After the death of our late Queen Elizabeth, we Brits have been excitedly hanging on to the prospect of King Charles’ upcoming coronation, on May 6th 2023. Coronations are usually several months after the death of the previous monarch, and due to the length of Queen Lizzie’s reign, it’ll be the first one many of us will be alive to witness. It’s been a long-awaited event for Charles too, as he’s been next in line for throne for just over 70 years!
While coronations in the past tended to be fraught with religious and political tensions and plenty of bloodshed, now the events are exciting and uplifting for all, unifying our community and boosting the public morale of the UK. Here are some facts you may not know about the man who’s about to take to Britain’s royal stage, and some of the other famous coronations throughout our history.
On the way to the Crown
Charles was born on the 14th of November 1948, making him 73 years old at his coronation ceremony and the oldest monarch ever to be crowned. He was announced next in line to the throne at just 3 years old and has been Prince of Wales since 1958 from 9 years old, also making him the longest serving Prince of Wales. He is the first monarch in the UK with a degree, having studied Anthropology, Archaeology and History at Cambridge, and he also learnt to speak Welsh in his second year of university, which he often uses when he visits and addresses the country. He has a variety of other talents up his sleeve, including watercolour painting, playing three instruments, and being a trained diver and pilot from his time in the military.
A passionate conservationist, he loves to plant trees after major UK events, even going as far as to shake hands with their branches when he’s finished with his compost and shovel, and shockingly enough, he’s been so supportive of environmental charities throughout his life time that he’s had a species of frog named after him! The Hyloscirtus princecharlesi was discovered in 2008 and named a few years later.
Coronation history
Athelstan, a Saxon King, was the first ever English monarch recorded, and William the Conqueror was the first ever monarch to be crowned at Westminster. The only two monarchs who haven’t had coronations are Edward V, who was presumed murdered in his tower before his ceremony and Edward VIII who abdicated 11 months after his appointment. Other monarchs sharing Charles’ name include Charles I, who was convicted of treason and executed, and his son Charles II, who struggled under the pressure of his father’s defeat in the Civil War but pushed through exile and was restored as King in 1660. Charles III will have to make a lot to make up for in light of his name-sharing predecessors!
Like Edward V, Ethelred the Unready is another example of why children should not be rulers, as at ten he failed to fight off a Viking invasion and lost his throne to the King of Denmark. Richard I or Richard the Lionheart holds the prize for the first detailed coronation to be recorded, and of course, we cannot forget Henry VIII in our list of famous or infamous monarchs, with his six doomed wives and formation of the Church of England.
Overall, England’s bloody history of power is quite something to behold, and the ceremonial coronations are fascinating to read up on. Here at AMT we’ll be watching the coronation of King Charles III with eager eyes and hope for a more peaceful reign, so don’t forget to check out our website for some coronation goodies!
