King Charles’ Coronation Details Are Out, and They Include a Star-Studded Concert at Windsor Castle
We break down the events of the weekend here.
Last year provided royal followers the opportunity to celebrate (the Platinum Jubilee!), but also saw by the end of the year a period of deep mourning after the Queen’s death at age 96 on September 8. It’s a new year now, and plans to celebrate again are being rolled out for 2023: King Charles’ full coronation plans were released over the weekend—including not just the ceremony, but a star-studded concert and other events to look forward to.
Buckingham Palace announced yesterday that the three-day celebration—scheduled from May 6 to May 8—will include a concert at Windsor Castle that will be broadcast live on BBC (reminiscent of the Platinum Party at the Palace for the Jubilee last summer, though that was held, as the name suggests, at Buckingham Palace), as well as numerous “ceremonial, celebratory, and community events,” the Palace said.
“Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families, and communities across the United Kingdom, and the Realms and the Commonwealth,” the Palace continued. “Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023.”
SATURDAY, MAY 6
The weekend kicks off with the Coronation service itself on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey, where the King and Queen Consort will be crowned side-by-side by in a religious ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The celebration “will reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.” Unlike his mother’s before him—which was three hours long and hosted 8,000 guests—Charles’ will only be one hour and have about 2,000 in attendance, according to People. The King’s coronation will also be “more religiously and culturally diverse” and will do away with some extravagances.
“The King has stripped back a lot of the Coronation in recognition that the world ha changed in the past 70 years,” an insider said.
Following the service, the royal family will take part in a procession to Buckingham Palace, where they will appear on the balcony for the occasion.
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SUNDAY, MAY 7
After the success of the Platinum Jubilee concert last June, it seems the royal family intends to recreate the magic with The Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7 on Windsor Castle’s East Lawn. The lineup for the show will be filled with “global music icons and contemporary stars,” supported by a world-class orchestra and dancers. In attendance will be volunteers from some of Charles and Camilla’s charity affiliations, and free pairs of tickets will also be made available to the public via national ballot.
Also on Sunday will be The Coronation Big Lunch, taking a page again from the Jubilee. This “nationwide act of celebration and friendship” will encourage citizens to get out into their respective communities: “From a cup of tea with a neighbor to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch brings the celebrations to your neighborhood and is a great way to get to know your community a little better,” Buckingham Palace said in its statement.
MONDAY, MAY 8
To wrap up the weekend—and to honor Charles’ many years of public service—The Big Help Out nationwide initiative “will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation.” Organized by the Together Coalition, the Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service, and faith groups across the U.K., the Big Help Out will encourage communities to come together and take part in volunteerism.
According to Tatler, at 73 years old, Charles was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history, and, upon his Coronation, will be the oldest monarch to ever be crowned. For comparison’s sake, his mother was crowned at just 26 years old in 1953.
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.