Charles And Camilla Have Officially Been Crowned As The King And Queen Of The UK
The two-hour coronation was the UK’s first in 70 years.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have been officially crowned in a deeply grand and religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London.
The two-hour coronation on Saturday May 6 was the UK’s first in 70 years.
Charles assumed the throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
Besides the crowning of the King and Queen, the event included traditions such as the orb and sceptre and the gilded Sword of State.
In one part not seen to the public, King Charles was shielded by screens and anointed with holy oils by the Archbishop of Canterbury in what the Palace said was a sacred “moment between the Sovereign and God.”
After the King was crowned, Prince William pledged his loyalty to his father, kissing him on his cheek.
Prince Harry attended the ceremony, but not his wife Meghan Markle.
The Duke of Sussex was seated two rows back from his brother, Prince William, and promptly flew back to the US after the ceremony.
The event was attended by 90 heads of states, according to the UK’s Foreign Office. They included French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the leaders of Commonwealth countries.
Other notable guests included US First Lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter and the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.
Celebrity guests included actress Emma Thompson and American singer Katy Perry.
Following the coronation service, the King and Queen appeared from the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside members of the royal family and waved to the crowds.
The day was marked by celebratory events across the UK including a concert with Lionel Richie, Perry and Take That.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in London to celebrate the once-in-a-generation event.
However, dozens of anti-monarchy protesters who had gathered in a “Not My King” demonstration were arrested by police.
Reuters reported that police had said that “their duty to prevent disruption outweighed the right to protest,” which has drawn criticism from rights groups.
“This was a heavy-handed action which had the appearance of a pre-determined arrest that would have occurred regardless of the evidence or our actions. The right to protest peacefully in the UK no longer exists,” Republic, the UK’s biggest anti-monarchy group, said in a statement.
“These arrests were not about protecting people from harm, but about protecting the King from embarrassment,” it added.
