The King Charles coronation drama is intensifying


The countdown is on to one of the biggest royal events in decades: the forthcoming coronation of His Royal Highness King Charles III of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other realms and territories, defender of the faith, and head of the Commonwealth. You might know him better as William and Harry’s dad.

And while it’s steeped in thousands of years of tradition, King Charles’s big day actually has quite a lot in common with the other two more recent “coronations.” It’s as divisive as the mayo-drenched, raisin-studded Coronation Chicken Salad, and as packed with drama as the iconic soap opera, Coronation Street.

Let’s dig into everything we know — and all the drama so far — about King Charles’s coronation.

What is King Charles’s coronation date?

Whether you plan on lining up along the Mall or taking in all the pageantry from home, circle this date in your diary: Saturday, May 6. That’s the day that the crown will actually be placed on Charles’s head — basically, the whole point of this exercise, plus some marriage-style vows he’ll make to the nation(s). If you’re in the U.K., you get an extra public holiday to celebrate. Alas, it’s unlikely we’ll be treated to the same royal largesse here in Canada, despite the fact that Charles is our monarch too.

What will happen at King Charles’s coronation?

We’ll also be treated to a plethora of pomp-and-circumstance: Expect a procession to Westminster Abbey, where the coronation takes place, and another one back to Buckingham Palace, where we’ll get a classic royal balcony moment.

Technically, Charles has been king since the moment his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died, but this ceremony puts a ring on it. (Literally: A sapphire-and-ruby ring dating to 1830 is placed on his fourth finger by the archbishop, conferring “kingly dignity” on him.) Camilla will also get crowned Queen at the same time.

Fun fact: The event has a code name: Operation Golden Orb.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. At this time, it's not known if they'll attend King Charles's coronation.

Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the coronation?

While we could talk about all the capacity of Westminster Abbey (about 2,000 people) or the various international heads of state expected to attend, there’s really only one talking point anyone cares about when it comes to the coronation and it’s this: In a post-Spare world, will Meghan and Harry attend? Harry, who spent the months of December and January levelling all manner of accusations at his family, has said he’s open to attending, and “the ball is in their court.”

If he does, his reception might be a little mixed: Per The Mail on Sunday, William is a hard no, believing Harry will use the event as a “stunt,” stealing the limelight on his dad’s big day. Charles, however, is in the other camp, reportedly believing it will be more distracting if they aren’t there. In fact, he’s asked Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury — who married Harry and Meghan in 2018 — to act as an intermediary between the various parties, hammering out some sort of truce for the coronation.

On the bargaining table, apparently? If Harry and Meghan attend and don’t make a fuss, they’ll get to keep their titles. Typical family stuff, really.

What are the other controversies around the coronation — including Prince Andrew?

There are a few sensitive topics. Charles has made it clear that he’s read the room and will be planning a much, much smaller coronation than the lavish one his mother had 70 years ago. That’s out of sensitivity for the current economic situation — the U.K.’s inflation is at its highest in 40 years, and there’s a looming global recession — but likely also because Charles is aware that the crowning of a monarch isn’t exactly a source of unadulterated pleasure for many people.

Case in point? He’ll be crowned with something called “the Imperial State Crowns,” a piece of royal bling that drips with controversy, thanks to the fact that it’s set with the “Second Star of Africa” diamond. This honking gem, gifted by (or stolen from, depending on who you ask) then-British controlled South Africa is widely regarded as a symbol of the British Empire’s rapacious overreach, and many believe it should be returned as part of reparations. The needle that Charles and team have to thread — putting on the kind of show the monarchy excels at while still acknowledging the changing currents of 2023 — is a tricky one.

Then there’s the various other family drama happening just offstage. For example: What on earth do they do about Prince Andrew, who’s chosen this moment to revive his protestations that he’s innocent of those sexual assault allegations he settled out-of-court in 2022? Folks will certainly be far less tolerant of his presence at this event than they were with the Queen’s funeral, Andrew’s last public royal appearance.

Is it true that the Spice Girls will reunite at the coronation?!

It is indeed rumoured that the Spice Girls will re-form as a five for one night only to perform at the coronation! Not the church bit, to be clear, but at a big concert that’s been announced for Sunday, May 7 at Windsor Castle. According to the official release, “the concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance.”

There will also be a special “Coronation Choir,” a kind of choral supergroup made up of choirs across the U.K., including choirs made up of refugees, LGBTQ+ people and people who are deaf signing.

Sarah Laing is a Toronto-based freelance contributor for The Kit and the Star, writing about about celebrity and culture. Follow her on Twitter: @sarahjanelaing

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