Revealed the secrets of the coronation of King Charles III: the ceremony in a new way

The shortened coronation of King Charles III has been leaked to the British press: the ceremony will last a little over an hour – instead of the usual four – while ancient rituals are abolished and the guest list is reduced by 6,000 people. Ancient and time-consuming rituals, including the presentation of gold bars to the monarch, will be cancelled. A looser dress code is also being discussed. It is assumed that the son of the late Elizabeth II wants his coronation to set the tone for the modern monarchy.

The abbreviated coronation of King Charles will last a little over an hour, reports The Mail on Sunday. The coronation service at Westminster Abbey next year will feature fewer secret rituals and be significantly shorter than Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation ceremony in 1953.

King Charles III is supposed to want his coronation to set the tone for a modern monarchy while retaining some of the pomp and grandeur that stunned the world during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

The plan, known as Operation Golden Sphere, is set to drastically cut the coronation ceremony from three hours to just over an hour, the Mail on Sunday has learned. The guest list for the ceremony is likely to be reduced from 8,000 to 2,000, with hundreds of nobles and parliamentarians excluded from the invitees.

There have been discussions about a more relaxed dress code, with peers perhaps being allowed to wear business suits instead of ceremonial robes; Ancient and time-consuming rituals, including handing gold bars to the monarch, will be shortened to save time.

The new king’s eldest son, Prince William, is likely to play an important role in planning the ceremony.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place seven decades ago, was largely based on the coronation of her father, King George VI, in 1937, which in turn was modeled after the coronation of King George V in 1911.

But palace insiders say the Duke of Norfolk, who as Earl Marshal (Chief of Ceremonies and President of the Heraldic Chamber) presides over the coronation, has been tasked with preparing a simpler, shorter and more varied ceremony that reflects modern Britain.

“The king cut most of the coronation short in recognition that the world has changed in the last 70 years,” one senior source told the Mail on Sunday.

In 1953, during the coronation of Elizabeth II, about 8,000 peers and commoners spent more than three hours in Westminster Abbey on makeshift pews and makeshift platforms. In contrast, Charles III’s coronation is expected to last a little over an hour, with only 2,000 guests and dignitaries attending. Among those who will miss the ceremony will be MPs and colleagues who are likely to be told they cannot be guaranteed a seat, writes the Mail on Sunday.

The ceremony is expected to be more religiously and culturally diverse. Although the 1953 coronation required the Queen to make various dress changes, the source says, “King Charles is unlikely to do the same and the language will be adapted to be understandable to a more modern audience.”

Some key coronation rituals would be retained, including the anointing of the monarch, who would swear to be the “protector of that faith” (i.e. Anglican) and not merely the “defender of the faith” as previously suggested. The golden state coach of 1762, which was refurbished at great expense for the platinum jubilee of the recently deceased queen, will also once again be part of the coronation procession.

Other long-standing traditions are likely to be abolished. Thus, the traditional presentation of gold to the monarch is likely to disappear. In 1952 it was reported that “a pound or piece of gold weighing a pound” was presented to the monarch by the Lord Chief Chamberlain before being placed on the altar. A source said, “In an era where people are having difficulty, this will not happen.”

The velvet chairs made especially for the 1953 coronation are likely to be replaced by standard seats.

The dress code at the coronation of Charles III will be less strict than seventy years ago. According to the Mail On Sunday, there have been discussions about relaxing the requirement for peers to wear the so-called coronation robes. The source stated: “No coronation robes. Give them to the museum where they belong. It will not be a tweed jacket and jeans, but a dress suit for men or a business suit.”

Other experts have suggested that peers might instead wear their ermine-trimmed parliamentary robes.

Speaking about how the guest list will be reduced, the source added: “There are about 700 peers, but not all of them will be there. The same with the deputies: all of them will not be invited, because he is not crowned for them. He is crowned for the people.”

Seventy years ago, Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip played an important role in chairing the Privy Council’s coronation committee, which oversaw many of the ceremonial preparations for the occasion. A great modernizer, he agreed that the service should be televised. This time, as heir to the throne, Prince William is expected to play an important role on the committee. Meanwhile, as The Mail on Sunday reported in February, the king’s wife Camilla will be crowned as queen consort along with her husband.