The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, 6 May 2023

[FigTree]

And then the little lad joined the chorus to sing like an angel. What a legend.

Samuel absolutely amazing. Only person who memorised their line.

Longest serving member of The St James choristers amazing. I didn’t even know that was how coronations got started.

 

[Erin9]

The clip of the Wales leaving the house is so cute!

*wave directly to the camera* not in front of the door!! in the carriage!!



And the boy on the balcony talking to the crowned king about planes.



Also tremendous claps for the boy who started off the coronation with “Your Majesty, as children of the kingdom of God, we welcome you in the name of king of kings.”

I would love to know what Charlotte is so excited about. So cute. Whoever put together the video did a great job.

The Coronation was the majestic occasion I hoped it would be. The music, in particular, was spectacular.

Very well done.

 

[Iain]

I'm following it through BBC world for the last 3 hours. They totally missed entrance of all foreign royals and they didn't show almost none of them inside, except some glances from far. Strange

Typical of the BBC. They think that people in the UK aren't interested in foriegn royals.

 

[Mbruno]

It hasn't been abandoned at all. In the Tridentine Mass the priest faces God, not the congregation and it is far more reverent. In Eastern Rite churches the consecration takes place behind a screen and you can't see the priest.

That is exactly what I meant. The priest's turning its back to the Congregation during the consecration was how it was done in the Tridentine Mass. Post the Second Vatican Council, it is rarely seen. You never see the Pope of all people do it when celebrating Mass for example.


And it surprises me to see it in the Church of England or the Scandinavian churches because that seems inconsistent with what I would assume are the teachings of the Reformation itself, and makes a Protestant church look more "conservative" than the contemporary Catholic church.


Another thing is how one still sees rood screens (or choir screens) in Protestant churches blocking the view of the altar, as in Westminster Abbey. Those screens, I believe, were removed from most, if not all (parochial) Catholic churches a long time ago (by the time of the Counter-Reformation) as the high altar is supposed to be visible to all worshippers.


Anyway I don't want to get into a debate about that as I am no expert either.

 

[sarahedwards2]

My biggest memories of this coronation will be:

- the music. It was incredible. A wonderful choice of pieces so beautifully performed
- seeing the symbolism within the ceremony (objects, the crowning itself) and at the beginning (the parade of realms and the varied faith leaders)
- Prince William's interaction with Charles after swearing the oath: the kiss on the cheek and Charles' reaction
- watching King Charles' emotions through the ceremony (his mother was more stoic in the footage I've seen of her coronation)

I was born 3 years after the Queen's coronation and I realize that this might be the only coronation I ever witness live. Although I'm not a monarchist, it's a piece of history.

I wasn’t expecting to see Camilla curtsy to Charles!

 

[FigTree]

That is exactly what I meant. The priest's turning back to the Congregation during the consecration was how it was done in the Tridentine Mass. Post the Second Vatican Council, it is rarely seen. You never see the Pope of all people do it when celebrating Mass for example.


And it surprises me to see it in the Church of England or the Scandinavian churches because that seems inconsistent with what I would assume are the teachings of the Reformation itself, and makes a Protestant church look more "conservative" than the contemporary Catholic church.


Another thing is how one still sees rood screens (or choir screens) in Protestant churches blocking the view of the altar, as in Westminster Abbey. Those screens, I believe, were removed from most, if not all (parochial) Catholic churches a long time ago (by the time of the Counter-Reformation) as the high altar is supposed to be visible to all worshippers.


Anyway I don't want to get into a debate about that as I am no expert either.

I think on simplistic terms. High Anglican is very Catholic. But it hasn’t evolved because mostly church services are low Anglican unless it obviously is communion.

Also the church still has anachronisms. I debated long and hard, as a Catholic, what advent wreath to get a Church of England school…going for red. Only to turn up at a service to see pink and purple. I said it to the reverend and he made a joke about some obvious catholic segment of prayer that was recently removed by the Anglican Bishops.

So really, for all I was told as a child they were so different. They aren’t. Anglican churches have more signing. Priests marry. But the more high Anglican you go. The more catholic, and old style catholic at that, that it gets.

And no lots of churches still have the choirs. They don’t want to destroy ancient buildings. Something the catholics have no problem with. But in actually the Catholic Church never had a problem destroying and rebuilding churches.

 

[LaBettie]

Major Johnny Thompson, of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. He is the King's equerry.

And the Queen’s equerry is Major Oliver Plunket. He sat between the pages and Prince William, overshadowing Will in some shots.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1654951417688252419

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/...ned-with-the-st-edwards-news-photo/1252749695

And the Prince of Wales’ equerry is Lt. Commander Rob Dixon. He sat behind the BRF. You can see him come up the side aisle when Will goes sit down.

Here’s a photo of all three of them, not from the coronation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1653221412646305792

 

[FigTree]

And the Queen’s equerry is Major Oliver Plunket. He sat between the pages and Prince William, overshadowing Will in some shots.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1654951417688252419

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/...ned-with-the-st-edwards-news-photo/1252749695

And the Prince of Wales’ equerry is Lt. Commander Rob Dixon. He sat behind the BRF. You can see him come up the side aisle when Will goes sit down.

Here’s a photo of all three of them, not from the coronation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1653221412646305792

Camilla’s friend helper said that Oliver and Jonathan were amazing with the boys and that they treated them as soldiers who had an important job to do and that the boys took it immensely seriously.

 

[Purrs]

I think on simplistic terms. High Anglican is very Catholic. But it hasn’t evolved because mostly church services are low Anglican unless it obviously is communion.

In Canada, most Anglican churches are "broad" in the middle. You can tell by what they call the communion service "Eucharist" is high; "Holy Communion" is broad and "the Lord's Supper" is low; "Mass" is very high. (The highest church here in Toronto had Healey Willan, the composer as its choirmaster. They refer to themselves as "anglo catholic".) Low Anglican churches don't have communion services as frequently and are more likely to have Morning Prayer. In the various national churches (Anglican communion is decentralized,) there are various "rites" (orders of service) that are approved, some being more modern than others which are traditional (book of Common Prayer).


What a particular church is depends on its traditions. (I've attended all 3 types in my life. I went to a high Anglican church camp where we had to go to 'mass' every morning before breakfast and 2 of our staff were Anglican monks. The other Anglican church camp I went to was broad Anglican. Communion was only on Sunday with no bells or incense and no religious orders on staff.) "High" churches to tend to be traditionalists (after all, Vatican 2 was in the Catholic church.) In a lot of churches, the priest/minister does face the congregation but not always; it depends on the traditions within that church and the priest/minister.


The coronation service struck me as "broad" (in the middle) Anglican (despite facing the altar, not the congregation). There were no "bells and smells" (bells & incense). In high Anglican churches, they ring the bells 3x when they consecrate the host and chalice (timed with kneeling, elevating, kneeling again). They also didn't cross themselves 3x times either when reading the Gospel (don't remember the order but once is over the mouth).

 

[FigTree]

In Canada, most Anglican churches are "broad" in the middle. You can tell by what they call the communion service "Eucharist" is high; "Holy Communion" is broad and "the Lord's Supper" is low; "Mass" is very high. (The highest church here in Toronto had Healey Willan, the composer as its choirmaster. They refer to themselves as "anglo catholic".) Low Anglican churches don't have communion services as frequently and are more likely to have Morning Prayer. In the various national churches (Anglican communion is decentralized,) there are various "rites" (orders of service) that are approved, some being more modern than others which are traditional (book of Common Prayer).


What a particular church is depends on its traditions. (I've attended all 3 types in my life. I went to a high Anglican church camp where we had to go to 'mass' every morning before breakfast and 2 of our staff were Anglican monks. The other Anglican church camp I went to was broad Anglican. Communion was only on Sunday with no bells or incense and no religious orders on staff.) "High" churches to tend to be traditionalists (after all, Vatican 2 was in the Catholic church.) In a lot of churches, the priest/minister does face the congregation but not always; it depends on the traditions within that church and the priest/minister.


The coronation service struck me as "broad" (in the middle) Anglican (despite facing the altar, not the congregation). There were no "bells and smells" (bells & incense). In high Anglican churches, they ring the bells 3x when they consecrate the host and chalice (timed with kneeling, elevating, kneeling again). They also didn't cross themselves 3x times either when reading the Gospel (don't remember the order but once is over the mouth).

They use incense? In all my time alive never seen incense in any Protestant church. It is such a catholic thing.

Well except for the communion part it was pretty typical. But churches do offer communion services. I don’t even think the high anglicans would call it mass. As that is another catholic thing. But maybe I’m wrong. They might.

 

[tommy100]

Typical of the BBC. They think that people in the UK aren't interested in foriegn royals.

I think it is made trickier by the fact the foreign royals started to arrive around the same time Charles and Camilla left BP. They can't show both so choose those the home audience are more familiar with. There are always other live shots of arrivals available on youtube.

I noticed the foreign royals didn't seem to leave via the same door as everyone else at the end? If so, seemed a better solution than at Philip's memorial where they were left waiting.

 

[MonacoRoyalFan]

Commentators today kept saying the British royals are the only ones with relevance. One even asked if the Monarchs in attendance were jealous because they don't have relevance.

What a completely ridiculous thing to say.

Have they not been outside of their island?

Zara and Mike's late night out before the coronation definitely caught up with them! LOL

https://twitter.com/x/status/1654977408229933060

 

[FigTree]

I think it is made trickier by the fact the foreign royals started to arrive around the same time Charles and Camilla left BP. They can't show both so choose those the home audience are more familiar with. There are always other live shots of arrivals available on youtube.

I noticed the foreign royals didn't seem to leave via the same door as everyone else at the end? If so, seemed a better solution than at Philip's memorial where they were left waiting.

Philips memorial was extraordinary with the chaos at the end. Ironically he would have freaked out. However, I did read that it was caused by a road closer so the pick ups were delayed.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Then, why this loveless coronation of the Queen! Before I understood it was her turn it was over... No coming forth to the altar, no anointing, just placing the crown while sitting on the chair of state...

She was anointed - while the Te Deum was being sung and so not shown. She was anointed on the head as the Archbishop said as he finished it and the cameras crossed back to what he was doing.

She was then presented with the ring and sceptres before being crowned and enthroned during which time she passed in front of Charles and curtseyed.

It took about 10 minutes - which is about the same length of time as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mum's took in 1937.

 

[Blog Real]

I found the ceremony very moving, it was also good to see representatives of so many royal houses there.
Attending a ceremony with an almost millenary tradition was magnificent and a privilege. I would love to have been able to be in London this weekend.

Video of Felipe and Letizia arriving at Westminster Abbey for the coronation:

https://www.casareal.es/ES/Actividades/Paginas/actividades_actividades_detalle.aspx?data=15710

 

[Mbruno]

I found the ceremony very moving, it was also good to see representatives of so many royal houses there.
Attending a ceremony with an almost millenary tradition was magnificent and a privilege. I would love to have been able to be in London this weekend.

Video of Felipe and Letizia arriving at Westminster Abbey for the coronation:

https://www.casareal.es/ES/Actividades/Paginas/actividades_actividades_detalle.aspx?data=15710

I found it interesting that, while greeting the foreign royals at the door, Justin Welby just nodded his head discreetly to some of them whereas he would exchange a few words with others whom he clearly seem to have met personally before, like Felipe and Letizia.

 

[ronald biver]

European Royals

Typical of the BBC. They think that people in the UK aren't interested in foriegn royals.

More Asian & Pacific/Middle Eastern "royals" Wow, I was thrilled to pieces, but hardly any Europeans, maybe from a distance and it was quick, thank you BBC, must say I am very disappointed!!!!!.

 

[Purrs]

They use incense? In all my time alive never seen incense in any Protestant church. It is such a catholic thing.

Well except for the communion part it was pretty typical. But churches do offer communion services. I don’t even think the high anglicans would call it mass. As that is another catholic thing. But maybe I’m wrong. They might.

Yes, high Anglican churches use incense and very high churches call it mass. (I wouldn't say if I had not experienced it.)

Here's a link to St. Mary Magdalene, an very high Anglican church in Toronto Canada (I've attended their masses).

See this link: scroll down to the very bottom and you'll see Diocese of Toronto, Anglican Churches of Canada) as well as their services: "Said mass", "Solemn Mass", "Sung Mass".

https://www.stmarymagdalene.ca/

quote:
"WELCOME TO SMM
The Church of St Mary Magdalene, Toronto, is a parish that has, since its beginnings, given expression to the catholic tradition of Anglican worship. Worship is central to everything we do. It is the place where we encounter God in word and sacrament, where our spiritual lives are strengthened and renewed, and where we are shaped into a community that cares for one another and serves God in the world around us. It is a place that welcomes and celebrates the wonderful diversity of God's people and God's world.

We have a rich history of excellence and innovation in music and liturgy, and many are drawn to the parish because of the legacy of Healey Willan and Fr. Eugene Fairweather. This continues to be a living legacy not simply repeating the past but creatively engaging the present with new forms of liturgical music and an ongoing openness to liturgical renewal. We invite you to join us on this journey into an anglo-catholicism that is rich in tradition and deeply engaged with the present both within in the church and beyond our walls.

- Fr. Eric Beresford, Priest in Charge

Weekly Service Times for In-Person Worship ( Covid-19-information)

Sunday

8:00 am: Said Mass

9:30 am: Sung Mass with Sunday School

11:00 am: Solemn Mass (Line to livestreamed services here)

Monday: 6:00 pm Said Mass

Tuesday: 7:15 am Said Mass

Wednesday: 10:00 am Said Mass

Thursday: 7:15 am Said Mass (English); 10:00 am Said Mass (Italian or Portuguese)

Friday: 6:00 pm Said Mass

Saturday: 10:00 am Said Mass"

 

[MARG]

Commentators today kept saying the British royals are the only ones with relevance. One even asked if the Monarchs in attendance were jealous because they don't have relevance.

What a completely ridiculous thing to say.

Have they not been outside of their island?

The answer is to pick your TV or YouTube channel. Its the only way to avoid smacking you head repeatedly as the ditzy male and female announcers show their total ignorance of anything and everyone royal both in the UK and the rest of the world. In the old days they would have been expected to do their homework and know who's who although when it came to the main body of the Abbey that was a little difference because the people were largely unknown.

I always pick a channel that has knowledgeable anchors who don't yap inanely the whole way through the service.

Two very wonderful things about the Service, the orchestral music under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano really was the musical icing on the cake. The second remarkable thing was the military procession and how the bands dispersed throughout the parade all stepped off at the exact same time throughout the entire military compliment. If you have ever marched in a military parade you know how hard it is to get one Squadron in perfect sync. I am truly in awe of the marriage of the old (military) and the new (the earpiece worn by the drummer in every band which enabled them to hear the command simultaneously) All in all, pure magic.

 

[W.Y.CII]

Camilla’s friend helper said that Oliver and Jonathan were amazing with the boys and that they treated them as soldiers who had an important job to do and that the boys took it immensely seriously.

When you treat the kids seriously and give them responsibility with trust, they will take the ownership and treat it with same attitude. Well done to Jonny Ollie and the boys!

 

[crm2317]

I wonder do the designers chosen by the “working women” of the royal family get a brief from the palace on the colour and style required for the coronation. The Princess of Wales, Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester as well as Princess Alexandra all wore floor length white dresses.

 

[LaBettie]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1654750686993608706

Okay I don’t know who Rory Stewart is. But based on Twitter, he is a bit cuckoo for wearing this uniform, which he is entitled to wear because he is on the Privy Council. But there are hundreds of Privy Council members and how many were invited and wearing the uniform? And why did he get a plus one?

Penny Mordaunt’s outfit was based off of this uniform! Here is a video of her talking about the uniform and her dress. Something more modern and feminine: Alexander McQueen Resort 2012, maybe inspired by the uniforms, would have been perfect for this!

 

[4Pam]

I was kind of disappointed by the absence of all the amazing jewelry we all could have seen today. But I enjoyed watching the coronation. I thought it was beautiful.

 

[LaBettie]

I wonder do the designers chosen by the “working women” of the royal family get a brief from the palace on the colour and style required for the coronation. The Princess of Wales, Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester as well as Princess Alexandra all wore floor length white dresses.

Don’t they do that with all commissioned dresses? Discuss what the client need and want. Keep it a secret, as for a few other designer also making white dresses…

White dresses would have been the easy choice with the robes.

I wonder if this combo was the choice early on, or if they discussed other dress code options. And how much input was given by the Palace, the King, royals, etc. Did they discuss tiaras as much as us?

These robes are more like “they did something to earned this” and there are only a few of us (in a practical way not mean way). Andrew could wear his but none for Harry to wear anyway. Red robes would harken back to 1953 when all royal relatives and peerage wore them. No robes would still be white dresses to make them stand out. Otherwise it would be free-for-all regular dresses.

Will we see the ladies in these robes again?

Also would be great if we could see Charles’ family order!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The spooked horse at the procession was not something that occurs at each and every coronation.

 

[Stefan]

I think it is made trickier by the fact the foreign royals started to arrive around the same time Charles and Camilla left BP. They can't show both so choose those the home audience are more familiar with. There are always other live shots of arrivals available on youtube.

.

They could have 2 screens one showing the royals arriving and one of the State Carriage,. We have seen that at the Wedding in Monaco for example.


What i disliked when the Procession of the King and Queen was entering the Camera switched back from the Procession and then agan the King an so on. Would have preferred it if the King was out of sight and the concentrated on the Procession and explained more who all the people are who had been carrying Flags, crown and so on.

 

[LaBettie]

I remember the Queen of Malaysia likes to take photos with other royals. On Instagram @istana_negara they shared photos of a gathering afterwards (maybe at Westminster Abbey? Maybe someone can identify the room)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr7GIiYhBQq/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Of course the Crown Jewels are not cheap. It is just that, when you see the footage from 1953, they looked spectacular on the young Queen Elizabeth II. On King Charles III, not so much, at least visually.


Mutatis mutandis, the same holds for Queen Camilla vs. Queen Mary for example.

In every old newsreel the jewels look spec-ta-cu-lar. Also an old recording of Maria Callas singing an aria, it glitzes and glams all sides. The paradox is that jewels need "poor" and "one-sided" lighting to unfold their magic splendour. That is why jewels are worn for evenings, in great salons with chandeliers and candelabras.

Today's extremely good lighting gives the stones less change to break, refract and reflect the light: it is everywhere. That is also why even the carat bombs around Queen Camilla's neck looked "dead" while the same collier, under burning chandeliers, would just dazzle the onlooker.

Jewels are not made for broad daylight, LED lights and 8K televisions. I have not missed the jewels during daytime because I find wearing diadems at 10.00 o'clock in the morning ridiculous and a shame as only 10% of the beauty of these jewels will be visible: there is a time for jewels and that is when the evening approaches.

That is why there is a pretty standard formal day dresscode with ladies in long, with hats and gentlemen in jacquet or uniforms. The British hosts have (for royal guests) modified this dresscode to ladies in normal dresses but gentlemen still in jacquet (still some could not be bothered, like King Abdullah of Jordan).

All by all an eclectic Coronation, with Rory Stewart wearing the venerable uniform of a Privy Councillor but Penny Mordaunt ditching said uniform for a dress to her liking. Musicians in white tie, Bryn Terfel in black shirt, a gospel choir in shiny polyester white. All was possible.

 

[VictoriaB]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1654750686993608706

Okay I don’t know who Rory Stewart is. But based on Twitter, he is a bit cuckoo for wearing this uniform, which he is entitled to wear because he is on the Privy Council. But there are hundreds of Privy Council members and how many were invited and wearing the uniform? And why did he get a plus one?

Penny Mordaunt’s outfit was based off of this uniform!

Rory founded a charity with then Prince Charles - Turquoise Mountain. His wife, Shoshana now runs it. She was invited in her own right representing the charity and not as a plus one.

 

[Ilse]

When will we see the official pictures ?