Most of the photos that you will see are of the processions to and from Westminster Abbey.
Little is being shown by the media, both mainstream and social media, of the more significant parts of the ceremony which took place in the Abbey. This article tries to correct that.
King Charles became king the moment Elizabeth II died. The crowning is a Church of England ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior cleric of the Anglican Church. It is not the moment he became king.
In essence, the ceremony is about the monarch swearing an oath before God that he will protect the Protestant faith. The congregation then swear allegiance to him and his legal heirs.
Prior to the Crowning, the anointing takes place. This is actually the most important part of the proceedings. In a very real sense, it represents God giving the king the right to reign over his peoples. Under the rules of the UK’s constitutional monarchy, the people, the electorate, vote in general elections for those members of parliament who they want to represent them. Although, technically, the monarch appoints the government, by convention he follows the results of the elections, and appoints the leader of the political party with the most seats gained in those elections.
The leader becomes the Prime Minister and chooses his departmental ministers without reference to the monarch or the electorate. Appointments are in his personal gift. It is not like in France or the States, where there are separate elections for the people to elect their leaders.
Some observations on the actual Coronation Ceremony from the video I post below.
This is a relatively short read and I recommend watching at least the more significant parts of the video. I have posted the approximate timings which link to my comments. You may have to go back or forward slightly to see the points on which I am commenting.
At 17.54, Prince Andrew is the only royal who bows his head.
Despite what the media said, Prince Harry appears to be welcomed into the Abbey and is sitting in the THIRD row, quite appropriate for a non-working royal. Andrew is just one row in front of him. You may also notice that Catherine, Princess of Wales is the only senior royal who curtsies to the King as he passes. In my view, she got the protocol exactly right. Well dressed, a slight smile but not a false smirk, the right level of respect and decorum for the occasion. I can see why she was such a favourite of the late Queen.
The Order of Succession Explained.
1. William, Prince of Wales
2,3,4 His children, in order of their birth. George, Charlotte, Louis
5. Prince Harry. Although not a “working royal” by choice, he is still in line of succession.
6. Archie, Mountbatten-Windsor. Harry’s first born.
7. Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor
8. Prince Andrew, even though he is disgraced and not a working royal.
9. Princess Beatrice, Andrew’s eldest daughter
10. Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice’s eldest child.
11. Princess Eugenie, Andrew’s youngest daughter.
12. August Brooksbank, eldest child of Princess Eugenie.
13. Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
14. James, Earl of Wessex, Edward’s son
15. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Edward’s daughter
16. The Princess Royal.
There are 45 others, the 62nd in line is Zenouska Mowatt.
Prince Harry may, of course, renounce the throne, either just for himself or for all his heirs.
Prince Andrew may do the same.
Security Issues and the Effect on the Succession
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1727701310925123
The late Queen Elizabeth II was strongly insistent that those in close line of succession should not travel TOGETHER. The family rarely complied. God forbid, but it is not outside the realms of possibility for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their entire family to lose their lives in an accident when travelling together. That would immediately elevate Prince Harry from 5th to next in line to the throne. He would automatically be king after Charles died. There have been numerous occasions when the family of Prince William have totally ignored the ruling, giving their protection officers major headaches, and precipitating a constitutional crisis.
Although there was a “gentlemen’s ” agreement between protesters and the Metroplitan police that peaceful demonstrations would be allowed, this was broken during the coronation procession to the Abbey. One of the protesters was 5 miles away from the Abbey. One was arrested for carrying a small piece of string. A group of women carrying rape alarms were told the alarms would spook the horses.
The understanding, which both the police and the protesters had agreed, was that they would remain near the Charles I monument, and that their protests would be peaceful. They agreed that a screen would be erected to prevent the king from seeing the demonstrations. It is not known who gave the order to rescind the agreement.