Plans for King Charles III’s coronation are in the works. Reportedly, a much shorter and more streamlined ceremony is ahead compared to that of previous monarchs.
Saturday June 3, 2023, is the chosen date for the coronation, where the ceremony will be significantly slimmed down, inline with King Charles’ broader stance on the monarchy.
So what exactly does that sliming down entail? The Mail reveals the blueprint for the coronation is known as “Operation Golden Orb”.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation lasted for a full three hours, while her son plans to have his done and dusted in just over an hour.
Some of the more archaic traditions could be scrapped, including the tradition that involves presenting the new King with gold ingots. In addition to that, the guest list will be reduced by a whopping three-quarters, taking the the list down from 8000 to 2000 guests.
“The King has stripped back a lot of the coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years,” a “well placed source” told The Mail.
The Duke of Norfolk, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, is in-charge of organising the coronation, and the newspaper reports that Prince William will also play a key role.
Unlike the Queen, Charles will go through the entire event without an outfit change, and the language used “will be adapted so as to be understandable by a modern audience”.
The strict dress code will also be relaxed; where peers were previously required to wear ceremonial robes, they will now be allowed to opt for suits instead.
“No coronation robes. Give them to a museum where they belong,” said Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Mather, who was involved in the event’s initial planning.
Lt Col Mather added that some peers and members of parliament will miss out on attending under the stripped back guest list.
Elizabeth II’s coronation, held in 1953, was revolutionary in its own way. For the first time ever, the event itself was televised. The event took place 16 months after she became Queen, so while June 2023 seems a while away, Charles’ equivalent is a lot shorter.
At 74, he will be the oldest British Monarch ever coronated
Image: Getty Images
This article first appeared on OverSixty.