Royalists everywhere are extremely excited for King Charles’ upcoming coronation on May 6.
In the meantime, here are 10 things you need to know before the historic event kicks off!
WATCH: King Charles state banquet speech
1. A very royal emoji
Charles has promised the modernisation of the monarchy, and it is finally coming to fruition in the form of an emoji. When royal fans use the official palace hashtag #Coronation on Twitter they will be treated to a colourful cartoon motif which depicts the 17th-century jewelled solid gold St Edward’s Crown with purple velvet cap.
2. Old & new carriages confirmed
The King and Queen Consort will travel to the coronation at Westminster Abbey in a very comfortable carriage. Their majesties will ride in the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach, before returning in the Gold State Coach used in every coronation since the 1830s. Thankfully, the Jubilee State Coach includes aircon and electric windows.
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3. Ivory sceptre sparks backlash
Camilla has opted to use a controversial ivory sceptre in the coronation ceremony. Wildlife campaigners and online fans were quick to criticise the decision. The move is bold considering William’s long-standing campaign to stop the illegal trafficking of animal parts.
4. Procession cut short
It’s the moment fans in London will be waiting for, but the King and Queen’s carriage procession has been cut down. The journey from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace will be just 2km – nothing when compared to the late Queen’s impressive 8km procession which lasted over two hours.
5. Camilla’s crown nod to queen
Queen Camilla’s coronation crown has been confirmed and it won’t feature the divisive Koh-i-Noor diamond. The palace has announced she will be crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown. In a special touch, the sparkler is set to also include diamonds once adorned by Queen Elizabeth.
6. A symbol of spring
The invitations for the coronation are out and if you are one of the lucky 2000 guests you would have noticed the intricate artwork it includes. Amid a meadow, the main focus of the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring, rebirth and a new reign.
7. Aussie antics
In an interesting move, South Australia’s government, led by Premier Peter Malinauskas has given the monarch a new title! The Lower House will refer to Charles as ‘the sovereign’ rather than ‘His Majesty’. This change is one of many, as the SA parliament has removed gender-specific terms such as ‘he’ and ‘she’.
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8. Tools of the trade
No amount of modernisation is going to see the ousting of the coronation regalia which the palace have confirmed will be on show come May 6. Everything from the Sovereign’s Orb, the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the extremely old Coronation Spoon, from 1649, will be included during the sacred ceremony.
9. Take That’s in, Robbie’s out!
After refusals from artists such as Adele and Elton John, Take That has been confirmed to rock on at the official coronation concert. However, reports maintain that despite negotiations, Robbie Williams is unlikely to join his band – leaving Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald to perform.
10. Where to watch
His mother’s coronation was the first-ever televised ceremony and King Charles’ big day is sure to be a ratings bonanza! The coronation will be broadcast on television via the ABC, Channel Ten and Channel Seven.
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You can also tune in to the proceedings from home with streaming service BritBox via live coverage direct from the UK along with full replay and highlights.
Stream the coronation on BritBox with a 7 day free trial. Subscribe here.
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea!
