All eyes are on the coronation of King Charles III later this week, many religions and languages will be represented at the ceremony.
King Charles III, eager to demonstrate he can be a unifying figure for all in the UK, will be crowned in a ceremony which will feature the active participation of denominations other than the Church of England for the first time.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office said on Saturday that Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders will take part in various sections of the coronation as it released details of a service it described as an act of worship Christian who will represent contemporary culture, according to a report by Associated press.
Here’s everything you need to know about the coronation ceremony:
king’s procession
The coronation of King Charles III and his wife Camilla as Queen on Saturday May 6 is the centerpiece of a weekend of events to mark the occasion.
The day begins with the “King’s Procession” – a 1.3 mile (two kilometer) journey from Buckingham Palace in central London to Westminster Abbey, AFP reports.
The couple will travel in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, drawn by six Windsor Gray horses and escorted by members of the King’s bodyguard, the Household Cavalry.
They will arrive for the start of the ceremony at 11:00 a.m.
Ceremony and guests
Charles will be crowned at 12:00 p.m. and the service, led by the Church of England’s most senior cleric, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, will end at 1:00 p.m.
Some 2,000 people, from foreign leaders and royalty to elected officials and representatives of civil society, will be inside the abbey.
The gratitude
The ceremony has remained largely the same for over 1,000 years.
The king will first be introduced to the congregation, who will respond with shouts of “God Save the King!”
The oath
The monarch will then take the coronation oath. The wording has varied over the centuries.
In response to a series of questions from the Archbishop, Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, swore in 1953 to rule by law, administer justice with mercy, and uphold the Church of England.
She also swore to govern the realms and territories of the Commonwealth where she was also head of state “according to their respective laws and customs”.
Anointing
The sovereign, seated in King Edward’s chair (the coronation chair) under a canopy, is then “anointed, blessed and consecrated” by the archbishop.
The consecrated oil is administered using a silver-gilt spoon from the 12th century which is the oldest artifact among the crown jewels.
The anointing will be “the only part of the ceremony that the public won’t see,” Welby said.
A screen will cover Charles at this time, and the anointing will not be visible on television or to most people in the abbey except for a few senior clergy.
“When the screen which will surround the coronation chair is removed, the King is revealed to all of us as one who has taken on the responsibility of serving God and serving the people,” a Lambeth Palace spokesman said. on the usual condition of anonymity.
This will be followed by the presentation of the coronation regalia, sacred objects like the orb and the scepter which symbolize the power and responsibilities of the monarch.
In another innovation that reflects the changing religious landscape in Britain, members of the House of Lords from Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions will present items to the king without explicit Christian symbolism.
The Coronation Chair was made in 1300. Beneath it is the “Stone of Destiny”, an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy seized by King Edward I.
Investiture
After receiving the sovereign’s orb and sceptres, which represent his spiritual and temporal powers, the monarch has the crown of St. Edward placed on his head.
The Induction
The monarch ascends the throne.
The tribute
The Archbishop, royal princes and leading members of the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, kneel and pledge their allegiance.
Camilla will then be crowned separately in a similar but simpler ceremony.
The coronation procession
The King and Queen will return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach during a larger Coronation Procession.
The carriage, used for the first time in 1762, weighs four tons and will be pulled by eight Windsor Greys, at pace.
They will be joined by other members of the Royal Family and some 4,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers in full dress.
At the palace, they will appear on the balcony at around 2.15pm to wave to the crowds and watch a Royal Air Force flyby.
Family
Charles’ two sons from his first marriage to Princess Diana – the heir apparent to Prince William and Prince Harry – will both be there.
Harry, present without his wife, Meghan, or their two children, and Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, should not have an official role to play.
But William’s nine-year-old son Prince George, second in line to the throne, is one of the king’s four pages.
Three of Camilla’s grandchildren — Gus, Louis and Freddy — and her great-nephew Arthur are among her pages.
Long weekend
On Sunday May 7, neighborhood street parties – “The Big Coronation Lunch” – will take place across the UK.
At 8:00 p.m., Windsor Castle, west London, hosts some 10,000 people for a Coronation Concert, featuring artists such as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Take That and Andrea Bocelli.
Monday, May 8 has been declared a public holiday. The Royal Family has called on Britons to volunteer in their communities.
AFP, Associated Press contributed to this report
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