With less than a month to go until King Charles’ coronation, more details have been released about how the day will unfold and what he and Camilla, soon to be crowned queen, will wear.
The ceremony, which is set for May 6 at Westminster Abbey, will follow a grand procession that will start from Buckingham Palace, officials announced on Sunday.
King Charles and Camilla will travel to the abbey in the Diamond Jubilee Coach pulled by six Windsor Grey horses, according to the palace press release.
It’s the same carriage that was created for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th anniversary on the throne in 2012.
The procession will pass by Admiralty Arch and run along Parliament Street before arriving at Westminster Abbey, where the coronation service will kick off at 11 a.m. British time (6 a.m. Eastern).
After the coronation is complete, another procession will follow the same route back to Buckingham Palace.
For that, a heavier Gold State Coach will be drawn by eight horses. That carriage has been used at every coronation since 1831.
To wrap up the day’s festivities, the couple will be greeted upon their return to Buckingham Palace with a royal salute by members from the British armed forces and representatives from Commonwealth militaries followed by three cheers from the assembled service personnel.
What will Charles and Camilla wear?
In addition to the procession routes, the palace also revealed details about the crown jewels that will be on display as the king and queen are crowned.
King Charles will wear a ring composed of a sapphire with a ruby cross set in diamonds.
His orb will be made of gold and divided into three sections with bands of jewels. He will use two different sceptres.
FILE – The Koh-i-noor, or “mountain of light,” diamond, set in the Maltese Cross at the front of the crown made for Britain’s late Queen Mother Elizabeth, is seen on her coffin, along with her personal standard, a wreath and a note from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, as it is drawn to London’s Westminster Hall, April 5, 2002.
AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File
As per tradition and as previously announced, the king will wear St Edward’s crown at the coronation service in Westminster Abbey.
It is the same crown his mother wore at her coronation in 1953.
It has a purple velvet cap and an ermine band. The crown’s gold frame is set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines.
At the end of the coronation service, Charles will swap that with the Imperial State Crown, which is also fitted with a purple velvet cap and an ermine band and adorned with jewels.
Meanwhile, Camilla’s ring is a ruby in gold setting.
As previously announced, she has chosen to wear Queen Mary’s Crown, which is undergoing some minor changes and additions ahead of the coronation.
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Saba Aziz
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