, 800 Members of Parliament and over 900 Peers were invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Because of the limited space, far fewer Members of Parliament and Peers were invited to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This change caused a stir among Peers and Members of Parliament who believed they have a right to attend. Although some Members of Parliament were invited, the spouse of the British Prime Minister and the Head of Government Rishi Sunak was the only invited spouse of a Member of Parliament. The seven living past British Prime Ministers and their spouses were also invited.

450 recipients of the British Empire Medal. attended the coronation. They were invited to join the congregation at Westminster Abbey in recognition of their services and support to their local communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives from the Commonwealth of Nations and foreign dignitaries from other countries attended. First Lady Jill Biden represented her husband Joe Biden, President of the United States.

Traditionally, foreign sovereigns have not attended British coronations. Instead, members of their royal houses were sent to represent them. King Charles III broke with that tradition, and invited foreign sovereigns, and a number of them attended. All current or former royal families who were invited sent guests except for the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The following world leaders were invited but did not attend:

• Zoran Milanović, President of Croatia was unable to attend due to a defect with the government’s plane.
• Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia cancelled his attendance following the Belgrade school shooting.
• Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, declined his invitation, as he did to Elizabeth II’s funeral, due to the upcoming presidential election.

The governments of seven countries, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Syria and Venezuela, were not invited.  Invitations were extended only to senior diplomats of North Korea and Nicaragua, and not their heads of state.

Note: This is a partial guest list. Links are from Unofficial Royalty or Wikipedia. Not all people listed have a link. A more complete list of guests can be seen at Wikipedia: List of guests at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

British Royal Family

Descendants of King Charles III

• The Prince of Wales and The Princess of Wales, the King’s son William and daughter-in-law Catherine
• Prince George of Wales, the King’s grandson, one of the King’s pages of honour
• Princess Charlotte of Wales, the King’s granddaughter
• Prince Louis of Wales, the King’s grandson
• Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, the King’s son

Descendants of Queen Elizabeth II

• Anne, The Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the King’s sister and brother-in-law
• Peter Phillips, the King’s nephew
• Zara Tindall and Michael Tindall, the King’s niece and her husband
• Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, the King’s brother
• Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the King’s niece and her husband
• Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank, and Jack Brooksbank, the King’s niece and her husband
• Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, the King’s brother and sister-in-law
• Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, the King’s niece
• James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex, the King’s nephew

Descendants of King George VI

• David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, the King’s maternal first cousin
• Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
• Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
• Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin and her husband
• Samuel Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
• Arthur Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed

Descendants of King George V

• Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, The Duchess of Gloucester, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed and his wife
• Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Lady Davina Windsor, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Lady Rose Gilman, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
• George Windsor, Earl of St. Andrews, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Lady Helen Taylor, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Lord Nicholas Windsor, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
• Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed and his wife Marie-Christine
• Lord Frederick Windsor, the King’s maternal second cousin
• Lady Gabriella Kingston, the King’s maternal second cousin

Bowes-Lyon Family

• Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon and Caroline Bowes-Lyon, Lady Bowes-Lyon, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed and his wife

Mountbatten Family

• Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, wife of Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the King’s paternal second cousin

Shand and Parker Bowles Families

• Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, the Queen’s former husband
• Thomas Parker Bowles, the Queen’s son
• Lola Parker Bowles, the Queen’s granddaughter
• Frederick Parker Bowles, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
• Laura Lopes and Harry Lopes, the Queen’s daughter and son-in-law
• Eliza Lopes, the Queen’s granddaughter
• Louis Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
• Gus Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
• Annabel Elliot, the Queen’s sister, one of the Queen’s two Ladies in Attendance
• Sir Benjamin Elliot and Mary-Clare Elliot, the Queen’s nephew and his wife
• Arthur Elliot, the Queen’s grandnephew, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
• Ike Elliot, the Queen’s great-nephew
• Alice and Luke Irwin, the Queen’s niece and her husband
• Otis Irwin, the Queen’s great-nephew
• Violet Irwin, the Queen’s great-niece
• Catherine Elliot, the Queen’s niece
• Ayesha Shand, the Queen’s niece, daughter of the Queen’s late brother

Middleton Family

• Michael Middleton and Carole Middleton, parents of The Princess of Wales
• Philippa Matthews, sister of The Princess of Wales
• James Middleton, brother of The Princess of Wales

Current Monarchies

• Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain
• Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa
• King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, the King’s third cousin once removed and his wife
• King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
• Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei and a younger son Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei
• Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, the King’s third cousin once removed and his wife, representing his mother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
• King Mswati III and his wife Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, Queen of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
• Crown Prince Akishino and his wife Crown Princess Kiko of Japan, representing his brother Emperor Naruhito of Japan
• King Abdullah II and his wife Queen Rania of Jordan
• Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, representing his half-brother Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
• King Letsie III and his wife Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho
• Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, the King’s fifth cousin once removed and his wife, representing his father Prince Hans-Adam of Liechtenstein
• Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, the King’s third cousin once removed and his wife
• Al-Sultan Abdullah ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, The Yang di Pertuan Agong and his wife Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia
• Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, the King’s fifth cousin once removed and his wife
• Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, representing her brother King Mohammed VI of Morocco
• King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the King’s fifth cousin and his wife
• Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, the King’s third cousin and his wife, representing his father King Harald V of Norway
• Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said of Oman, representing his father Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of Oman
• Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and his wife Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani
• Prince Turki bin Mohammed Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Minister of State, representing his uncle King Salman of Saudi Arabia
• King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, the King’s second cousin once removed and his wife
• King Carl XVI of Sweden, the King’s third cousin once removed and his daughter Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the King’s fourth cousin
• King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his wife Queen Suthida of Thailand
• King Tupou VI and and his wife Queen Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho of Tonga
• Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, representing  Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates

Former Monarchies

• Bernhard, Margrave of Baden and Stephanie, Margravine of Baden, the King’s first cousin once removed and his wife
• Tsar Simeon II and Tsaritsa Margarita of Bulgaria, the King’s fourth cousin twice removed and his wife
• Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, the King’s third cousin once removed (born a Princess of Denmark) and widow of the King’s second cousin, the late King Constantine II
• Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, the King’s second cousin once removed through his father and fourth cousin through his mother, and his wife
• Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse, the King’s fourth cousin
• Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Saskia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the King’s first cousin once removed and his wife
• Margareta, Custodian of the Crown and Prince Radu of Romania, the King’s second cousin once removed and her husband
• Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia, the King’s second cousin once removed and his wife

Ceremonial Monarchs

• Osei Tutu II, 16th Asantehene (successor to the 17th-century founder of the Ashanti Empire in Africa) and his wife Julia Osei Tutu, Princess Consort of Asante
• Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, Māori King and his wife Te Atawhai, Māori Queen (The Māori are indigenous people of New Zealand.)

United Kingdom Government Officials

Prime Ministers

• Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and his wife Akshata Murty
• Sir John Major, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1990 – 1997)
• Sir Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997 – 2007), and his wife Lady Blair
• Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007 – 2010), and his wife Sarah Brown
• David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010 – 2016), and his wife Samantha Cameron
• Theresa May, Lady May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2016 – 2019), and her husband Sir Philip May
• Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2019 – 2022), and his wife Carrie Johnson
• Liz Truss, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022), and her husband Hugh O’Leary

Great Officers of State – England

• Sir Gordon Messenger, Lord High Steward of England
• Alex Chalk, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice
• Nicholas True, Baron True, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords
• Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Lord High Constable of England and Chief of the Defence Staff
• Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal

Great Officers of State – Scotland

• Anthony Lindsay, 30th Earl of Crawford, Deputy to the Great Steward of Scotland
• Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland

Officers of Arms – England

• David White, Garter Principal King of Arms
• Timothy Duke, Clarenceux King of Arms
• Robert Noel, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
• Christopher Fletcher-Vane, Chester Herald
• Clive Cheesman, Richmond Herald
• John Allen-Petrie, Windsor Herald
• Peter O’Donaghue, York Herald
• Anne Curry, Arundel Herald Extraordinary
• John Martin Robinson, Maltravers Herald Extraordinary
• David Rankin-Hunt, Norfolk Herald Extraordinary
• Thomas Lloyd, Wales Herald Extraordinary
• Mark Scott, Bluemantle Pursuivant
• Dominic Ingram, Portcullis Pursuivant
• Adam Tuck, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant
• Thomas Johnston, Rouge Croix Pursuivant

Officers of Arms – Scotland

• Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms
• Adam Bruce, Marchmont Herald
• Liam Devlin, Rothesay Herald
• Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Albany Herald Extraordinary
• George Way of Plean, Carrick Pursuivant
• John Stirling, Ormond Pursuivant
• Roderick Alexander Macpherson, Unicorn Pursuivant
• Colin Russell, Falkland Pursuivant Extraordinary
• Professor Gillian Black, Linlithgow Pursuivant Extraordinary
• Philip Tibbetts, March Pursuivant Extraordinary

Members of the Cabinet

• Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer
• James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
• Suella Braverman, Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence
• Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
• Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade
• Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
• Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education
• Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport
• Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Chris Heaton-Harris, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland
• David TC Davies, Secretary of State for Wales

Leaders of Other United Kingdom Political Parties

• Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and leader of the Labour Party
• Sir Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
• Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party
• Stephen Flynn, Leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons

Members of Parliament

• Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Chorley
• Simon Baynes, MP for Clwyd South
• Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber
• Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South
• Laura Farris, MP for West Berkshire
• Sarah Green, MP for Chesham and Amersham
• Mark Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean
• Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham
• Brendan O’Hara, MP for Argyll and Bute
• Kelly Tolhurst, MP for Rochester and Stroud
• Rory Stewart, former MP for Penrith and The Border, and his wife Shoshana Clark

First Ministers of Devolved Governments

• Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland
• Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales and Keeper of the Welsh Seal
• Michelle O’Neill, First Minister-Designate of Northern Ireland

Leaders of Other Political Parties in Devolved Countries

• Jim Allister, Leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice
• Doug Beattie, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
• Alex Cole-Hamilton, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Colum Eastwood, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
• Naomi Long, Leader of the Alliance Party
• Douglas Ross, Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament and Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
• Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party

Members of Devolved Parliaments

• Alison Johnstone, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
• Alex Maskey, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
• David Rees, Deputy Presiding Officer of the Senedd

Peers of the Realm

• David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, Lord-in-Waiting and former Lord Great Chamberlain of England, and his wife Sarah Rose Cholmondeley, Marchioness of Cholmondeley
• Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby
• James Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie, Deputy Captain General of the King’s Body Guard for Scotland
• David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie, and his wife Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie
• Patrick Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
• Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn, Lord Steward of the Royal Household, and his wife Helen St Clair-Erskine, Countess of Rosslyn
• William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel, former Lord Chamberlain, and his wife Charlotte Peel, Countess Peel
• Rupert Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley, Master of the Horse
• Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild
• Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness, former Lord-in-Waiting, and his wife Grania Cavendish, Baroness Cavendish of Furness
• David Hope, Baron Hope of Craighead, representing the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
• Robin Eames, Baron Eames, representing the Order of Merit
• Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber, composer of the coronation anthem “Make a Joyful Noise”, and his wife Madeleine Lloyd Webber, Baroness Lloyd-Webber
• Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, representing the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George
• Sebastian Coe, Baron Coe, representing the Order of Companions of Honour
• Rowan Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, former Archbishop of Canterbury
• Susan Williams, Baroness Williams of Trafford, Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
• Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, Lord Chamberlain
• John McFall, Baron McFall of Alcluith, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords
• Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
• Nicholas Soames, Baron Soames of Fletching

Other Politicians

• Hamza Taouzzale, Lord Mayor of Westminster
• Nicholas Lyons, Lord Mayor of London
• Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
• Dan Norris, Mayor of the West of England
• Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands
• Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
• Ben Houchen, Mayor of the Tees Valley
• Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire
• Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
• Victoria Prentis, His Majesty’s Attorney General for England and Wales

Lord Lieutenants

• Robert Voss, Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Armed Forces

• Lance-Corporal of Horse Christopher Finney, Chair of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association

Civil Servants

• David McGill, Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament
• Lesley Hogg, chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly
• Antonia Romeo, Clerk of the Crown in Chancery in Great Britain
• Susanna McGibbon, His Majesty’s Procurator General and Solicitor for the Affairs of His Majesty’s Treasury

Representatives of Orders of Chivalry and Gallantry (Some representatives are listed elsewhere.)

• Sir Andrew Ford, Royal Victorian Order
• Mark Compton, Order of St John
• Sir Gary Hickinbottom, Knights Bachelor
• Dame Susan Ion, Order of the British Empire
• Sir Stephen Dalton, Order of the Bath
• Lady Mary Peters, Order of the Garter
• Dominic Troulan, George Cross

Crown Dependencies

• Richard Cripwell, Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
• Richard McMahon, Bailiff of Guernsey
• Sir Timothy Le Cocq, Bailiff of Jersey
• Sir John Lorimer, Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
• Alfred Cannan, Chief Minister of the Isle of Man

British Overseas Territories

• Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of Anguilla
• Ellis Webster, Premier of Anguilla
• Paul Candler, Commissioner for the British Antarctic Territory and the British Indian Ocean Territory
• Rena Lalgie, Governor of Bermuda
• Edward David Burt, Premier of Bermuda
• Jane Owen, Governor of the Cayman Islands
• Wayne Panton, Premier of the Cayman Islands
• Alison Blake, Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• Teslyn Barkman, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands
• Sir David Steel, Governor of Gibraltar
• Fabian Picardo, Chief Minister of Gibraltar
• Sarah Tucker, Governor of Montserrat
• Easton Taylor-Farrell, Premier of Montserrat
• Iona Thomas, Governor of Pitcairn
• Simon Young, Mayor of Pitcairn
• Nigel Phillips, Governor of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
• Julie Thomas, Chief Minister of Saint Helena
• James Glass, Chief Islander of Tristan da Cunha
• Anya Williams, Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
• Charles Washington Misick, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands
• John Rankin, Governor of the British Virgin Islands
• Natalio Wheatley, Premier and Finance Minister of the British Virgin Islands

Commonwealth Realms

Antigua and Barbuda

• Sir Rodney Williams, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, and his wife Lady Sandra Williams
• Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and his wife Maria Bird-Browne
• Paula Frederick-Hunte, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Governor-General
• Atlee Rodney, Commissioner of Police of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda
• Dale Mercury, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General and Assistant Superintendent of Police
• Ickford Roberts, Accountant General
• Laurie Freeland Roberts, Registrar in the Civil Registry
• Bernard Warner, Field Officer at the Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities
• Kiz Johnson, Senator, carried the flag of Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

• General David Hurley, Governor-General of Australia, and his wife Linda Hurley
• Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, and his partner Jodie Haydon
• Margaret Beazley, Governor of New South Wales
• Linda Dessau, Governor of Victoria
• Jeannette Young, Governor of Queensland
• Christopher Dawson, Governor of Western Australia
• Frances Adamson, Governor of South Australia
• Barbara Baker, Governor of Tasmania
• Leanne Benjamin, retired Principal Dancer for the Royal Ballet
• Nicholas Cave, singer, songwriter, actor, novelist, and screenwriter
• Jasmine Coe, artist and the creator and curator of Coe Gallery
• Adam Hills, comedian, presenter, writer, and disability rights advocate
• Daniel Nour, founder of Street Side Medics
• Yasmin Poole, public speaker, board director, and youth advocate
• Emily Regan, London-based nurse who worked for the National Health Service
• Minette Salmon, studying for a PhD in Genomic Medicine and Statistics
• Claire Spencer, arts leader and the inaugural CEO of the Barbican Centre
• Merryn Voysey, Associate Professor of Statistics in Vaccinology at the Oxford Vaccine Group
• Corporal Daniel Keighran, recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
• Corporal Mark Donaldson, recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
• Warrant Officer Class Two Keith Payne, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Richard Joyes, recipient of the Australian Cross of Valour
• Yvonne Kenny, soprano
• Samantha Kerr, football (soccer) player, carried the flag of Australia

The Bahamas

• Sir Cornelius A. Smith, Governor-General of The Bahamas, and his wife Lady Smith
• Dame Marguerite Pindling, former Governor-General of The Bahamas
• Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and his wife Ann Marie Davis
• Hubert Ingraham, former Prime Minister of The Bahamas
• Perry Christie, former Prime Minister of The Bahamas
• Hubert Minnis, former Prime Minister of The Bahamas
• Michael Pintard, Leader of the Opposition, and his wife Berlice Pintard

Belize

• Dame Froyla Tzalam, Governor-General of Belize, and her husband Daniel Mendez
• Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology
• Cameron Gegg, finance professional, carried the flag of Belize

Canada

• Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and her husband Whit Fraser
• Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau
• Janice Charette, Clerk to the Privy Council of Canada and Secretary to the Cabinet
• RoseAnne Archibald, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
• Natan Obed, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Cassidy Caron, President of the Métis National Council
• Sarah Mazhero, member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council
• Christina Caouette, CEO of Young Diplomats of Canada
• Rebeccah Raphael, founder of Halifax Helpers
• Marguerite Tölgyesi, President of the French-Canadian Youth Federation
• Maryam Tsegaye, winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
• Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons, Canadian Space Agency astronaut
• Margaret MacMillan, member of the Order of Merit and companion of the Order of Canada
• Leslie Arthur Palmer, recipient of the Canadian Cross of Valour
• Colonel Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut, carried the flag of Canada

Grenada

• Dame Cécile La Grenade, Governor-General of Grenada
• Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada
• Kisha Abba Grant, High Commissioner for Grenada to the United Kingdom
• Sergeant Major Johnson Beharry, Victoria Cross recipient
• Afy Fletcher, athlete
• Lindon Victor, athlete
• Lance Sergeant Chen Charles, carried the flag of Grenada

Jamaica

• Sir Patrick Allen, Governor-General of Jamaica, and his wife Lady Patricia Allen
• David Salmon, 2023 Rhodes scholar, carried the flag of Jamaica

New Zealand

• Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor-General of New Zealand, and her husband Richard Davies
• Chris Hipkins, Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Phil Goff, High Commissioner for New Zealand to the United Kingdom
• Christopher Luxon, Leader of the Opposition
• Sir Tom Marsters, King’s Representative in the Cook Islands, and Lady Tuaine Marsters
• Richie McCaw, Order of New Zealand representative
• Willie Apiata, Victoria Cross for New Zealand representative
• Abdul Aziz, New Zealand Cross representative
• Dame Naida Glavish, former President of the Māori Party and
• Lorraine Toki, Māori advocate
• Ben Appleton, kaiāwhina and director of Ngāti Rānana
• Sarah Smart, UK general manager of The Dairy Collective
• Craig Fenton, 2023 UK New Zealander of the Year
• Rebecca Scown, former Olympic rower and CEO of Youth Experience in Sport
• Rhieve Grey, graduate student and 2021 Rhodes scholar
• Sergeant Hayden Smith, carried the flag of New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

• Sir Bob Dadae, Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, and his wife Lady Dadae
• Koni Iguan, Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
• Justin Tkatchenko, Minister for Foreign Affairs and his wife Savannah Tkatchenko
• Rainbo Paita, Minister for Finance and National Planning
• Taies Sansan, Secretary for the Department of Personnel Management
• Gisuwat Mangere Siniwin, former Vice Minister of Education and MP for Nawae
• Noel Leana, acting Chief of State Protocol, carried the flag of Papua New Guinea

Saint Kitts and Nevis

• Dame Marcella Liburd, Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Hyleta Liburd, Deputy Governor-General for Nevis
• Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis
• Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Naeemah Hazelle, permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office
• Christine Walwyn, Diaspora Ambassador
• Thouvia France, Protocol Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Saint Lucia

• Errol Charles, Acting Governor-General of Saint Lucia

Solomon Islands

• Sir David Vunagi, Governor-General of the Solomon Islands, and his wife Lady Vunagi
• Moses Kouni Mose, High Commissioner for the Solomon Islands to the United Kingdom
• Jeremiah Manele, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade

Tuvalu

• Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani, Governor-General of Tuvalu

Other Commonwealth Countries

• Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Dame Sandra Mason, President and former Governor-General of Barbados
• Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana
• Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister of Cameroon, representing the President of Cameroon
• Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus
• Charles Savarin, President of Dominica
• Wiliame Katonivere, President of Fiji, and First Lady Filomena Katonivere
• Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, and First Lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba
• Mohammed Jallow, Vice President of The Gambia
• Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Gambia
• Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
• Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana
• Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India, representing the President of India
• William Ruto, President of Kenya
• Lazarus Chakwera, President of Malawi
• Dato’ Zakri Jaafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia in London
• Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Maldives, and First Lady Fazna Ahmed
• George Vella, President of Malta, and First Lady Miriam Vella
• Prithvirajsing Roopun, President of Mauritius
• Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique
• Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister of Namibia
• Russ Kun, President of Nauru, and First Lady Simina Kun
• Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria
• Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and First Lady Jeannette Kagame
• Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II, O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa, and Masiofo Faʻamausili
• Leinafo
• Wavel Ramkalawan, President of Seychelles, and First Lady Linda Ramkalawan
• Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone, and First Lady Fatima Bio
• Halimah Yacob, President of Singapore
• Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa
• Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of Sri Lanka, and First Lady Maithree Wickremesinghe
• Asha-Rose Migiro, High Commissioner of Tanzania
• Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togo
• General Jeje Odongo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda
• Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia, and First Lady Mutinta Hichilema

Foreign Dignitaries

Heads of State

• Bajram Begaj, President of Albania, and First Lady Armanda Begaj
• João Lourenço, President of Angola, and First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço
• Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sicília, Co-Prince of Andorra
• Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of Armenia
• Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria, and First Lady Doris Schmidauer
• Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, and First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva
• Galab Donev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria and his daughter Gabriella Doneva
• Azali Assoumani, President of Comoros, and First Lady Ambari Assoumani
• Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, and First Lady Eva Pavlová
• Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti
• Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, and First Lady Raquel Arbaje
• Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt
• Alar Karis, President of Estonia, and First Lady Sirje Karis
• Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland, and First Lady Jenni Haukio
• Emmanuel Macron, President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra, and his wife Brigitte Macron
• Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia
• Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany, and First Lady Elke Büdenbender
• Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece
• Bernard Goumou, Prime Minister of Guinea
• Katalin Novák, President of Hungary, and First Gentleman István Attila Veres
• Guðni Jóhannesson, President of Iceland, and First Lady Eliza Reid
• Abdul Latif Rashid, President of Iraq
• Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, and his wife Sabina Higgins
• Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland, and his partner Matthew Barrett
• Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, and First Lady Michal Herzog
• Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, and his daughter Laura Mattarella, de facto First Lady
• Vjosa Osmani, President of Kosovo
• Egils Levits, President of Latvia, and First Lady Andra Levite
• Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon, and his wife May Mikati
• George Weah, President of Liberia
• Mohamed al-Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya
• Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania, and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė
• Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of Mauritania
• Maia Sandu, President of Moldova
• Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, President of Mongolia, and First Lady Luvsandorjiin Bolortsetseg
• Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro, and First Lady Lidija Đukanović
• Mohamed Bazoum, President of Niger, and First Lady Hadiza Bazoum
• Stevo Pendarovski, President of North Macedonia, and First Lady Elizabeta Gjorgievska
• Mario Abdo Benítez, President of Paraguay, and First Lady Silvana López Moreira
• Bongbong Marcos, President of the Philippines, and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos
• Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda
• Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal
• Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, and First Lady Carmen Iohannis
• Alessandro Scarano and Adele Tonnini, Captains Regent of San Marino
• Macky Sall, President of Senegal
• Zuzana Čaputová, President of Slovakia, and her domestic partner Juraj Rizman
• Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenia, and First Gentleman Aleš Musar
• Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, and his wife Muriel Zeender
• Serdar Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan
• Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine
• Võ Văn Thưởng, President of Vietnam
• Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe

Governmental Representatives Representing the Head of State

• Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria
• Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan
• Verónica Alcocer, First Lady of Colombia
• Álvaro Leyva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia
• Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China
• Christophe Mboso N’Kodia Pwanga, President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Arnoldo André, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica
• Gordan Grlić-Radman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia
• Salvador Valdés Mesa, Vice President of Cuba
• Gustavo Manrique, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador
• Félix Ulloa, Vice President of El Salvador
• Renato Florentino, Vice President of Honduras
• Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, Vice President of Ivory Coast
• Han Duck-Soo, Prime Minister of South Korea
• Erlan Qoşanov, Head of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan
• Yvette Sylla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar
• Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal
• Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman
• Janaina Tewaney, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama
• Aïssata Tall Sall, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal
• Ivica Dačić, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia
• Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs of South Sudan
• Nabil Ammar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia
• Fuat Oktay, Vice President of Turkey
• Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine
• Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States and Finnegan Biden, granddaughter of President Joe Biden
• John Kerry, Special U.S. Presidential Envoy for Climate
• Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Secretary of State of the Vatican
• Frederick Shava, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe
• Mthuli Ncube, Minister of Finance of Zimbabwe

Diplomats Representing the Head of State

• Javier Esteban Figueroa, Argentinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Susana Herrera Quezada, Chilean Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Teferi Melesse Desta, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• José Alberto Briz Gutiérrez, Guatemalan Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Euvrard Saint Amand, Haitian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Iván Romero Martínez, Honduran Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Desra Percaya, Indonesian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Josefa González Blanco Ortiz Mena, Mexican Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Hakim Hajoui, Moroccan Ambassador to the United Kingdom
• Ahmed Albably, Consul at the Yemeni Embassy in the United Kingdom

International Organizations

• Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament
• Charles Michel, President of the European Council
• Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
• Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO
• Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the OECD
• Amina Jane Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

Religious Leaders

Church of England

• Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England
• Tosin Oladipo, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, carried the Primatial Cross of Canterbury
• Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York and Primate of England
• Dr Jenny Wright, Chaplain to The Archbishop of York, carried the Primatial Cross of York
• Adrian Daffern, Chaplain Extraordinary to the Archbishop of Canterbury
• Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London and Dean of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal
• Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham
• Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells
• Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich
• Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford
• David Hoyle MBE, Dean of Westminster
• David Stanton, Sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer
• Anthony Ball, Canon Rector
• Dr James Hawkey, Canon Theologian and Almoner
• Tricia Hillas, Canon Steward and Archdeacon of Westminster and Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons
• Mark Birch MVO, Minor Canon and Precentor
• Robert Latham, Minor Canon and Sacrist
• Ralph Godsall, Acting Minor Canon
• Paul Baumann CBE, Receiver General of Westminster Abbey
• Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, High Bailiff and Searcher of the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey
• Canon Paul Wright LVO, Sub-Dean of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal
• Professor David Fergusson OBE, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Thistle
• David Conner KCVO, Dean of Windsor

Church of Scotland

• Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Roman Catholic Church

• Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster
• Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
• Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff
• Hugh Gilbert, Bishop of Aberdeen and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

Other Christian Denominations

• Nikitas Loulias, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain
• Hosam Naoum, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem
• Helen Cameron, Moderator of the Free Churches Group
• Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England

Other Religions

• Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth
• Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
• Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Thera, Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain
• Malcolm Deboo, President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe

Royal Household

The King’s Household

• Sir Anthony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household
• Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Vernon, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office
• Jo Churchill, Vice Chamberlain of the Household
• Marcus Jones, Treasurer of the Household
• Rebecca Harris, Comptroller of the Household
• James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle, Clerk of the Closet
• Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester, Lord High Almoner
• Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson, Groom of the Robes
• Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to His Majesty
• Sir Edward Young, Joint Principal Private Secretary to The King
• Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to The King and Queen
• Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection
• Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave, Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
• Sarah Clarke, Lady Usher of the Black Rod
• Paul Whybrew, Sergeant at Arms
• Richard Thompson, Sergeant at Arms
• Francis Dymoke, The Honourable The King’s Champion and bearer of the Royal Standard
• Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Resident Governor of the Tower of London and Keeper of the Jewel House

The Queen’s Household

• Sophie Densham, Private Secretary to The Queen
• Major Oliver Plunket, Groom of the Robes to the Queen
• Carlyn Chisholm, Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen, Queen’s Companion
• Lady Sarah Keswick, Queen’s Companion
• Lady Brooke, Queen’s Companion and Sir Francis Brooke Baronet, His Majesty’s Representative at Ascot
• Sarah Troughton, Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and Queen’s Companion (the King’s second cousin), and her husband Peter Troughton
• Jane von Westenholz, Queen’s Companion

Queen Elizabeth II’s Household

• Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner, Maid of Honour at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
• Lady Susan Hussey, Baroness Hussey of North Bradley, Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II

Notable Guests

• Jay Blades, The Prince’s Foundation Ambassador
• Gyles Brandreth, British broadcaster, writer and former politician
• Anthony “Ant” McPartlin, television presenter, Goodwill Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust
• Declan “Dec” Donnelly, television presenter, Goodwill Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust
• Edward Enninful, editor and stylist, Global Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust
• Lionel Richie, American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality, Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince’s Trust
• Katy Perry, American singer, songwriter and television personality, Ambassador for the British Asian Trust
• Sir Karl Jenkins, composer of Tros y Garreg, written for the coronation
• Sarah Class, composer of Sacred Fire, written for the coronation
• Pretty Yende, South African soprano opera singer, performed the song Sacred Fire
• Joan Armatrading, St. Kitts and Nevis/English singer-songwriter
• Rowan Atkinson, English actor, comedian and writer
• Sir Kenneth Branagh, British actor and filmmaker
• Tim Davie, Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation
• Dame Judi Dench, English actress
• Sir Lloyd Dorfman, British entrepreneur and philanthropist.
• Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom
• Dynamo, British magician
• Edward Fox, English actor
• Stephen Fry, English actor and comedian
• Dame Kelly Holmes, retired British middle-distance runner
• Kelly Jones, Welsh singer-songwriter
• Dame Joanna Lumley, British actress, presenter, author
• Simon Sebag Montefiore, British historian, television presenter, and his wife Santa Montefiore, British author
• Dame Maggie Smith, English actress
• Tom Stoppard, British playwright and screenwriter
• Sir Bryn Terfel, Welsh, bass-baritone opera singer, performed Kyrie Eleison by Paul Mealor in Welsh
• Dame Emma Thompson, British actress and screenwriter, and her husband Greg Wise, English actor and producer

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• Check out all our articles about the British Monarchy at United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Index.
• Learn more about the House of Windsor at House of Windsor Index.
• Read all the news articles posted in our Royal News Recap on the day of the coronation at Royal News Recap – The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Unofficial Royalty’s Coronation Articles

• Which Monarchies Have Coronations? What Succession Ceremonies Do Other Monarchies Have?
• History of the Coronation of English and British Monarchs
• History of the Coronation of English and British Queen Consorts
• Westminster Abbey – The Coronation Church
• British Coronation Music
• Order of Service for the Coronation of the British Monarch
• British Coronation Regalia
  • The Coronation Chair and the Stone of Scone
  • St. Edward’s Crown
  • The Imperial State Crown
  • Queen Consort’s Regalia
  • The Cullinan Diamond
• Coronations before the Norman Conquest (871 – 1066)
• Coronations after the Norman Conquest (1066 – present)
• Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary (1912)
• Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1937)
• Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953)

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The coronation of the British monarch has its roots in the Kings of Wessex and the early Anglo-Saxon Kings of the English being installed on the Kings’ Stone or Coronation Stone which can still be seen in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England.

For the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English in 973, Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury felt there was a need for a major ceremony similar to the coronations of the King of the Franks and the German Emperor. Although Edgar probably had a ceremony at Kingston-on-Thames, a coronation using Dunstan’s order of service was held for Edgar at Bath Abbey in Bath, England on May 11, 973. Since then, the main elements of the British coronation service and the form of the oath taken by the sovereign can be traced to the order of service devised by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Although the coronation service, which takes place within the service for Holy Communion, has had translations, revisions, and modifications over the centuries, the sequence of taking an oath, anointing, investing of regalia, crowning, and enthronement found in the Anglo-Saxon original text has remained constant. The coronation involves six basic stages based on the coronation service written by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury used in 973 for King Edgar: The recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture/the crowning, the enthronement, and the homage.

What follows below is the basic order of service based upon past coronations. For more information, see the complete Orders of Service and the Unofficial Royaly articles for the last two coronations, linked below. In addition, after the sections dealing with the stages of the Coronation, there are short YouTube videos showing that stage from Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation.

The Order of Service released by the Church of England on April 29, 2023, for coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla follows the six basic stages listed above but the text of the service is quite different from the text of past coronations. There have also been some changes in the Order of Service for King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s coronation. For instance, Prince William, The Prince of Wales will be the only Prince of Blood Royal to do the Homage. You can see the order of service for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the following link:

• April 29, 2023 – Church of England: Authorised Coronation Liturgy with Commentary

Coronation of a King and Queen Consort

• Unofficial Royalty: Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1937)
• Oremus: The Form and Order of Service of the Coronation of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth

Coronation of a Monarch

• Unofficial Royalty: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953)
• Oremus: Form and Order of the Service of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

• British Coronation Regalia
  • The Coronation Chair and the Stone of Scone
  • St. Edward’s Crown
  • The Imperial State Crown
  • Queen Consort’s Regalia
  • The Cullinan Diamond

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The Recognition

The Recognition of King George VI, 1937

The Recognition involves the presentation of the monarch to the people and dates back to ancient practices of the Witan, the king’s council of England during the Anglo-Saxon period. The Garter Principal King of Arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable, and the Earl Marshal all go to the east, south, west, and north of the coronation theatre. On each side of the coronation theatre, the Archbishop of Canterbury calls for the recognition of the monarch, with the words:

“Sirs, I here present unto you [name], your undoubted King/Queen. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?” The People reply each time, “God Save King/Queen [name].”

• YouTube: 1953. The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II: ‘The Recognition’

The Oath

King Edward VII swearing the Oath, 1902

The monarch sits in the Chair of Estate. The Chairs of Estate for the monarch and queen consort, if there is one, are placed on the south side of the coronation theatre. These chairs are used during the first part of the service, before the monarch’s anointing and crowning. In the Oath, the monarch makes a series of promises: to reign according to the law, to exercise justice with mercy, and to maintain the Church of England. The Oath is administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch proceeds to the altar and solemnly swears the Oath with his/her right hand on the Bible. Afterward, he/she kisses the Bible and signs the Oath.

• YouTube: The Coronation Oaths (Coronation 1953)

Below is the Oath King Edgar took in 973, followed by the Oath Queen Elizabeth II took in 1953. Although Queen Elizabeth II’s Oath is longer, similar themes are obvious.

King Edgar’s 973 Oath

In the name of the Holy Trinity, I promise three things to the Christian people subject to me:

• Firstly, that God’s church and all the Christian people of my dominions will be held in true peace
• Secondly, I forbid robbery and all unlawful deeds by all ranks of men.
• Thirdly, I promise and command justice and mercy in all judgments, in order that the gracious and merciful lord, who liveth and reigneth, may thereby forgive us all through his everlasting mercy.

Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953  Oath

The Archbishop of Canterbury asked The Queen these questions to which she responded, “I will.”

• Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?
• Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?
• Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel?
• Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law?
• Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England?
• And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?

The Anointing

The canopy is placed over Queen Elizabeth II for the anointing, 1953

During the most sacred part of the coronation, the monarch is anointed, blessed, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The choir sings Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit).

After some prayers, the choir sings one of the Coronation Anthems by George Frideric Handel, the rousing Zadok the Priest. Written for and first performed at the coronation of King George II, it has been sung at every coronation ever since. The words, taken from the Old Testament, are: “Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king; and all the people rejoiced and said: God save the king, Long live the king, May the king live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.”

During the singing of Zadok the Priest, the monarch is disrobed of his/her crimson robe, and as the anthem ends, the monarch is seated on the Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair.

• YouTube: Zadok The Priest – Queen’s Elizabeth II coronation

You can see a concert performance of Zadok the Priest with orchestra and choir at the link below.

• YouTube: Zadok the Priest

Four Knights of the Garter hold a canopy over the monarch for privacy. There is no video or photographs of the anointing. The Dean of Westminster pours Holy Oil from the Ampulla into the Spoon. The Archbishop of Canterbury then anoints the monarch in the form of a cross on the palms of both hands, the breast, and the crown of the head.

• YouTube: The Anointing (Coronation 1953)

The Investiture and The Crowning

The Crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953

After being sanctified with Holy Oil and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s blessing, the monarch is dressed in the Colobium Sindonis, a sleeveless white garment, and the Supertunica, a robe of cloth of gold a long coat of gold that reaches to the ankles and has wide-flowing sleeves. While the monarch is sitting in the Coronation Chair, the Lord Great Chamberlain presents the Golden Spurs, a symbol of chivalry, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop of Winchester, presents the monarch with the Sword of Offering. The monarch then goes to the altar, returns the sword to its scabbard, and sits down in the Coronation Chair.

The Dean of Westminster gives the Armills to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who says a prayer while putting the Armills on the monarch’s wrists. The monarch stands and the Robe Royal and Stole Royal are placed on top of the Supertunica. After the monarch sits back down in the Coronation Chair, the Sovereign’s Orb is brought from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and is delivered into the monarch’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch then gives the Orb to the Dean of Westminster who returns it to the altar.

The Archbishop of Canterbury places the Coronation Ring on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand. The Dean of Westminster brings the Sceptre with the Cross and the Sceptre with the Dove to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who puts it in the monarch’s hands.

The video below is titled The Holy Anointing but as noted above, there was no video or photographs of the anointing so little is seen. The video does show Queen Elizabeth II being clothed with Colobium Sindonis and the Supertunica, and receiving the Sword of Offering.

• YouTube: Coronation of Elizabeth II: The Holy Anointing

The congregation stands up and the Archbishop of Canterbury takes St. Edward’s Crown from the altar, then lays it back on the altar, and says a prayer. The Archbishop of Canterbury proceeds to the monarch who is sitting in the Coronation Chair. The Dean of Westminster brings the St. Edward’s Crown to the Archbishop of Canterbury who reverently puts the crown on the monarch’s head. The congregation repeatedly shouts, “God Save The King/Queen.” The princes and princesses, the peers and peeresses put on their coronets and caps. Trumpets sound and the great guns at the Tower of London are fired.

• YouTube: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II: The Crowning Ceremony

The Enthronement

After a blessing, the monarch goes to the throne and is lifted up into it by the archbishops and bishops, and other peers of the kingdom. The monarch will receive the Homage while seated in the throne.

The Homage

The Homage at the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902

The Archbishop of Canterbury kneels down before the monarch while the rest of the Bishops kneel in their places and do their Homage together. As the Archbishop of Canterbury says the following, each Bishop also says it: “I <name>, Archbishop of Canterbury [Bishops say, I <name> Bishop of <place>] will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you, our Sovereign Lord/ Lady, King/Queen of this Realm and Defender of the Faith, and unto your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

The Royal Dukes and Princes of the Blood take off their coronets, kneel down before the monarch (this has been done individually or in a group with the senior Royal Duke of Prince of the Blood kneeling directly before the monarch), and pronounce the words of the Homage, “I <name> Prince, or Duke of <place> do become your Liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.”

The most senior peer of each of the five ranks of peerage – Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron – individually kneels before the monarch. The other peers who are in seats, in turn, kneel down, take off their coronets, and do their homage: the Dukes first by themselves, then the Marquesses, the Earls, the Viscounts, and the Barons. Each rank of the peerage, saying together, “I, <name> Duke, or Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron of <place> do become your liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.

• YouTube: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation. HRH Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the Lords Pay Homage

The Queen Consort’s Coronation

The Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Consort of King George VI, 1937

If there is a Queen Consort, her anointing and crowning happen after the Homage.

The queen consort goes to the steps of the altar, and supported by two bishops, kneels down on the faldstool (kneeler) placed before the High Altar. The Archbishop of Canterbury says a prayer asking God’s blessing upon the queen consort. Four peeresses hold a canopy over her for privacy. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the crown of the queen consort’s head and placed the Queen Consort’s Ring on her fourth finger on her right hand. The Archbishop of Canterbury then takes the Queen’s Crown – Queen Consort Camilla used Queen Mary’s Crown – from the high altar and reverently sets it upon the queen’s head, at which time, the princesses and peeresses put their coronets on their heads. The queen consort is then handed her Sceptre with the Cross and the Ivory Rod with the Dove, and walks over to her own throne beside the King, where she sits.

The Communion

The monarch (and queen consort) kneels and takes Holy Communion during a service that includes a general confession and absolution, and, along with the people, the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Recess

Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Orb and Sceptre with Cross leaves Westminster Abbey at the end of the Coronation Ceremony

The monarch (and queen consort) proceeds to St. Edward’s Chapel, directly behind the High Altar, and gives St. Edward’s Crown, the Sceptre, and the Rod to the Archbishop of Canterbury who lays them on the altar in the chapel. The monarch is disrobed of the Robe Royal and clothed in a Robe of purple velvet and the Imperial State Crown. The Archbishop of Canterbury puts the Sceptre with the Cross into his/her right hand and the Orb in his/her left hand. The monarch (and the queen consort still carrying her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left hand) leaves St. Edward’s Chapel to the singing of the National Anthem and then proceeds up the aisle.

• YouTube: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth: The Procession

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• A Guide to Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-guide-to-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• A History of Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-history-of-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/coronation-of-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• Flantzer, Susan. (2017) Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-2-1953-coronation-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-at-westminster-abbey/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• Keay, Anna. (2012) The Crown Jewels. London: Thames and Hudson, Historic Royal Palace.
• Order of Service (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/spotlight-on-coronations/order-of-service (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• Strong, Roy. (2005, 2022) Coronation – A History of the British Monarchy. London: William Collins.
• The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 (no date) Oremus. Available at: https://www.oremus.org/coronation/1937/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
• The Form and Order of Service that is to be performed and the Ceremonies that are to be observed in the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (no date). Available at: http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/coronation/cor1953b.html (Accessed: March 31, 2023).

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Beginning with the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902, a music edition of the Order of Service was published. It is difficult to determine coronation music from the past. For most coronations before 1902, no detailed description of the music used has survived.

Below are two examples of music for two 17th-century coronations. Over the years, the texts of the coronation music became traditional and remained the same but were often set to music by different composers.

For the 1603 coronation of King James I and his wife Queen Anne, the music included the following, although it is unclear who wrote the music except for The King Shall Rejoice which is generally attributed to Thomas Tomkins:

• Processional: Behold, Our Lord and Protector
• After the Recognition: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
• During the Anointing: Veni Creator Spiritus and Zadok the Priest
• After the Crowning: Be Strong and of Good Courage and The King Shall Rejoice

The following music was played at the 1685 Coronation of King James II and his second wife Maria Beatrice of Modena, sometimes known as Queen Mary:

• I Was Glad by Henry Purcell
• My Heart is Inditing by Henry Purcell
• Te Deum in E Flat by William Child
• Behold, O God Our Defender by John Blow
• Zadok the Priest by Henry Lawes
• The King Shall Rejoice by William Turner
• Litany for Five Voices by Thomas Tallis

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I Was Glad

I Was Glad, with text from Psalm 122, has been sung at the entrance of the monarch at every coronation since that of King Charles I in 1626.

Psalm 122 from the Book of Common Prayer:

I was glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city: that is at unity in itself.
For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord: to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
For there is the seat of judgement: even the seat of the house of David.
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls: and plenteousness within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions’ sakes: I will wish thee prosperity.
Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God: I will seek to do thee good.

Several composers have set Psalm 122 to music:

• William Child and Thomas Tomkins probably wrote a setting for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661.
• Henry Purcell wrote a setting for the coronation of King James II in 1685.
• Francis Pigott wrote a setting for the coronation of Queen Anne in 1702. It was also used at the coronation of King George I in 1714 and probably intended for the coronation of King George II in 1727 but omitted by mistake.
• William Boyce wrote a setting for the coronation of King George III in 1761.
• Thomas Attwood wrote a setting for the coronation of King George IV in 1821. It was also used for King William IV in 1831 and Queen Victoria in 1838.
• Sir Hubert Parry wrote a setting for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. It was also used for the coronations of King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. It will also be used for the coronation of King Charles III.
• Parry’s setting of I Was Glad was performed at the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton as the processional music for the bride and her father and the bridal attendants. It had previously been performed at the wedding of Prince William’s parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

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Vivat Rex / Vivat Regina

At the coronation of every monarch since the coronation of King James II in 1685, the King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars of the Westminster School have had the privilege of acclaiming the monarch by shouting “Vivat” during the monarch’s procession from the Quire of Westminster Abbey towards the Coronation Theatre in front of the High Altar. The forty-eight King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars are the recipients of scholarships at Westminster School. In 2017, the first girls became (then) Queen’s Scholars, now King’s Scholars.

The Latin version of the monarch’s name is used so at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, she was greeted with “Vivat, Regina! / Vivat, Regina Elizabetha! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” The Vivat Regina was incorporated into Sir Hubert Parry’s anthem I Was Glad.

The last three Queen Consorts were also acclaimed with their husbands: in 1902 King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra with “Vivat Regina Alexandra” and “Vivat Rex Edwardus”, in 1911 King George V and Queen Mary with “Vivat Regina Maria” and “Vivat Rex Georgius” and in 1937 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with “Vivat Regina Elizabetha” and “Vivat Rex Georgius”.

In the 1990 YouTube video below, Sir Charles Groves conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, and Choristers of Liverpool Cathedral, in I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry followed by the Vivat Regina. The concert is from the 150th birthday celebrations of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II.

• YouTube: Parry ‘I Was Glad’ with “Vivat Regina Elizabetha!”

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Coronation Anthems of George Frederic Handel

Although many composers have written coronation anthems, the best known are the four coronation anthems composed by George Frederic Handel for the coronation of King George II and his wife Queen Caroline on October 11, 1727: Zadok the Priest, Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened, The King Shall Rejoice and My Heart Is Inditing.

George Frederic Handel was born in 1685 in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, then part of Brandenburg-Prussia, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Handel, a Baroque composer, is well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. He received his musical training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712, where he spent the majority of his career. In 1723, Handel was appointed as Composer of Music for the Chapel Royal by King George I.

In February 1727, King George I arranged for Handel to become a British subject via the passing of Handel’s Naturalisation Act 1727. Five months later, King George I died and his son succeeded him as King George II. In 1727, Handel was commissioned to write four anthems for the coronation of King George II. One of the anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been played at every British coronation ceremony since the coronation of King George II in 1727.

George Frederic Handel died on April 14, 1759, aged 74, at his home at 25 Brook Street in Mayfair, London, England. His funeral at Westminster Abbey was attended by more than three thousand people. Handel was given full state honors and was interred at Westminster Abbey in the south transept known as the Poets’ Corner.

Handel picked the texts for the four coronation anthems from the texts of music used at the coronation of King James II in 1685. His four coronation anthems were immediately popular and were regularly played in concerts during Handel’s life.

Zadok the Priest

Zadok the Priest is the most famous of the anthems and is every bit as rousing as Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from the oratorio The Messiah. The text of Zadok the Priest comes from the biblical account of the anointing of King Solomon of ancient Israel by Zadok, the High Priest of Israel, and the prophet Nathan, and the rejoicing of the Israelites. These words have been used in every English coronation since that of King Edgar the Peaceful at Bath Abbey in 973, and Handel’s setting has been used at every British coronation since 1727, traditionally performed just prior to the sovereign’s anointing.

From 1 Kings 1:34-45:

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king.
And all the people rejoiced and said:
God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King!
May the King live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.

• YouTube: Zadok The Priest – Queen’s Elizabeth II coronation 1953

Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened

The text of Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened is from Psalm 89. It is divided into three parts: a cheerful light beginning, a melancholy, slow middle section, and a closing Alleluia part.

Let thy hand be strengthened and thy right hand be exalted.
Let justice and judgment be the preparation of thy seat!
Let mercy and truth go before thy face.
Let justice, judgment, mercy and truth go before thy face.
Alleluia.

• YouTube: Handel Let thy hand be strengthened

The King Shall Rejoice

The text of The King Shall Rejoice is from Psalm 21. The first part is full of festive pomp and fanfares and uses the full force of the choir and orchestra. The second part is gentler, with no trumpets and drums. The third part opens radiantly, tells of the king’s coronation with a crown of pure gold, and ends in a fugue. The fourth part is a fugue with the instruments being added one by one. The fifth part is a double fugue, two melodies simultaneously played against each other right from the start, ending in a closing ‘Alleluia’ that was to be played at the precise moment the king was crowned.

The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord.
Exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.
Glory and great worship hast thou laid upon him.
Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness
and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
Alleluia.

• YouTube: Handel The king shall rejoice

My Heart is Inditing

My Heart is Inditing uses a text developed by Henry Purcell for the 1685 coronation of King James II, consisting of verses from Psalm 45 and the Book of Isaiah (chapter 49, verse 23). It was originally sung at the end of the coronation of Queen Caroline, with adaptations to the text by Handel to make the words more appropriate for a queen.

My heart is inditing of a good matter:
I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.
Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women
Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in vesture of gold
and the King shall have pleasure in thy beauty.
Kings shall be thy nursing fathers
and queens thy nursing mothers.

• YouTube: Handel My heart is inditing

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Music at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

May 1953: The choirboys of Westminster Abbey rehearsing for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

* indicates first performance

Orchestral music played before the service:

• Chaconne from King Arthur by Henry Purcell
• Trumpet Tune by Henry Purcell
• March Crown Imperial by William Walton
• Fantasia on the Alleluia Hymn by Gordon Jacob
• Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holst
• Epic March by John Ireland
• Regalia Procession: Oh Most Merciful by Charles Wood
• Regalia Procession: Litany for Five Voices by Thomas Tallis
• March from Pomp and Circumstance Number 2 by Edward Elgar
• Idyll ‘Banks of Green Willow’ by George Butterworth
• *Processional by Arthur Bliss
• Greensleeves arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Nimrod by Edward Elgar
• *March: Orb and Sceptre by William Walton
• Music for the Royal Fireworks: Overture and Minuet by George Frederic Handel

Music during the coronation:

• Fanfare I
• Anthem: I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry
• Fanfares II, III, IV, V
• Introit: *Behold, O God our Defender by Herbert Howells
• Gradual: *Let My Prayer Come Up by William Harris
• The Creed (from Mass in G Minor) by Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Come, Holy Ghost: VIII Mode Melody arranged by Sir Ernest Bullock
• Zadok the Priest by George Frederic Handel
• *Confortare by George Dyson
• Rejoice in the Lord by John Redford
• O Clap Your Hands Together by Orlando Gibbons
• I Will Not Leave You Comfortless by William Byrd
• *O Lord Our Governour by Healey Willan
• Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace by Samuel Sebastian Wesley
• Homage Fanfare VII based on the Scots tune ‘Montrose’
• Hymn: All People That on Earth Do Dwell arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Versicles & Responses, Sanctus by Ralph Vaughan Williams
• *O Taste and See by Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Gloria in Excelsis by Charles Villiers Stanford
• Three-Fold Amen by Orlando Gibbons
• *Te Deum by William Walton
• Fanfare VIII and God Save The Queen arranged by Gordon Jacob
• Fanfares I to VII were composed by Sir Ernest Bullock

Orchestral music after the service:

• March: Pomp and Circumstance Number 1 by Edward Elgar
• *Coronation March by Sir Arnold Bax
• March: Pomp and Circumstance Number 4 by Edward Elgar

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Music at the Coronation of King Charles III

The music at the coronation of King Charles III, who was very much involved in the music selection, will feature twelve new orchestral, choral, and organ pieces commissioned for the coronation including a coronation anthem based on Psalm 98 by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd Webber.

• British Monarchy: New Music Commissions for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey

One of the liturgical sections of the ceremony will be performed in Welsh in tribute to King Charles III’s long tenure as Prince of Wales. At King Charles III’s request, Greek Orthodox music will be included in tribute to his late father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince.

Other contemporary composers who wrote new music for King Charles III’s coronation include:

• Sarah Clas
• Iain Farrington
• Nigel Hess
• Sir Karl Jenkins
• Paul Mealor
• Tarik O’Regan
• Roxanna Panufnik
• Shirley Thompson
• Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music
• Roderick Williams
• Debbie Wiseman

Tradition requires that the music of the following past composers be included:

• William Byrd
• Sir Henry Walford Davies
• Sir Edward Elgar
• George Frederic Handel
• Sir Hubert Parry
• Sir William Walton
• Ralph Vaughan Williams

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• Coronation Anthem (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_anthem (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• Coronation Anthem – Handel’s Coronation Anthems (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_anthem#Handel’s_coronation_anthems (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• Coronation of Charles III and Camilla (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_Charles_III_and_Camilla (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• Dunn, Charlotte. (2023) Coronation Music at Westminster Abbey, The Royal Family. Available at: https://www.royal.uk/coronation-music-westminster-abbey (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• George Frideric Handel (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• I Was Glad (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_was_glad (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• (no date) Music at the Coronation of English and British Kings and Queens. Available at: https://www.oremus.org/coronation/music/ (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
• Music Played at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (no date). Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/media/5250/elizabeth-ii-coronation-1953-music-full-list.pdf (Accessed: April 10, 2023).
• Strong, Roy. (2005, 2022) Coronation – A History of the British Monarchy. London: William Collins.
• Vivat! Westminster Scholars’ Role in the Coronation (no date) Westminster School Archive. Available at: http://archiveblog.westminster.org.uk/?p=504 (Accessed: April 9, 2023).

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Check out all our British coronation articles at the link below:

• Unofficial Royalty: British Coronations

History of Westminster Abbey

First known as St. Peter’s Abbey, Westminster Abbey in London, England was founded by Benedictine monks in 960 under the patronage of King Edgar the Peaceful (reigned 943 – 975) and St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. In the 1040s, King Edward, better known as St. Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042 – 1066), built his royal palace nearby St. Peter’s Abbey on the banks of the River Thames on land known as Thorney Island. Later the medieval Palace of Westminster sat upon the site and today the Houses of Parliament (the formal name is still the  Palace of Westminster) is there.

Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St. Peter’s Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church. This church became known as the “west minster” to distinguish it from (old) St. Paul’s Cathedral (the east minster) in the City of London. See Wikipedia: Minster. The new church was consecrated on December 28, 1065. Too ill to attend the consecration, Edward the Confessor died on January 5, 1066, and was buried before the high altar of his new church the day after his death.

The Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor

In 1245, King Henry III started the construction of the second and present Westminster Abbey in the new Gothic style of architecture. The second church was designed to be not only a place of worship and a monastery but also a place for the coronation and burial of monarchs. This church was consecrated on October 13, 1269, and on that day, King Henry III oversaw a grand ceremony to rebury Edward the Confessor in a magnificent new shrine, directly behind the high altar, and he personally helped to carry the body to its new resting place. Edward the Confessor’s shrine survives and around his shrine were interred five kings and four queens, including King Henry III.

Westminster Abbey has been Britain’s coronation church since 1066. From King William I (the Conqueror) to King Charles III, all monarchs except for two have been crowned in Westminster Abbey. Twelve-year-old King Edward V was presumed murdered in the Tower of London before he could be crowned. King Edward VIII abdicated eleven months after succeeding his father, before his scheduled coronation date.

For more information see Unofficial Royalty: Westminster Abbey in London, England

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The Coronation Theatre

• YouTube: Westminster Abbey: Spotlight on Coronations – The Coronation Theatre

Like many other Christian churches, Westminster Abbey is built in the shape of a cross. This space where coronations happen is at the point in which the two parts of the cross meet, at the very center of Westminster Abbey, in front of the High Altar

The Cosmati Pavement in front of the High Altar was laid down in 1268 during King Henry III’s rebuilding of Westminster Abbey. The mosaic workers came from Rome, with a man called Odoricus as the foreman. The pavement is an inlaid mosaic stone decoration known as Cosmati work, named after one of the Italian families of craftsmen who specialized in it. It is abstract in design and differs from ancient Roman and earlier medieval mosaic work that consisted of square stones of equal size. It is here that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair, is placed, facing the High Altar, on which the monarch sits for the majority of the service. Photos from recent coronations show the Cosmati Pavement covered.

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The Coronation Chair

• YouTube: Westminster Abbey – The Coronation Chair

King Edward I’s relentless, but unsuccessful campaign to assert his overlordship over Scotland was resisted by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, (later King Robert I of Scotland) but it gave him one of his nicknames, “Hammer of the Scots.” In 1296, Edward I captured the Stone of Scone, an oblong block of red sandstone that was used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. It was kept at the now-ruined Scone Abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. Edward took the Stone of Scone back to England and placed it in the care of the Abbot of Westminster Abbey.

An oaken chair, called the Coronation Chair, King Edward’s Chair, or St. Edward’s Chair, was made by order of King Edward I to enclose the Stone of Scone. Originally the chair had images of birds, foliage, and animals on a gilt ground. The figure of a king, either Edward the Confessor or King Edward I, his feet resting on a lion, was painted on the back. The four gilt lions on the legs were made in 1727 to replace the original lions which were not added to the chair until the early 16th century. The chair has been in use at coronations since 1308 although opinion is divided as to when it was actually used for the crowning. However, since the coronation of King Henry IV in 1399, the monarch has been crowned in the chair. Originally the Coronation Chair was kept in St. Edward’s Chapel at Westminster Abbey, the site of the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor directly behind the High Altar. The Coronation Chair is now kept in a specially-built enclosure in St. George’s Chapel at the west end of the nave, near the main doors of Westminster Abbey.

In 1996, 700 years after it was taken, the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland. It is kept at Edinburgh Castle in the Crown Room alongside the crown jewels of Scotland (the Honours of Scotland). An agreement was made that the Stone of Scone will be returned to Westminster Abbey and placed in the Coronation Chair for future coronations, and then it will be returned to Edinburgh Castle.

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Seating Capacity

Westminster Abbey has a seating capacity of 2,200. At the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, there were approximately 8,000 guests. Besides the British royal family and other family members, all peers and their wives, all members of the British parliament, representatives from the many nations of the Commonwealth of Nations, heads of state or their representatives, foreign royalty, and members of Parliament from the Queen’s various legislatures, among others, were invited to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

A view of some of the tiered seating at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

Westminster Abbey was closed for five months prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation so that the construction needed for 8,000 guests could be completed. Tiered seating, similar to stadium seating, had to be constructed to accommodate all the guests. The coronation of King Charles II in 1661 was the first time that tiered seating was constructed in the transepts so that the congregation could see the ceremony.

The use of tiered seating is no longer possible. Safety regulations at Westminster Abbey now restrict the seating capacity to 2,000 so the guest list was severely limited. Peers were in uproar as only a minority were invited to King Charles III’s coronation.

Before the coronation of King Charles III, Westminster Abbey was closed to visitors from April 25, 2023 – May 7, 2023 for preparations and rehearsals.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• The Coronation Chair (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/the-coronation-chair (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• Coronation Theatre (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/spotlight-on-coronations/coronation-theatre (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• Cosmati Pavement (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/cosmati-pavement (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• En.wikipedia.org. 2021. List of British coronations – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_coronations> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Westminster Abbey – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• Flantzer, Susan. (2021) Westminster Abbey in London, England, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/westminster-abbey-in-london-england/ (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
• Fox, Adam, 1984. Westminster Abbey. Andover: Pitkin Pictorials.
• Jenkyns, Richard, 2005. Westminster Abbey. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
• Westminster Abbey. 2021. A royal church | Westminster Abbey. [online] Available at: <https://www.westminster-abbey.org/> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).