The UK is getting ready for the first coronation in 70 years. Charles III will become king in a Christian ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London. This is an important event that has been happening for over a thousand years. Charles III is the first British king to be crowned since 1937. His grandfather, King George VI, was the last king to be crowned. Charles III became king after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last September.
His second wife, Camilla, will also be crowned queen during the ceremony. This coronation is different from previous ones because women bishops, minority faith leaders, and a more diverse guest list from British society will be present. King Charles III cares about the environment and wants to make the coronation sustainable. He will use vegan anointing oil and recycled ceremonial garb.
Some people are not happy with the coronation. Republicans and anti-monarchists have said that this kind of event is not needed in modern society. The police have warned that there will be less tolerance for anti-monarchy protests on coronation day.
Young Britons also feel that they cannot relate to the event. Despite these protests, many people around the world are still interested in watching the coronation on television. The presidents of France and Germany and senior EU leaders will be among the 2,300 guests attending, along with global royalty.
The entire event will cost above $126 million. Some Britons are angry about this because they are struggling with the cost of living. The Buckingham Palace defended the cost, saying that a national occasion like this attracts huge global interest that more than repays the expenditure that goes with it.
The pageant will feature around 7,000 military personnel taking part in a parade rehearsed with minute precision. Charles and Camilla will travel from Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, then back along the same route in the older Gold State Coach after the two-hour service at the abbey.
