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- King Charles III will be coronated on May 6.
- The ceremony will begin around 11 am BST, meaning those in the States will have to get up early.
- Prince Harry will attend the ceremony without his wife, Meghan Markle.
Long live the king. Though Prince Charles assumed the mantle of King Charles III following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – and seated upon the throne shortly afterward – his official coronation has yet to be held. That all will change on May 6, when the United Kingdom ushers in the reign of King Charles after his coronation.
“I cannot help but feel the weight of history, which surrounds us,” said King Charles in Sept. 2022, when he and Camila, Queen Consort, sat upon the British thrones for the first time. “While very young, her late Majesty pledged herself to serve her country and her people and to maintain the precious principles of constitutional government which lie at the heart of our nation,” the new monarch said. “This vow, she kept with unsurpassed devotion. She set an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsels I am resolved faithfully to follow.”
News of Charles’ coronation came in October 2022, a month after the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the Coronation of His Majesty The King will occur on Saturday 6th May 2023. The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort,” read the statement released by Buckingham Palace. “The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”
Amid all the drama surrounding Prince Harry‘s tell-all memoir, and the falling out between him and his family, Harry will be in attendance on May 6. “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey,” the British palace said. “The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.” Coincidentally, May 6 marks Prince Archie’s birthday. Harry and Meghan Markle‘s son turns 4 in 2023.
With that said, what will those in the U.S. do when it all goes down? Will royal watchers in the United States be able to see this moment in history? Read on.
Will King Charles’s Coronation Be Televised
The BBC will live up to its name by broadcasting the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. So, it stands to reason that the British Broadcasting Corporation’s American counterpart, BBC America, will cover it.
While it’s not confirmed as of Apr. 18, American news outlets – NBC, ABC, Fox News, etc. – will likely cover the coronation the same way they covered the Queen’s funeral in September 2022. More information will likely become available closer to the crowning Date.
However, Cosmopolitan U.K. notes that one element won’t be broadcast: the anointing.
“During the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the Archbishop of Canterbury will pour holy oil from the Ampulla (a special vessel) into the Coronation Spoon (a silver-gilt spoon that dates back to 1349). The Archbishop will then anoint Charles on the hands, chest, and head, with this serving to emphasize the ‘spiritual status’ that the sovereign holds. The tradition harks back centuries, and up until the 17th century, it was believed that sovereigns were appointed directly by God,” writes Jade Biggs for the publication. It’s a private ceremony, and reportedly, efforts have been made to keep it that way.
Will it be online? Sky News may show it via their live YouTube stream. The Telegraph reports that rolling news coverage of the coronation will be covered on ITV’s “social media platforms.” Nothing is 100% confirmed at this point.
What Time Is King Charles’ Coronation on T.V.?
The exact timing will be released closer to the coronation. When Queen Elizabeth II was coronated, the ceremony occurred at 11:15 am BST. This means that those in America will have to get up early to watch it: 6 am E.T. on the East Coast and 3 am P.T. on the West Coast.
In addition to the service, there will be parades to and from the abbey. King Charles and Queen Consort Camila will appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, according to the Washington Post. This marks the first time a coronation happened on the weekend since 1902 when Edward VII was crowned.
King Charles Coronation Performers
A televised concert will take place on the evening of May 7, per the Washington Post, commemorating the coronation. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and the Manchester pop group Take That (which featured Robbie Williams) will perform. Andrea Bocelli and the Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel are also scheduled, with more acts possibly set to join the group.
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