LONDON — King Charles III has
signaled that he wants a streamlined coronation ceremony. But that does not
mean an economically straitened Britain will not throw an extravagant party as
it crowns its first king in seven decades in May.
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Late on Saturday, Buckingham Palace
announced details of a three-day merrymaking jamboree that will rival Queen
Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last June. Among the highlights: a star-studded
concert at Windsor Castle, a nationwide series of street parties and a national
volunteering campaign, branded “The Big Help Out”.
The sheer size of the festivities might
seem surprising because the palace had earlier indicated that Charles wanted a
scaled-back ceremony, as compared with his mother’s, given the cost-of-living
crisis afflicting the country. But the British government now views the
coronation weekend as an opportunity to lift spirits after a hard winter,
according to people familiar with the planning, and it has encouraged the royal
family to pull out the stops.
‘An opportunity to celebrate’The palace is still expected to shorten the
service, which will take place on May 6, at Westminster Abbey and be conducted
by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. It will reduce the guest list and
dispense with some of the more antiquated rituals of a ceremony that dates back
nearly 1,000 years.
But coronations allow the public, in
Britain and across the world, a chance to take part in royal festivities.
Elizabeth’s coronation, in June 1953, was the first to be televised, drawing an
estimated global audience of more than 250 million people.
Many of the set pieces of that spectacle —
a grand procession to the palace from the abbey, complete with golden carriage,
and an appearance by the king and his family on the balcony — will remain. And
with Britons getting a day off May 8, in the new king’s honor, the palace is
adding two days of festivities.
Charles, as Prince of Wales, emphasized volunteer service through his charities and views that as a major legacy of his coronation
“Their majesties the king and queen consort
hope the coronation weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and
celebrate with friends, families, and communities across the United Kingdom,
the realms and the Commonwealth,” the palace said in a statement issued
Saturday evening.
Stars, lasers, and charity workThe party begins May 7, when pop and rock
stars will join a coronation choir at Windsor Castle for a televised concert.
There is no word yet on who will perform, but if the queen’s jubilee concert is
any indication — it featured Alicia Keys, Duran Duran, Rod Stewart, and Brian
May, the guitarist from Queen — the lineup will be strong.
In keeping with what the palace said was
Charles’ wish for a coronation that reflects the times, the choir will include
people drawn from singing groups composed of deaf people and refugees. The
concert will culminate with a nationwide lighting display, using lasers and
drones — a technology used to great effect last spring with images of the queen
and her handbag floating above Buckingham Palace.
The series of street parties, nicknamed
“The Coronation Big Lunch”, is also borrowed from the Platinum Jubilee, with
the palace planning for thousands of gatherings in streets, gardens, and parks
across Britain. This will be a showcase for the queen consort, Camilla, who has
been patron of a charity that organizes public lunches for people living alone.
On the one-off holiday, the palace hopes
that some will undertake volunteer work. Charles, as Prince of Wales,
emphasized volunteer service through his charities and views that as a major
legacy of his coronation, according to the palace.
Across the pondThe palace has left some important
questions about the coronation unanswered, not least whether the king’s younger
son, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, will be invited. Harry’s bestselling
memoir, “Spare”, has deepened the rift between him and his father and brother,
Prince William — claiming, among other things, that he and Meghan were
mistreated by Charles and William.
The palace has steadfastly refused to
respond to the accusations, and it is not expected to address the issue of
inviting Harry and Meghan for a while. May 6 will be the fourth birthday of the
couple’s son, Archie, which could affect the travel plans of Meghan, if not of
his father. In an interview with ITV to promote his book, Harry was
noncommittal about making the trip from his home in Southern California.
“There’s a lot that can happen between now
and then,” he said.
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