King Charles and soon-to-be Queen Camilla will be crowned in just one month’s time.
The big day will see senior Royal Family members walk in a procession to and from Westminster Abbey, ending with them standing on the classic Buckingham Palace balcony, waving to the crowd of thousands gathered at the Mall. That includes Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who have all been confirmed as attending.
Previous reports stated that Prince George – who will become king after his father, William – will play a prominent role during the Coronation. Precisely what that will look like remains to be seen, it’s been confirmed only that he will be doing something significant.
The Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla – yes, that is how Buckingham Palace is now styling her – is only a month away.
On the big day, there will first be a “Coronation Big Lunch” and a “Coronation Concert” the day after.
Moreover, Brits will get an extra bank holiday on Monday and are invited to join “The Big Help Out,” which entails volunteering in their communities.
“Across the Coronation Weekend, there will be further opportunities for people to come together in celebration of the historic occasion. On Sunday, May 7, 2023, a special Coronation Concert will be staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC and BBC Studios, with several thousand pairs of tickets to be made available via public ballot,” Buckingham Palace wrote in a statement.
“The Coronation Big Lunch, at which neighbors and communities are invited to share food and fun together, will take place across the country on the same date.”
The Coronation will occur at Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
Prince George gave a prominent role in King Charles’ coronation
It will be “a solemn religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry.” As the Palace describes, it will “reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry,” as defined by the Palace.
The exact details of the Coronation at Westminster Abbey have long been speculated about. Buckingham Palace has now finally released more details about the big day, confirming rumors that suggested Prince George would have a significant role to play.
After months of speculation, it’s been made clear that Prince George will have a very special and honorable part in the proceedings. The future king, now second-in-line to the throne, will serve as a Page of Honor. That means holding both King Charles and Queen Camilla’s robes during the ceremony – which is expected to be around two-and-a-half hours – as progress together through Westminster Abbey.
As reported by the Mirror, the Pages of Honor will wear a scarlet frock coat with gold trimmings, a white waistcoat, hose, white gloves, black shoes, a lace cravat, and ruffles at the coronation.
There will be seven other pages alongside George, including three of Camilla’s grandchildren, Freddy Parker Bowles, Gus Lopes, and Louis Lopes.
Prince George made Pages of Honor
“Throughout the Coronation Service on 6th May, Their Majesties will each be attended by four Pages of Honour. The Pages will form part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read.
“The King’s Pages of Honour will be His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Master Nicholas Barclay, and Master Ralph Tollemache.”
Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, is the son of former Lord Great Chamberlain David Cholmondeley, 62. Nicholas Barclay is the grandson of Camilla’s friend, Sarah Troughton, and finally, Ralph Tollemache, 12, is the son of Charles’s godson, Edward.
“The Queen Consort’s Pages of Honour will be Her Majesty’s grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, and Her Majesty’s great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot,” the statement continued.
Buckingham Palace shared the official Coronation invitation, which has been sent to more than 2,000 guests, online. The invite was reportedly printed on a recycled card, a nod to King Charles’ passion for sustainability. It’s been a cause close to his heart throughout his entire life.
“The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. By command of the King the Earl Marshal is directed to invite [name] to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023,” the invite reads.
Yet while it’s been rumored for months that Prince George would be getting a significant role at the Coronation, the young prince’s participation at his grandfather’s big event has reportedly sparked a “bit of an argument.”
One expert even claimed that Prince William and Kate Middleton are worried about the pressure being placed on the young royal’s shoulders.
William and Kate ‘had arguments’ over Prince George’s coronation role
According to royal commentator and author Tom Quinn, William and Kate are worried that the pressure might be too much for the young prince so early in his life.
“I’ve heard from my contacts that there is a bit of an argument going on about whether George should play a more formal role,” he told the Express. “I’ve heard that Kate and William are worried that it will be too much for him.”
A royal source also spoke with People about the possibility that William and Kate feel like they are putting too much pressure on their son.
They are “cognizant that he is old enough to understand what’s going on,” the royal source said. “But they’re mindful that normal life resumes when George is back at school with his classmates the following week, where the weekend’s events will likely be the talk of his classmates.”
Prince George will be joined by his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the procession from and to Buckingham Palace. It’s reserved for the more senior members of the Royal Family – the same goes for the balcony appearance when they arrive back at Buckingham Palace.
Though Prince William and Princess Kate are said to have been worried about how a more prominent role at the Coronation might negatively affect George, they appear to have softened their stances over the last few days. As per speculation, this was likely after their son showed a “deep interest” in his grandfather’s coronation.
“We’re all very excited about Prince George’s role in the coronation, it will be an incredibly special moment,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson said.
Of course, it’s not only William and Kate who get to be excited about Prince George’s role.
“A wonderful sign of the future”
King Charles is in charge and wants his grandson in a very prominent and honorable position. Not only because of their close bond but also for the monarchy as a whole.
“The King is very keen to show those in the line of succession, his natural heirs, at the center of his Coronation,” a royal insider told the Mirror. “Even though he is only nine, George is very mature and already has a deep understanding of the roles of his grandfather and father, as well as his future role.”
The insider added: “This task is a wonderful sign of the future being laid out by the King.”
Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis, meanwhile, will not have any particular role in the Coronation. The simple explanation is probably that they are too young. Nonetheless, the siblings will be there to see their grandpa be symbolically crowned king. Charles officially became the ruling monarch after Queen Elizabeth II passed away.
Interestingly, the invitations to the Coronation were not only beautifully designed but more importantly, contained very significant wording.
Namely, they mark the first time Buckingham Palace has referred to Camilla as “Queen Camilla.” According to Buckingham Palace, Queen Consort is Camilla’s “rank,” while Queen will be her title.
The Coronation procedure at Westminster Abbey includes many traditions that go back centuries.
It has previously been reported that Camilla wished for her grandchildren to play a significant role in the Coronation, even though their parents are the children from her marriage to her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.
Queen Camilla’s grandchildren get a prominent coronation role
According to royal expert Kinsey Schofield, that in itself might be problematic for many royal fans.
“The Royal Family’s value is in their traditions. Traditions and ceremonies that the world envies. When they sway too far from those customs, you will anger and disappoint a significant amount of people that feel like those actions strip away at the mystique,” she told the Daily Star in early March.
“Camilla’s popularity may have increased, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be any interest in her grandchildren.
Schofield concluded: “I think people have come to accept Camilla but likely don’t love and respect her the way they did Queen Elizabeth or Princess Diana. I also don’t think Camilla cares. She is perfectly content with where she is in her life. She is happy with her heart.”
Another hot topic regarding the Coronation has been whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will be there. The Sussexes have officially been invited, though their response has not yet been made public.
Archie and Lilibet are said to be too young to attend the Coronation, which falls on the same day Archie turns four. Harry and Meghan are said to have demanded that their son’s birthday be recognized during the Coronation celebrations if they are to attend.
Another demand the couple reportedly had for attending was to be a part of the big family gathering at the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Harry & Meghan ‘not welcome’ at Buckingham Palace balcony
When they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebration last year, Harry and Meghan were not invited onto the balcony to wave to the thousands of people gathered on the Mall. According to a Mirror insider, the same will apply at the Coronation, as King Charles doesn’t want them there.
The monarch instead wants to surround himself with working royals who have dedicated their lives to public service. Most importantly, the Coronation and balcony appearance isn’t a family gathering – but a working one.
“The King has been very clear about who he wants to represent the monarchy,” the insider said. “There is little room for sentiment, this is a State occasion, not a family occasion and it is right that only the working members of the family are there at the big public moment.”
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