King Charles III, Queen Camilla crowned at Westminster Abbey, London
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have been crowned as the King and Queen of the UK and other Commonwealth realms at a service in Westminster Abbey in the first Coronation service for nearly 70 years.
The coronation of King Charles III on Saturday is a rite to enthrone a new monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last September, 2022.
Amid skepticism among the young about the role and relevance of the monarchy, the more than 1,000-year-old event was simplified. There was also more of an emphasis on diversity than there was in the previous such ceremony held 70 years ago.
King Charles left Buckingham Palace in central London with his wife Queen Consort Camilla in a horse-drawn carriage and traveled two kilometers to Westminster Abbey, passing cheering crowds.
The coronation started at 11 a.m., local time. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the principal leader of the Church of England, declared Charles the king, and the congregation cheered “God save the king.”
The number of participants in the coronation was cut to about 2,200, or a quarter of the participants in the ceremony for Queen Elizabeth. The distance the carriage traveled this time was also cut significantly, which is seen as a cost-cutting measure.
