In September 2022, the longest-living monarch of Britain, Queen Elizabeth II, died. The world mourned with the Royal Family due to her death. After Elizabeth II’s death, King Charles III was next in line to be crowned as the new monarch of the United Kingdom. The Ascension Council officially conferred sovereign powers on the monarch. But, in May, he will be ceremoniously crowned as monarch.
King Charles III’s coronation ceremony will be a grand event in Britain. There will be official delegates from the Commonwealth and other countries. The ceremony will incorporate certain old traditions and do away with others, like presenting gold ingots. However, one of the most important traditions during the coronation will be that of ‘The Investiture,’ where the Archbishop will crown Charles with the St Edward’s crown. The crown has held great significance since 1661, when Charles II was crowned.
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The History Of St Edward’s Crown
In December 2022, a press release from Buckingham Palace confirmed that the St Edward’s Crown had been moved from the Tower of London to resize it for King Charles III’s coronation. The crown was last used when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953. The crown represents a symbol of resistance and the dawn of the new era for the British monarchy. It was a replacement for the melted crown of Edward the Confessor in 1649.
Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner was commissioned to design a 1661 crown for Charles II’s coronation. He tried to create a replica of the former crown. But it has four crosses-pattées and four fleurs-de-lis. The crown weighs 2.23 kilograms with 444 precious stones.
With a velvet hat and ermine band, it has a golden frame that is embedded with topazes, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, and tourmalines. Earlier, the Palace rented jewels to embed in the crown. But George V permanently embedded the jewels in the crown. After Charles II’s coronation, the crown was not used again until 1911. George V revived the tradition, which will be followed during King Charles III’s coronation.
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There Will Be An Anointment Ceremony Before King Charles III’s Coronation
Before the investiture ceremony, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will anoint King Charles III with holy oil. During the ceremony, the king will sit on the coronation chair. The Archbishop will anoint Charles’ head, hands, and breasts with the holy oil. This biblical ceremony holds great significance. It hints at “rejoicing, prosperity, and celebration.”
The oil will contain orange blossom, roses, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, and sesame oil.
The anointment ceremony has been in place since 1066. Justin Welby explained the importance of the ceremony. He said, “This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land. From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.”
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