King Charles III is expected to put charity workers ahead of members of the aristocracy during his coronation service at Westminster Abbey, according to The Mail on Sunday.
A lengthy part of the ceremony in which hereditary peers in ermine line up to pay their respects to the new monarch, known as the ‘tribute’, is likely to be revamped, if not scrapped, to give greater importance to representatives of charities.
It comes as a new book reveals how King Charles took his former aide, Michael Fawcett, with him to Japan three years ago to take notes on how the ancient ceremony of enthroning an emperor received a modern appeal.
King Charles III is expected to put charity workers ahead of members of the aristocracy during his coronation service at Westminster Abbey, according to The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday also understands that:
- To accommodate charity workers at Westminster Abbey, peers and members of the aristocracy may be required to vote for a seat;
- The guest list and scale of the event will be more closely based on the late Queen’s recent state funeral than her 1953 coronation;
- Prince William could play a key role in organizing his father’s coronation.
Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that the coronation would take place on May 6 next year. A spokesperson said: “The coronation will reflect the role of the monarch today and look to the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”
The Palace confirmed The Mail on Sunday’s revelation in February that the King wanted Camilla crowned alongside him.
But while Charles is keen to maintain the religious sanctity of the event, changes will be introduced to update the old ceremony.
It comes as a new book reveals how King Charles took his former aide, Michael Fawcett, with him to Japan three years ago to take notes on how the ancient ceremony of enthroning an emperor received a modern appeal.
As the MoS revealed last week, the guest list for the ceremony is expected to be reduced from 8,000 at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation to 2,000. The duration of the service is expected to be around one hour – down from nearly four hours in 1953, and there will be a much more casual dress code, with peers possibly allowed to wear lounge suits instead of formal dresses.
Experts who have spent years researching how King Charles’ modern coronation will be planned are set to release a new report outlining what the nation can expect.
The study, written by scholars from the Constitution Unit at University College London and based on interviews with insiders over several decades, should reveal fascinating insight into the arduous planning involved.
Dr Bob Morris, from UCL’s Constitution Unit and author of Inaugurating A New Reign: Planning For Accession And Coronation, said: “There will inevitably be many changes in the upcoming coronation, not least because there are has been a great change in the status of the aristocracy over the last 70 years.There are no more hereditary peers being created and, with the exception of the remaining 90 in the Lords, the peerage does not has no legislative function.
“So it would be very difficult to see how you could justify adapting anything like the number of peers attending Westminster Abbey in 1953. It would take a ballot for a limited number of the 90 peers to attend the coronation in place. The King has made it clear that he is aware that we live in difficult times and that the coronation will have to take this into account.
As the MoS revealed last week, the guest list for the ceremony is expected to be reduced from 8,000 at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation to 2,000.
There could even be a role for Prince William, although Kensington Palace stressed last night that nothing was decided yet.
Professor Robert Hazell, from UCL’s Constitution Unit, said: ‘It would be an appropriate choice for Prince William to represent King Charles in the planning as it would give him thought about what type of coronation he might love when he becomes king.”
In Catherine Pepinster’s book, Defenders Of The Faith, she reveals how, in 2019, Charles traveled to Japan with the help of Fawcett for the enthronement of the 126th Emperor Naruhito. Fawcett – who worked as an executive for the Prince’s charitable foundation but has since quit after offering to help acquire knighthood and British citizenship for a wealthy donor – took notes on Charles’ behalf.
A source tells Pepinster: “Fawcett was there to find out how the Japanese had organized an event like that.”
The Constitution Unit proposed amendments to make the ceremony more inclusive of other faiths. The important point will be to make the event uplifting and relevant for today.
The author argues that the Latin words for ‘Long Live The King!’ are likely to survive.
Are royal standards slipping?
King Charles renounced the tradition of raising and lowering the royal standard at the residence used by the monarch.
Indeed, when he is in London, the king usually sleeps and eats at Clarence House and works at Buckingham Palace. He will not be able to move into Buckingham Palace until 2027 while renovations continue. Now the Royal Standard will fly both at the same time to prevent a footman from rushing to the roof two or more times a day to operate the masts.
Some traditionalists are appalled. Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens, who took these photos just minutes apart last week, said: ‘It’s the Royal Standard. It is extremely symbolic.
Indeed, when he is in London, the king usually sleeps and eats at Clarence House and works at Buckingham Palace.
