Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 26, 2025

Coronation: King Charles and Queen Camilla crowned in historic ceremony

Coronation: King Charles and Queen Camilla crowned in historic ceremony

King Charles and Queen Camilla have been crowned on a historic day of pageantry, capped by cheering from crowds in front of Buckingham Palace.

Thousands packed the Mall despite the rain, after a deeply religious Coronation service at Westminster Abbey and a huge procession through London.

The King and Queen waved from the Palace balcony as the RAF Red Arrows painted the sky red, white and blue.

But the BBC understands Prince Harry was not invited to join them.

The Duke of Sussex had been at the ceremony in the abbey earlier, sitting two rows back from his brother Prince William - the first time they had been seen together since Harry's sensational memoir, Spare, was released. He left for the US straight afterwards.

The King's day began shortly after 10:00 BST, with the procession to Westminster Abbey in the horse-drawn Diamond Jubilee State Coach, past cheering crowds and an honour guard of 1,000 members of the armed forces.

The King leaves Westminster Abbey wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Sovereign's Orb and Sceptre


Faith leaders and commonwealth leaders began the processions, with the King and Queen following behind.

The two-hour ceremony - the first to crown a monarch in 70 years - was watched on TV around the world, as well as some 2,300 people inside the abbey.

After the crown was placed on Charles's head cries of "God Save the King" were heard inside and outside, and gun salutes were made across the UK.

Celebrity guests were among those inside Westminster Abbey - including actress Emma Thompson and US singer Katy Perry.

US First Lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan arrived in a three-car motorcade, although President Biden did not travel to the UK. French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska were also in the abbey, as were Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and leaders of the Commonwealth countries.

In all, 90 heads of state attended, the Foreign Office said.

The Coronation's main theme was the importance of service.

"I come not to be served, but to serve," the King said in his first prayer after reaching the abbey.

Charles was proclaimed as the "undoubted King" in the first stage of the ceremony. The congregation was then asked to show their homage and service, shouting "God Save the King".

Yet among the music and oaths, there were moments of complete silence as each stage of the ancient ceremony finished.

Traditions rarely seen elsewhere in modern life were maintained - such as the inclusion of the orb and sceptre and the carrying of the gilded Sword of State.

Penny Mordaunt carries sword ahead of King Charles


In one part of the service, the King was screened from public for the anointing - seen as the most sacred part of proceedings.

This was where the King was anointed with holy oils by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The need for privacy, the Palace said, was because it "has historically been regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God".

While waiting for the anointed King to reappear, choristers sang Handel's Zadok the Priest - performed at every coronation since 1727.

Screens were held up by soldiers while the King was anointed with holy oil


Prince William also made a pledge of loyalty to King Charles, and kissed him on the cheek, before members of the congregation were invited to offer their own support.

Returning to the Palace, it was a spectacle of pomp and pageantry as the newly crowned King and Queen travelled up The Mall in the Gold State Coach flanked by thousands of servicemen and women.

In total, 4,000 armed forces personnel and 19 military bands took part - making it the biggest state occasion since the coronation of the late Queen in 1953.

Despite the very English weather - constant rain - there was a celebratory atmosphere on The Mall, with periodic Mexican waves and police officers being cheered.

Among the thousands of spectators, many of whom camped overnight for the best viewing spot, was Alexandra Hornyak, 57, from Montreal, Canada.

"I've known for years that I would want to attend this day, and the day that it was announced, I was driving to the office, and my husband just called me and said 'May 6'," she told the BBC.

"I knew exactly what it was. And I jumped on the phone to get a hotel reservation and we went from there."

Hours later, the Prince and Princess of Wales tweeted a video of the family's day, writing: "What. A. Day. Thank you to everyone who made it happen."

The King and Queen process up The Mall lined with people as they return to Buckingham Palace

The King and Queen appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the ceremony

The Royal Family gathered on the Palace balcony to watch a flypast featuring the Red Arrows


While the vast majority of the assembled crowd came out to cheer the King, there was also a sizeable protest from Republic, the group campaigning to abolish the monarchy and replace it with an elected head of state, and others.

Around six protesters, who were unloading a van of placards, were arrested. In total, the Metropolitan Police said it arrested 52 people for affray, public order offences, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance around the Coronation.

Acknowledging concerns about the arrests, Commander Karen Findlay defended Scotland Yard's actions, saying: "Our duty is to do so in a proportionate manner in line with relevant legislation."

Anti-monarchy groups had defended their right to protest, but the police warned that "tolerance for any disruption, whether through protest or otherwise, will be low".

"The reports of people being arrested for peacefully protesting the coronation are incredibly alarming", said Human Rights Watch UK director Yasmine Ahmed.

The Metropolitan Police had 11,500 officers on duty in what it said would be its biggest ever single-day deployment.

The Coronation did not formally change the King's status. Charles became King of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms in September, when his mother Queen Elizabeth II died after 70 years on the throne.

Since then, months of intense planning went into the celebrations - the 40th coronation to take place at Westminster Abbey since 1066.

This time, the ceremony emphasised diversity and inclusion, with more multi-faith elements than any previous coronation, with contributions from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh representatives.

A Bible lesson was read by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is Hindu, and music was sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish.

The Duke of Sussex was not invited to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony, the BBC understands

The King and Queen waved at wellwishers from the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
×