London streets are decked up with the Union Jack flags, coronation memorabilia and the Big Ben is lit up with royal imagery as part of prepping for the Coronation of King Charles on May 6. The crowning will be held at the Westminster Abbey in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and solemn religious significance. Here's what you need to know more about the function.
When is it?
The coronation ceremony will begin at 1000 GMT (3.30 pm IST) following a procession from Buckingham Palace. It is set to be shorter than that for his mother 70 years ago at about two hours long compared to almost four hours.
A much larger procession will depart the Abbey, made up of armed forces from Britain and across the Commonwealth. The king and queen will travel in the gold state coach which was commissioned in 1760.
How will it happen?
Sitting on the historic Coronation Chair, known as St Edward's chair and containing the Stone of Destiny, he will be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem.
It is the centre point of the ceremony and signals the conferment of God's grace on the sovereign. A new screen will provide "absolute privacy" during that moment.
Charles will also be presented with various hugely ornate golden orbs, scepters, swords and a ring, which all form part of the Crown Jewels and variously symbolise the monarch's power, authority and duties, and the power of God.
The archbishop will then place the heavy St Edward's Crown, used in coronations for the last 350 years, upon his head. Charles will leave the Abbey wearing a different crown, the Imperial State Crown.
The public will be invited to swear allegiance to the monarch and to his heirs and successors.
Charles will wear robes of crimson and purple silk velvet at his May 6 coronation which were once worn by his grandfather King George VI at his own coronation in 1937.
Camilla's crowning
Charles' second wife Camilla, whom he married in 2005, will also be separately crowned queen during the ceremony, and like her husband, anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
She will be crowned using the crown of Queen Mary, commissioned and worn by the consort of King George V for the 1911 coronation. This is being reset with diamonds from Queen Elizabeth's personal jewellery collection as a tribute to her.
Indian presence among guests
There will be 2,200 guests inside Westminster Abbey, far fewer than the 8,000 in attendance for Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
Among those will be the British royal family, including Charles' younger son Prince Harry but not his wife Meghan, or his two children, with the ceremony taking place on son Prince Archie's fourth birthday.
The Indian presence among the guests include the Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Dr Issac Mathai (Director of Soukya International Holistic Health Centre in Bengaluru), chef Manju Malhi, a few members of Mumbai's dabbawalas, actress Sonam Kapoor, architect Sourabh Phadke, Delhi native Gulfsha who won the Prince's Trust Global Award in 2022 and Indian-origin Canadian chef Jay Patel.
There will also be other foreign royals, officials and heads of states, with U.S. first lady Jill Biden representing the United States and China's Vice President Han Zheng expected to attend on behalf of Beijing.
There will also be friends of Charles and Camilla present, representatives of charities and celebrities including Lionel Richie.
Big Ben lit up with Coronation emblem
The Elizabeth Tower, popularly known as Big Ben and one of London's most iconic landmarks, is lit up with special royal imagery.
The colourful projection is inspired by the Coronation emblem of the national flowers of the UK.
The flowers seem to grow around the clock tower in the colours of the Union Flag red, white and blue before the words of the country's National Anthem God Save The King' appear across the building.
The projection culminates with the Coronation emblem, designed by Sir Jony Ive.
The design was apparently inspired by King Charles' love of the planet, nature, and his deep concern for the natural world. The emblem speaks to the happy optimism of spring and celebrates the beginning of this new Carolean era for the United Kingdom.
(With inputs from agencies)
