Formally, Carlos III acceded to the throne immediately after the death of his mother Elizabeth last fall.
Photo: REUTERS
British monarch Charles III, formerly known as Prince Charles, is going through a difficult month. On his lips is his coronation, which some British newspapers have already announced as “the main event of the year”, and there is still much to prepare and scandals are looming.
IS THE KING NOT REAL?!
Formally, Carlos III ascended the throne immediately after the death of his mother Elizabeth last fall, that is, he is now a full-fledged king. However, the monarch has yet to undergo a magnificent anointing ceremony, which is more symbolic than legal.
A solemn service will be held at Westminster Abbey on May 6, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Following the anointing ceremony, the King and Queen consort, accompanied by the coronation procession and members of the royal family, will return to Buckingham Palace, where they will go up to the balcony and greet the “happy subjects”.
The following day, May 7, there will be a concert at Windsor Palace, whose crown must be a virtual choir that brings together prominent singers from the Commonwealth of Nations (54 former British colonies, as well as Mozambique). This will be followed by a great lunch, a concert, and a laser show.
On Monday 8th May, British citizens will have an extra day off so they can properly relax and remember forever the celebrations for the monarch’s coronation.
THE MUSICIAN IS BUSY
In addition to the coronation itself, a real show in the spirit of a rock festival was prepared for the subjects. They planned to invite the most famous British stars, including the legendary Spice Girls, who last performed together at the opening of the London Olympics in 2012. True, everything did not go according to plan.
According to the Daily Mail, at least three superstars turned down an invitation to the upcoming concert: Elton John, Harry Styles and the Spice Girls. In addition, they chose a very banal pretext: “high employment.” Such is the lack of respect for the king. Later it was learned that Adele and Ed Sheeran refused to participate in the concert. It smacked of deliberate management and anti-monarchist views. The British press began to joke with force that instead of live performances, the monarch would please his subjects by turning on the royal playlist in the column. Fortunately, it was prudently posted on the ceremony’s official website.
British monarch Charles III, formerly known as Prince Charles, is going through difficult months
Photo: REUTERS
The situation was saved by several stars from the past, who nevertheless condescended to the royal party. Notably, Kylie Minogue, Stevie Wonder and the Take That band agreed to perform at the coronation.
DISCORD OIL
One of the important ingredients of the ceremony is the oil that will be applied to the king during the anointing. Retired church minister and pharmacist Mark Hutton said he used a secret recipe dating back to Charles I and the prophet Moses. The latter, according to the Old Testament, used a mixture of myrrh (the resin of special trees), cinnamon and olive oil. At the same time, Hutton began to prepare oil for the ceremony 8 months ago, as the task was not easy, and for its creation the master collected ingredients from all over Europe.
The finished oil is sealed in plastic bottles with the usual pharmaceutical labels and placed under lock and key in the cellar below John Bell & Croyden Pharmacy in Marylebone, central London. The firm has been in contact with the royal family for over a hundred years and received its first commission from George V in 1909.
The piquancy of this topic, however, lies in the fact that the composition of the oil includes such exotic substances as the extract from the glands of the civet, an animal that is a cross between a cat and a raccoon. As a result of a very painful procedure to obtain an extract, a poor animal often dies. In addition, there are other elements in the recipe that can cause the ire of animal rights activists.
As a result, Hutton decided to replace the animal-derived ingredients, so as not to cause any misunderstandings, especially since Carlos III holds senior positions in various environmental organizations, who probably wouldn’t be thrilled with the potential torment of his patrons.
The monarch has yet to undergo a lavish anointing ceremony that is more symbolic than legal.
Photo: REUTERS
ROYAL THRONE
Naturally, for such a ceremony as the coronation, a special throne was chosen for the king. Since 1308, this “chair” has supported the weight of all British monarchs (with the exception of Queens Mary I and Mary II). Last time Elizabeth II used the throne for its intended purpose, and now the Majesty of her Carlos of her should also fit.
According to historians, the throne was made of oak around 1300 for King Edward I. At its base will be placed the famous Skoon Stone, a holy relic of Scotland. The throne is decorated with stained glass, gilded and painted with motifs of birds, foliage and animals.
Despite its historical value, the throne is now covered in “graffiti”, most of it carved by schoolchildren and visitors to Westminster Abbey in the 18th and 19th centuries, many in the spirit of the immortal “Petya was here”. So, one of the inscriptions says directly: “P. Abbott slept in this chair on July 5 and 6, 1800.”
Since 2010, the throne has undergone several restoration procedures, and they began to prepare it for the coronation 4 months before the day of the holiday in order to protect the relic from possible damage, mainly due to the detachment of the gilding.
Blackmail people from TV
Before the coronation, another scandal broke out, connected, however, not with the ceremony itself, but with its coverage in the media. The fact is that the most important British channel, the BBC, almost refused to broadcast the celebration! Company employees voted to stage the biggest strike in 13 years to protest changes made by the corporation to the content of programs broadcast in England.
The journalists warned that their strike could be organized during the coronation of Carlos III. However, at the last moment, the union decided not to spoil the monarch’s holiday, and postponed the strike to “government hour”, dedicated to the approval of state budgets. However, they left the opportunity to change their mind.
THE KING WILL HAVE A “TRUE” QUEEN
Another delicate aspect of the ceremony has to do with the king’s wife. Charles III’s second wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles (née Shand), immediately after taking the oath last fall, became queen consort and received the title of Majesty from her. It was the wish of Elizabeth II: in her message on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of being on the throne, she separately expressed her desire to see Camila precisely as queen consort after Carlos ascended the throne.
But now the situation has changed. Buckingham Palace after the coronation intends to officially call Camilla “Queen” and not “Queen Consort”, wrote the British press.
The decision is justified by the fact that the title “queen consort” (king’s wife) is too cumbersome. In addition, there are historical precedents where the “consort” part was dropped in public speech, for example, in the case of King George V’s wife, Elizabeth.
It seems like a logical move, but how will it be perceived by the rigid English, so proud of their traditions?
