Coronation of Charles III

The coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the United Kingdom took place at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6th.

On December 25, 1066, “William the Conqueror” became the first English king to be crowned at Westminster Abbey. Charles III became the 40th king to be crowned there. The last coronation held at Westminster Abbey was that of Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953 when Charles was only 4 years old. This is the grandest ceremony in the UK in 70 years and an international event that has garnered global attention.

Among our readers, even those from Hong Kong and Malaysia, former British colonies, who are under the age of 70, have never witnessed such a spectacle. The coronation ceremony held this time attracted a global audience of 300 million people, and it can be said that it broadened our horizons. Chinese readers understand that the last emperor of China, Yuan Shikai, ended in humiliation, with his coronation ceremony being conducted amidst insults, making it difficult to comprehend the significance of ascending to the throne.

The coronation of Charles III has garnered global attention and, at the same time, allowed us to observe and understand the responsibilities and roles that kings assume in Western Christian societies.

/The Crown of Saint Edward

/Coronation of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom

Ubiquitous Religious Significance 

The Coronation Ceremony was officiated by the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. Witnessed by approximately 100 global leaders and a televised audience of three billion, the ceremony involved religious and moral symbolisms such as oaths, anointing, and authorization. Archbishop Welby placed the 360-year-old St. Edward’s Crown on the head of King Charles III, noting the thorn-shaped decorations on the crown symbolizing the suffering Christ and sacrifice, while proclaiming loudly, “God save the King.” With this, Charles III was formally crowned as the monarch, carrying on the traditions and history of the British monarchy, which spans over a thousand years.

A common thread throughout the Coronation ceremony was the emphasis and request from the Archbishop for the King to commit to serving the people, rather than the people unconditionally pledging loyalty and obedience. The new King swore an oath to God that he was here to serve the people and not the other way around. Each stage of the Coronation ceremony showcased the representation of the Church crowning the King, with God being the “King of Kings,” and the King serving as the link between God and the people. The King’s duty is to uphold justice and unite the nation, with these fundamental principles forming the legitimacy of the moral authority of the British monarchy. The ceremony even involved the King wearing a warm glove, symbolizing the caution, gentleness, and legality in exercising power.

The primary regalia received by the monarch is a golden orb with a precious cross, symbolizing the role of the British monarch in protecting the Christian faith and the Christian world. The King also receives two golden scepters: the first one topped with a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit and signifying that the King’s power is blessed by God and must be exercised according to His laws. The Dove Scepter represents spiritual authority and is also known as the “Scepter of Justice and Mercy.” The other scepter, known as the ruling scepter, bears a cross, symbolizing secular power and its connection to Christianity. Since 1661, all three regalia items, along with the St. Edward’s Crown, have been used in the coronation ceremonies of every British monarch.

In 597 AD, Pope Gregory the Great dispatched missionaries to the Kingdom of Kent, marking the gradual Christianization of England. The Church needed the protection of the monarchy to gain more followers, and the monarchy required religion to bestow a divine aspect upon its rule. From then on, the Church and the monarchy became inseparable, displaying a relationship of the fusion of politics and religion. In 1215, under pressure from the nobility, King John of England signed the Magna Carta, limiting the powers of the monarchy and evolving into the parliamentary system we see today, where governance is entrusted to representatives elected by the people, laying the foundation for democratic society.

It is rarely considered that the British monarchy exercises a constitutional monarchy, with the country being governed by a democratically elected Prime Minister, effectively stripping the monarch of practical governing powers, yet preserving the institution to this day. During the French Revolution, the Emperor of France was overthrown by the people, resulting in the entire monarchy disappearing from France. Many European countries faced similar situations after the 17th century, where people demanded the power to govern their nations democratically. Those who voluntarily relinquished power and returned it to the people, like the monarchies of the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and a few others, have managed to retain their position in European society. What lessons can be learned from history for China, which maintains an authoritarian regime with power centralized in a single party? One wonders if China’s leaders will take inspiration from the Coronation Ceremony of King Charles III and recognize that in today’s society, governance power.

The Integration of Tradition and Modernity

The coronation ceremony is fundamentally a religious ritual, where Charles III swears to defend the Church of England and ensure that all monarchs, including himself, will always be Protestant. However, unlike tradition, religious leaders from other faiths, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Judaism, played important roles in the ceremony, representing the diversity of modern, multicultural Britain and the Commonwealth. Charles III added a preface to his coronation oath, stating that the Church of England “will seek to create an environment in which all faiths and those of no faith can live freely”.

Non-Christian leaders presented the coronation regalia with less overt religious attributes to the king before the formal crowning, and female clergy members took on more significant roles. This seems to cater to the contemporary British appetite for “equality” and “inclusivity”. The public, for the first time, was invited to participate in the Million Voices chorus, replacing the traditional allegiance oath of the nobility and hereditary peers kneeling before the monarch in the church—now the public expressed their allegiance to the king. Charles III’s coronation ceremony is filled with history and tradition while also demonstrating that the British royal family wishes to present a forward-looking monarchy and monarch.

The late Queen Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony in 1953 lasted over three hours, featuring a grand procession from Westminster Abbey through London back to Buckingham Palace, covering a total distance of about 8 kilometers. In contrast, Charles’s coronation ceremony lasted only about one hour, with a procession route of approximately 2.1 kilometers, conveying his vision of a “streamlined modern monarchy”. Although the total cost was more than three times higher than that of his mother’s coronation, the intention to use this coronation to consolidate the royal image was almost an open secret. At the age of 73, Charles became the heir to the throne in 1953 when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended. He is currently the longest-serving heir in British history.

During his 70-year-long period as heir, Charles III witnessed the succession of leaders around the world, including 15 British Prime Ministers and 14 U.S. Presidents, making him the most prepared and oldest new British monarch. While some British media outlets question the status and role of monarchy, the mainstream media seems to have a more positive view of Charles’s performance in the coronation ceremony, emphasizing the importance of the monarchy in British politics and cultural life. Additionally, the hundreds of thousands of British citizens who braved the rain to witness the ceremony provided powerful support, undoubtedly boosting the morale of the British royal family.

The Road to Republic in Commonwealth Countries

On May 6th, over 2,000 guests, including members of the royal family, religious leaders, and heads of state, witnessed the historic moment of Charles III’s coronation at Westminster Abbey. Among them was Prime Minister of Australia Albanese, who pledged allegiance during the coronation ceremony and extended an invitation to Charles III to visit Australia as the king. Although opposition leader Dutton did not attend the coronation, he publicly stated that the coronation was an important moment for the British people, Australians, and all Commonwealth citizens, as it reestablished the connection with history and symbolized the rebirth of the current era. Dutton also emphasized that the king respects the right of all Commonwealth people to decide their own destiny, including the choice to become a republic.

While the coronation ceremony has concluded, it has reignited debates about slavery, the legacy of colonialism, and republicanism. As this monarch ascends to the throne, some Commonwealth countries are considering independence and reexamining the issues left by British colonialism. They are also pushing for compensation from governments and institutions for the damage and suffering caused by the transatlantic slave trade. Today, Charles III represents a nearly 1,000-year-old unbroken royal lineage: he now stands on an unstable fault line, with romanticized British history on one side and a group of frank former colonies demanding he confront the harsh realities of British imperial history. The era of warm handshakes and smiles between the British royal family and its distant realms has come to an end.

For a long time, Australia has been debating whether to retain a constitutional monarchy. The 1999 nationwide referendum on becoming a republic ended with 55% of voters opposing the move. It is evident that there is significant divergence among the Australian public on this issue. Supporters of retaining the constitutional monarchy argue that the constitution is more important than the monarchy itself. Australia has never faced a constitutional crisis, and the constitution has always protected democracy remarkably well. On the other hand, proponents of a republican system believe that Australia’s sovereignty should not be in the hands of a foreign monarch but represented by the Prime Minister of the country. Stan Grant, an ABC News anchor of Indigenous heritage, criticized on the program “Q+A” that the monarchy does not reign supreme in the eyes of the people. The crown symbolizes invasion and the plunder of land, especially for Indigenous people, representing the impending bicentenary of an aggressive war.

The British royal family has always sought to act as a politically above and neutral head of state. The challenges faced by Charles III will not only involve engaging with emerging social issues but also winning the support of the younger generation. It is evident that the popularity of the royal family has declined among today’s young Australians. Additionally, the government announced earlier this year that the portrait of the British monarch will be removed from the $5 banknote in favor of designs featuring indigenous elements, rather than featuring King Charles. The presence of British royals on the currency can be traced back to the era of the Australian pound, but Queen Elizabeth II’s passing last year prompted calls from republic supporters to remove the face of the British monarch from the $5 banknote. The path to a republic will not happen overnight but will be achieved gradually through incremental changes.