New Delhi: The coronation of King Charles III – and his wife, Camilla, the queen consort – is all set to take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
Charles automatically ascended to the throne when Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, and was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch two days later in an ascension ceremony broadcast for the first time on television.
A hundred heads of state are expected to attend the coronation along with royalty ranging from Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Kiko, to Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
The US will keep alive its streak of a president never attending a British royal coronation, although first lady Jill Biden is set to attend.
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With just a day left for the Coronation, let's take a look at some interesting facts about the King, the Queen Consort, and the history of Coronations, as per the official website of the Royal Family:
- The former Prince Charles became heir apparent (next in line to the throne) at the age of three years old in 1952, and went on to become the longest-serving Prince of Wales in 2017. His Majesty was the first heir to see his mother crowned as Sovereign.
- At the age of 16 years, The King undertook his first official Royal duty in June 1965, attending a student garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- The King, as Prince of Wales, was given the title, 'Keeper of the Cows', by the Masai in Tanzania in 2011 to recognise his work as a farmer.
- The King also had a frog named after him: Hyloscirtus Princecherlesi or Prince Charles Magnificent Tree Frog.
- For the first time since 1937, the coronation of King Charles III will include the crowing of a Queen Consort. Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, was the last Queen Consort to be crowned.
- Westminster Abbey has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066. Before the Abbey was built, Coronations were carried out wherever was convenient, taking place in Bath, Oxford and Canterbury.
- Steeped in history and tradition, the St. Edward's Crown, made in 1661, will be placed on the head of The King during the Coronation service. It weighs 4 pounds and 12 ounces, or about 2.2kg, and is made of solid gold. The St. Edward’s Crown has been used in the coronation of every British monarch since the coronation of King Charles II.
- The Queen Consort will wear Queen Mary’s Crown at the Coronation. It is the first time a Consort’s crown has been re-used since the 18th century – and will feature diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection.
- The first photograph of a coronation was taken during that of George V in the early 20th century by Sir Benjamin Stone, an MP and amateur photographer.
- Coronation Chicken was invented for the guests who were to be entertained, following Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation. The food had to be prepared in advance, and Florist Constance Spry proposed a recipe of cold chicken in a curry cream sauce with a well-seasoned dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs. Constance Spry's recipe won the approval of the Minister of Works and has since been known as Coronation Chicken.
- The Coronation Emblem for His Majesty’s 2023 Coronation was designed by Sir Jony Ive, who was formerly the Chief Design Officer of Apple, Inc.
- For hundreds of years, the monarch stayed at the Tower of London two nights before the coronation. The day before the coronation, the monarch then processed through London to Westminster. This last happened in 1661 with Charles II.