40 Facts About King Charles Coronation: Date, Time, TV Schedule, Performers, History & More

The Coronation Weekend is underway, and the streets of the U.K. are abuzz with activity. The coronation of a new British monarch, which has not happened in over 70 years, involves guests from overseas, a special concert, processions – and lots of recollection of history and tradition. Throughout the reign of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles has been in the public eye after becoming the heir apparent at a young age. With the advancements in social media and technology between his mother's coronation and his ceremony, historic news coverage of the service is to be expected.

Before the big day itself, let's look back in history and take a look at some interesting facts about the Coronation service.

1.

Before he was proclaimed king, Prince Charles became the longest-serving Prince of Wales, holding the title for 64 years.

He became the heir apparent at age 3 in 1952, when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne.

2.

King Charles III was the first heir to see his mother crowned as Sovereign.

In preparation for his mother's coronation, he received a hand-painted children's invitation to the event.

3.

The Coronation of King Charles III's mother Queen Elizabeth II was the first coronation to be televised.

It was also the first time for many citizens of the U.K. to watch an event on television. An estimated 27 million people in the U.K. tuned in to the ceremony, while 11 million listened to the radio broadcast.

4.

Queen Elizabeth II went on to become the longest-reigning British monarch.

King Charles III succeeded to the throne upon her death on Sept. 8, 2022.

5.

The Coronation ceremony of King Charles III will start on May 6, 2023, at 11 a.m. U.K. local time. It will also be televised.

The Queen Consort will also be crowned beside the King. BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will all broadcast the event. CNN will hold a special TV coverage of the event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Numerous news platforms will also be live-streaming the service.

6.

King Charles III's Coronation ceremony will be shorter compared to his mother's.

Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation seven decades ago ran for more than three hours.

7.

Westminster Abbey has been the Coronation venue for 39 Sovereigns before King Charles III.

He is the fortieth Sovereign to be crowned here since 1066 when William the Conqueror was crowned in the historic venue. Before Westminster Abbey was built, Coronations had been held in Bath, Oxford, or Canterbury, with convenience being the deciding factor.

8.

The last Coronation of a King with a Queen Consort was held in 1937.

King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth were crowned together.

9.

Since 1386, the organization of the Coronation has been tasked to the Duke of Norfolk.

For the Coronation of King Charles III, the Earl Marshal Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the 18th Duke of Norfolk, oversees the preparations. He was also responsible for the preparations for the State Funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

10.

King Charles III's Coronation will follow the contemporary Coronation.

King Edward VII was the first Sovereign to be crowned in the contemporary form, which included a state procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, the Recognition, the Anointing, the Coronation Oath, the Homage and the Procession from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace. The law only requires that the Coronation ceremony include the Coronation Oath and the Accession Declaration Oath.

11.

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, will conduct the ceremony.

During the Recognition, King Charles III will stand in the theater of Westminster Abbey and present himself to the people. He will then take the Coronation Oath, a vow to rule according to law, exercise justice with mercy and maintain the Church of England.

12.

Previous monarchs stayed at the Tower of London two nights before coronation day.

The last monarch to do this was King Charles II in 1661.

13.

In the days leading up to the Coronation, King Charles III will not be seen by the public.

Archbishop Welby explained that this is a "symbol of benign commissioned by the people for a special task for which God's help is needed." He added through the official souvenir program: "It is a moment when The King is set apart for service: service of the people of this country, and service of God." This will not be part of the broadcast.

14.

The staging of the Coronation ceremony follows the staging manuscript Liber Regalis or Royal Book.

It was originally created in the 14th-century Order of Service and has been the basis of every Coronation service ever since. This Royal Book includes staging instructions when crowning a king alone, a queen alone, and a king and queen together.

15.

The 2023 Coronation will see The King in historical garments worn by previous monarchs during their Coronations.

The Buckingham Palace announced, "His Majesty will reuse vestments which featured in the Coronation Services of King George IV in 1821, King George V in 1911, King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, including the Colobium Sindonis, the Supertunica, the Imperial Mantle, the Coronation Sword Belt and the Coronation Glove."

16.

King Charles III will take the Gold State Coach, an enclosed eight-horse-drawn carriage.

The Royal Family uses the Gold State Coach on grand state occasions, including coronations, royal weddings and jubilees. The coach was also used to transport the monarch to and from the State Opening of Parliament until World War II.

17.

The Coronation anthem "Zadok The Priest," which was composed by George Frideric Handel, has been played at every Coronation since 1727.

It was first played at the Coronation of King George II.

18.

The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camila will feature 12 new commissioned music.

These include a Coronation Anthem by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a Coronation March by Patrick Doyle. New music from Ian Farrington, Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O'Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams and Debbie Wiseman will also be heard. The Official Royal Harpist, Alis Huws, will perform with the Coronation Orchestra.

19.

King Charles III's Coronation will be marked in Anglican churches by the ringing of a special peal of bells.

This event is called "Ring for the King – Ringing for the King's Coronation."

20.

The King will be crowned in a 723-year-old chair.

St. Edward's Chair was made in 1300 for Edward I. It has been used for all Coronations since and is permanently kept in Westminster Abbey.

21.

The Coronation centerpiece, St. Edward's Crown, was made for Charles II.

Charles II was crowned one year after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The crown features four crosses pattée, four fleurs-de-lis and two arches.

22.

St. Edward's Crown weighs 4 pounds and 12 ounces – made of pure solid gold.

It features 444 precious stones, including rubies, sapphires and amethysts. It is fitted with a purple velvet cap and an ermine band. Though it will be used for the Coronation ceremony, it will not be worn by the Sovereign outside the Abbey. A second crown is used for such purposes.

23.

Know as the Imperial State Crown, this second crown features 2,868 diamonds.

It is used for ceremonial occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. Made in 1937, the design of the crown is a near-replica of the Imperial State Crown earlier worn by Queen Victoria.

24.

Queen Mary's Crown, which has not been used since the 18th century, will be worn by the Queen Consort.

To pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, minor changes and additions will be done to feature diamonds from her jewelry collection, including Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds. Its hollow gold orb is set with pearls and precious stones, while a large amethyst is seen beneath the cross. It was made in 1661.

25.

The Sovereign's Ring, also known as "The Wedding Ring of England," has been featured in every Coronation since it was made for King William IV in 1831.

It features a cross of Saint George, the patron saint of England, in rubies against a background of blue sapphire.

26.

A "Coronation Spoon" will also make an appearance at the ceremony.

This will be used to anoint the monarch with a secret mixture of oils, a part of the Coronation ceremony since 1349.

27.

The chrism oil for the Anointment of the Sovereign has been consecrated in Jerusalem.

It will contain olive oils from the Mount of Olives.

28.

Guests of Queen Elizabeth II at her Coronation were treated to a dish called Coronation Chicken.

Because the food needed to be prepared in advance for her Coronation, florist Constance Spry invented a recipe using cold chicken in a curry cream sauce with a dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs.

29.

Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation drew in 8,000 guests.

They represented 129 nations.

30.

For King Charles III's Coronation, Buckingham Palace has shared that there will be 2,000 guests in attendance at Westminster Abbey.

31.

The invitation for the Coronation of the King was designed by Andrew Jamieson.

He is a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator who takes inspiration from the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. The original invitation was hand-painted in watercolor and gouache. It includes details such as the Green Man, which symbolizes spring and rebirth in celebration of the new Sovereign.

32.

Faith leaders will be leading the first processions into the Abbey.

They will be followed by representatives from the 15 realms of which the King is the head of state. This will be the first Coronation where non-Protestant faith leaders have a role.

33.

Over 6,000 men and women from the U.K.'s Armed Forces will be present for the Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort.

Almost 400 Armed Forces personnel from at least 35 Commonwealth countries will also be at the ceremony.

34.

Sir Jony Ive, former Chief Design Officer of Apple, designed the Coronation Emblem for His Majesty's 2023 Coronation.

35.

In this 2023 coronation event, it is expected that Prince William will kneel before his father, The King.

During the Homage, traditionally, princes and peers pay their respects to the Sovereign. The public who have been invited may also swear their allegiance to King Charles.

36.

The Coronation service's finale is marked by the new monarch and members of the Royal Family making an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

This custom was first done by Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

37.

The following day, May 7, there will be a special Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.

It will be broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios.

38.

Tickets for the Coronation Concert have been made available through a public ballot.

British group Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are some of the confirmed performers at the Windsor Castle concert.

39.

On Monday, May 8, The Coronation Big Lunch will happen.

Neighbors and communities share food and have fun together in an event that will take place across the country.

40.

Another part of the Coronation Weekend's celebrations is The Big Help Out.

This will happen on Monday, May 8. This is a volunteering event for the public to help in the work being done to support their local areas. Individuals, organizations and businesses may all volunteer.