Tens of thousands of well-wishers have come in central London despite the rain to see the coronation service for Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This royal occasion is being witnessed by hundreds of prominent visitors inside the abbey. At 11 a.m., the Westminster service begins after a royal procession from Buckingham Palace.
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How long is the coronation ceremony?
The two-hour long service at Westminster Abbey will begin at 11 am and end at 1 pm.
The coronation is the official crowning of the monarch, even though Charles already held the title following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September of last year. Charles will be formally crowned, given a variety of ceremonial items, and acknowledged as King by various representatives of the British state during a ceremony that is anticipated to last around two hours.
Since Charles is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England in addition to serving as the head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other nations, the coronation is a deeply religious event. The Church’s spiritual head, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, is in charge of it.
Why is King Charles’ coronation much shorter than Queen Elizabeth II?
According to Insider, almost 8,000 visitors were invited to Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony in 1953, and approximately 130 countries were formally represented. Her ceremony also lasted many hours, although Charles’ ceremony is slated to be only a little more than an hour.
Since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, Britain has undergone significant change, with the majority of the population no longer identifying as Christian.
The Church of England, generally known as the Anglican Church, is the country’s official religion, and the monarch serves as its nominal head, known as the Defender of the Faith. Nevertheless, England is still officially a Christian country. Christian rituals are practiced during the coronation ceremony.
When he declared that he would serve as a general defender of faith rather than the Defender of the Faith in the 1990s, then-Prince Charles created controversy.
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The monarch will acknowledge various faiths in his coronation oath while knelt before the altar at Westminster Abbey and saying: “God of compassion and mercy whose Son was sent not to be served but to serve, give grace that I may find in thy service perfect freedom and in that freedom knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and belief, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
