King Charles III will be crowned on Saturday 6 May 2023.
The Coronation is a religious ceremony that has remained largely unchanged for over 1,000 years and takes place at Westminster Abbey in London.
It has 3 main purposes.
- It has a religious significance, with the monarch making promises to God as part of a Christian ceremony.
- The monarch makes promises to the people that they serve.
- It is a moment for public celebration and affirmation in a way that would be inappropriate in the days following the accession.
In order for the Royal Family and the nation to grieve the loss of the monarch, there is always a significant gap between accession and Coronation.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd Justin Welby, will conduct the Coronation, continuing a tradition that has endured since 1066.
Buckingham Palace says the Coronation will "reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
The formalities will begin when The King and The Queen Consort travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach was built in Sydney, Australia by W J Frecklington and combines traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. In a tribute to British history, the interior wooden panels are made from objects donated by over 100 historic sites and organisations from across Britain.
The carriage was originally built to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's 60th year as Queen and at the time, it was only the second royal carriage constructed in a century.
The King's Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace and proceed down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street to Westminster Abbey.
Waiting in Westminster Abbey will be invited guests, including members of the royal family, current and former British prime ministers, heads of state and royal families from around the world.
Australia will be represented at this historic event by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP and Ms Jodie Haydon, and by the Governor-General His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, along with State Governors and a number of other notable Australians.
The Coronation ceremony is expected to last approximately 1 hour and there are five key elements:
- The Sovereign stands beside the Coronation Chair (King Edward's chair made in 1300, and used by every Sovereign since 1626) while the Archbishop presents him to those in the Abbey. The attendees shout 'God Save the King'.
- The Sovereign takes the coronation oath. The wording of the oath depends on the preferences of the Sovereign.
- The Archbishop then anoints, blesses and consecrates the Sovereign according to the traditions of the Anglican faith.
- The Sovereign is presented with the Sovereign's orb and two sceptres before the Archbishop places St Edward's Crown on his head.
- The King moves to the throne while peers kneel before him.
St Edward's Crown will be used to crown King Charles III. The crown is 360 years old, 30 cm in height and weighs over 2 kg.
On this occasion and in a separate ceremony, The Queen Consort will also be crowned.
Following the Coronation, The King and The Queen Consort will return to Buckingham Palace. Their Majesties will travel in the Gold State Coach in what is called the Coronation Procession, which will feature armed forces from across the Commonwealth including the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The ADF contingent of approximately 40 personnel from Australia's Federation Guard, will undertake ceremonial duties and join in the marching procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
As is tradition, they will appear on the balcony overlooking the Mall where a crowd of hundreds of thousands are expected to gather and celebrate the Coronation.
How Australia will celebrate
There will be a range of celebrations across Australia to mark the occasion.
Around Australia significant buildings and monuments will be illuminated in Royal purple on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May including Australian Parliament House in Canberra, Admiralty House in Sydney, Government House in Darwin, Story Bridge in Brisbane, Parliament House in Adelaide, Tasman Bridge in Hobart, Flinders Street Station in Melbourne and the Bell Tower in Perth.
Find more illuminated buildings or monuments in your state on our website.
A National 21 Gun Salute by Australia's Federation Guard will be held at 3 pm on the forecourt of Parliament House, Canberra on Sunday 7 May. Weather permitting, the National Salute will be followed by a fly-past from the Royal Australian Air Force.
A flag notice will be issued via the Commonwealth Flag Network encouraging the flying of the Australian National Flag, the Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag throughout the weekend.
Additionally, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver an address of congratulations in Parliament when the House of Representatives returns in early May. This will be followed by an address from the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton.
Buckingham Palace has released a new emoji to coincide with the event, based on St Edward's Crown.
The emoji appears when the following hashtags are used: #Coronation, #CoronationConcert, #TheBigHelpout, #CoronationWeekend and #CoronationBigLunch.