Tens of thousands gathered in the streets for the biggest celebration in 70 years
Charles III crowns King of Britain in pompous and grandiose ceremony
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation. AFP
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Charles III was crowned British King yesterday at Westminster Abbey in London, as part of the largest official ceremony in the country in 70 years, and in a ceremony characterized by pomp and luxury, dating back 1000,<> years.
Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, slowly placed the 360-year-old St. Edward's crown at the king's head, under the watchful eye of some 100 heads of state and dignitaries, with His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Office, attending the coronation ceremony, as well as US First Lady Jill Biden, as well as millions of television followers.
Celebratory gunfire rang out at the Tower of London, throughout the capital, Gibraltar and Bermuda on ships at sea. During the church coronation ceremony, after hearing a traditional beetle, the words "God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the king live forever."
During the historic two-hour ceremony, which dates back to the reign of William the Conqueror in 1066, Charles II's wife Camilla was also crowned Queen of the country.
The king and his wife arrived from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in a modern black diamond jubilee carriage, accompanied by knights in shiny armor and feather hats.
Charles, like 40 of his predecessors, was crowned at Westminster Abbey, which has seen all the coronation ceremonies in the country since William the Conqueror in 1066. This is only the second time the ceremony has been televised.
The ceremony took place on a smaller scale than the one held to crown the late Queen Elizabeth in 1953, but was nevertheless intended to be impressive, featuring a range of historical symbols from gold balls and jewelled swords to a scepter bearing the world's largest cut and colorless diamond.
Hundreds of soldiers in scarlet uniforms and high black hats lined up along The Mall Road, the street leading to Buckingham Palace, where tens of thousands gathered to watch the event, ignoring the light rain.
Among the ceremonies at the church was the performance of Handel's hymn of the true priest, as has been the practice at every coronation ceremony since 1727.
A mass was held, and religious leaders gave an unprecedented greeting at the end. Charles' grandson, Prince George, and Camilla's grandchildren assumed the role of serenity.
The king's face was solemnly sworn in to rule justly and support the Church of England, of which he was honorary president before the most sacred part of the ceremony, when the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed his hands, head and chest with holy oil, which had been blessed in Jerusalem.
After presenting royal symbols to Charles, Welby placed the Crown of St. Edward on his head, with the crowd shouting "God save the king."
After the church ceremony, Charles and Camilla departed in the four-ton golden royal carriage, designed for George III, the last monarch of the British colonies in the United States, back to Buckingham Palace in a procession that stretched to a mile, and included 4000,39 soldiers from <> countries in ceremonial uniforms.
Hundreds of soldiers in their scarlet uniforms and high black hats lined up along The Mall Road, leading to Buckingham Palace.
King Charles looked out on the palace balcony with his wife, Queen Camilla, his eldest son, heir to the throne, Prince William, and senior members of the royal family, but in the absence of his youngest son, Prince Harry.
Harry attended the ceremony at the church, unaccompanied by his wife Meghan and two children, who remained in the United States.