Historians fear smaller Coronation could ‘waste opportunity to advertise Britain on a global stage’

A ‘stripped back’ Coronation could squander a vital chance to promote Britain’s global standing, commentators said yesterday.

King Charles is said to favour a cut-down ceremony that would be drastically shorter in length and would see the guest list slashed from 8,000 dignitaries to just 2,000.

Commentators warned the plans risked sending a message around the world of a ‘cut-price Coronation’ and would waste an opportunity to show off the nation on the global stage.

Historians said it could be a lost opportunity to exert the ‘soft power’ of the monarchy, as scenes of pomp and pageantry would draw the eyes of the world to Britain.

The Queen’s state funeral drew tourists to London and Windsor and the Coronation could provide a similar boost.

Historian Andrew Roberts said the Coronation – expected next summer – could prove to be a much-needed celebration after a winter dominated by the cost of living crunch and the war in Ukraine.

King Charles (pictured reading the Queen’s speed in May) is said to favour a cut-down ceremony that would be drastically shorter in length and would see the guest list slashed from 8,000 dignitaries to just 2,000

Royal watchers had hoped for a day of pageantry to rival the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 (pictured), which was watched by millions in Britain and around the world

The Queen’s state funeral (pictured_ drew tourists to London and Windsor and the Coronation could provide a similar boost

He said: ‘Coronations come once in a generation. If this is seen as a cut-price Coronation it will backfire.

‘This is a chance to represent the people and the nation on a global stage. It would be very sad if that was wasted.’

The King is expected to be crowned at Westminster Abbey in June next year, although no date has been officially announced.

Royal watchers had hoped for a day of pageantry to rival the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, which was watched by millions in Britain and around the world.

But King Charles is said to favour a shorter ceremony to reflect his wish for a slimmed-down, modern monarchy, while retaining some of the drama and dignity that accompanied the Queen’s funeral.

Blueprints for the Coronation include drastic cuts to the length of the ceremony, from more than three hours to just over an hour.

The guest list would also be slashed from 8,000 dignitaries who attended the Queen’s Coronation to 2,000. Ceremonial robes could also be ditched for formal suits.

In 1953, some 8,000 guests crammed into Westminster Abbey for the three-hour ceremony which was televised for the first time.

Millions watched the arcane rituals and ancient traditions. But some are expected to be scrapped in next year’s Coronation, including presenting the monarch with gold ingots, and a lengthy process known as the Court of Claims which allocated ceremonial roles to members of the gentry. Palace and government officials have been working on plans known as Operation Golden Orb, masterminded by the Duke of Norfolk.

The Duke, who played a key role in organising the Queen’s funeral, has been tasked with preparing a shorter, simpler and more diverse Coronation ceremony, according to The Mail on Sunday.

A source told the newspaper: ‘The King has stripped back a lot of the Coronation in recognition that the world has changed in the past 70 years.’ 

Prince William is also expected to play an important role in planning the ceremony.

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Mather started the plan for the King’s Coronation, although it has since been updated.

He said: ‘No Coronation robes. Give them to a museum where they belong. 

‘It’s not going to be a tweed jacket and pair of jeans – but morning suit or lounge suit.’

He added: ‘There are about 700 peers, well they won’t all be there. The same with MPs: they won’t all be present because he’s not being crowned for them. He’s being crowned for the people.’

Velvet chairs made for the 1953 Coronation are likely to be replaced by standard seating. 

The traditional presentation of gold to the monarch is also likely to disappear. 

King Charles is said to favour a shorter ceremony to reflect his wish for a slimmed-down, modern monarchy

An ‘ingot or wedge of gold of a pound weight’ was presented by the Lord Great Chamberlain before being placed on the altar.

A source said: ‘In an age where people are feeling the pinch, this is not going to happen.’

Some key rituals will be retained, including the anointing of the monarch, who will swear to be the ‘defender of the faith’, not ‘defender of faith’ as previously speculated.

The 1762 Gold State Coach will also be part of the procession.

The ceremony is expected to be more religiously and culturally diverse, and arcane language adapted for a modern audience.

Mr Roberts said: ‘Coronations are moments of national celebration. 

‘Nobody wants to waste money, but Britain can only exert its soft power effectively if occasions like this are done well.

‘A great pageant like a coronation is a chance to draw the attention of the world to Britain. It could advertise Britain wonderfully.’

But Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, said the day would still provide some pageantry. 

She said: ‘It will be different to the Queen’s Coronation. She was 26, young and beautiful and it was a very different time.

‘I think King Charles has read the public mood very well. Times have changed. We are in the middle of a war in Ukraine, and a crisis at home. 

‘We do still need joyous moments, and I still think this Coronation will be just as wonderful, but it will fit our times.’ Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Pull out all the stops, King Charles, and give Britain a day to remember, writes DANIEL JOHNSON 

King Charles’s reported plans for a slimmed down Coronation next year are in keeping with his vision of a modernised monarchy.

But would it really be wise to have the Coronation shortened from three hours to one, the guest list cut by three-quarters and a less formal dress code?

The King will still be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but the accompanying rituals will be reduced and the language will be ‘adapted so as to be understandable to a modern audience’.

Rewriting such an archaic ceremony, which is older than Westminster Abbey itself, is a perilous undertaking. While the liturgy used to crown the monarch has evolved over the centuries, it remains a religious service and every part of it has a significance that is not merely secular, but sacred.

King Charles’s reported plans for a slimmed down Coronation next year are in keeping with his vision of a modernised monarchy

The origins of the English monarchy are obscured by the mists of time. It is the Coronation that connects us to the very beginning of our existence as a nation state.

Handel’s anthem Zadok The Priest, composed for George II’s Coronation in 1727 and sung at crownings ever since, is a reminder of the thread of history stitched into this extraordinary ceremony.

The words, taken from the Biblical passage describing the anointing of King Solomon, have been used at every Coronation since the Anglo-Saxon King Edgar was crowned in Bath in 973: ‘And all the people rejoiced and said, God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King! May the King live for ever. Amen. Hallelujah.’

The plans appear to have been made in view of the cost of living crunch millions are facing.

Yet I am not at all sure that a cut-down, updated version is what the country actually wants.

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Perhaps the King and his advisers should reflect on the lessons to be learned from the solemn, moving yet magnificent spectacle that we witnessed only last month.

There was nothing ‘slimmed down’ about the Queen’s funeral. You can’t really do these things by halves.

It was, quite rightly, judged by the world to have been a fitting farewell to a universally admired monarch. The nation was thrilled by a breathtaking display, laid on to express our love and gratitude to our beloved Sovereign – gratitude that she had earned by a lifetime of devoted service.

If ever there was a time and a place for pomp, this was it. For ten days, we marvelled at a sequence of splendid ceremonies, beginning in Scotland followed by the lying-in-state and culminating in the obsequies at Westminster Abbey and St George’s Chapel. The day of the funeral was full of moments that will live in our memories for ever.

Who could forget the pallbearers, as they carried the mortal remains of their Commander-in-Chief out of Westminster Hall, to be greeted by the King, his family and the gun carriage drawn by naval ratings?

The King will still be anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but the accompanying rituals will be reduced and the language will be ‘adapted so as to be understandable to a modern audience’

None of the grandeur, flawlessly executed by many thousands of people, happened by accident. It had been carefully planned and rehearsed for years.

The late Queen herself was intimately involved. It was her decision to hold the funeral in Westminster Abbey rather than St George’s Chapel in Windsor, so that as many people as possible could attend.

This was a break with precedent: no royal funeral had taken place at the Abbey since the 18th century. No doubt some officials disapproved, tut-tutting about the cost or fretting about security.

Yet it was unquestionably the right decision. With her unerring instinct for the public mood, Her Majesty knew what the nation, Commonwealth and the world expected.

And she was as aware as anyone that the monarchy brings in so much more than it costs in terms of soft power, prestige and tourism.

So it should be with the Coronation of King Charles. I am glad he has let it be known that he will be crowned as defender of the faith, not defender of faith.

It is a Christian ceremony and must reflect the liturgy and beliefs of the Church of England, of which the King is the Supreme Governor. I am glad that we have a Church established by law in this realm, even though I myself, as a Roman Catholic, do not belong to it.

The leaders of other faiths recognise their freedoms and rights are better protected in this Christian country than in an atheist one.

The great and much lamented former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, told me he was grateful to live in a land where the Anglican faith was primus inter pares (first among equals). He feared a militantly secular Britain would be less tolerant and Jews in particular might feel less at home here.

It is understandable that the King wants his Coronation to reflect the more diverse country we have become in the past 70 years.

But he should beware of ‘woke’ attempts to change the ceremony to accommodate those of all faiths and none. There’s a danger that Charles risks making himself somehow less authoritative if he’s not going to be presented to the world as a full-on monarch.

To think otherwise is just self-defeating virtue-signalling.

Similarly, Charles should not worry too much about the cost, at a time of concern about rising inflation, taxes and mortgages.

That cost is a drop in the ocean of public spending. Those involved in the ceremonials will count it an honour and most of it won’t cost the taxpayer a penny. This is the ultimate public occasion. It has nothing to do with private extravagance by a few royals, some of whom may be open to criticism.

Only a rump of embittered anti-monarchists will begrudge us the pomp and circumstance the British do better than anyone else on Earth. So my message to His Majesty is: pull out all the stops, Sir.

Let the nation enjoy a day of joyful celebration at the crowning of our new King.

 

Meet the Queen Consort: Royal Family shares series of photos highlighting the life and work of Camilla – from her love of rescue dogs to her charity involvement, and her endorsement from the Queen

By Vanessa Allen and Rebecca English Royal Editor for the Daily Mail 

The slideshow on the Royal Family Instagram account showcases the role of the Queen Consort and what it involves

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The Royal Family Instagram account has shared a series of photographs of the Queen Consort, painting a portrait of her life.

A slideshow of 17 images shared via Stories, titled The Queen Consort, gives a snapshot of the royal’s personal and working life.

Compiled a month after her husband became king, and she undertook her new title within the Firm, the slideshow opens with a photo of the royal overlaid with the words ‘the Queen Consort’.

The second slide, a photo of Camilla with Charles, outlines her role, saying: ‘The Queen Consort supports her husband, the King, in carrying out his works and duties as Sovereign.

‘Her Majesty also undertakes public engagements on behalf of the charities that she supports.’ 

The slideshow then shares some biographical details, starting with her birth in 1947 in London, highlighting her 2005 wedding to King Charles, and their 15th wedding anniversary in 2020. 

The Queen Consort and King Charles pose with their two adopted Jack Russell terriers from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home

One of the snaps showed Camilla with her mother-in-law the Queen, accompanying the photo with a quote from the late monarch highlighting her wish that Camilla be known as Queen Consort

Rounding up some of her charity work, the slideshow notes that when Camilla was Duchess of Cornwall, she became patron of more than 100 charities, among them organisations promoting animal welfare, and helping survivors of domestic violence.

Viewers learn that the Queen Consort’s first patronage was the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS). 

A slide reads: ‘The Queen Consort’s involvement in this charity began in 1994 after seeing her own mother and grandmother suffering with the disease.’   

The video then highlights Camilla’s love of reading, and highlights a quote from her on World Book Day 2020.

She says: ‘If I can give one piece of advice, it is to put down your phones and pick up a book, especially before bed time. 

Wedding: King Charles married the Queen Consort in 2005, the couple celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary in 2020

As well as supporting the King, the Queen Consort is involved with more than 100 charities, advocating for a range of causes including the arts and health

The Queen Consort is a passionate supporter of the Royal Osteoporosis Society after her mother and grandmother suffered from the disease 

Camilla also believes in the value of reading, urging people to put down their phones and take up a book 

Camilla says reading books will help immerse you in a thousand different worlds one page at a time 

‘Books never lose their signal or run out of battery and they will always take you to a thousand different worlds with every turn of a page.’

The video then promotes Camilla’s work with domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors.

In a speech that appears in the video, Camilla says: ‘We do not in any way hold all men responsible for sexual violence. 

‘But we do need them all aboard to tackle it.’

She adds: ‘After all, rapists are not born, they’re constructed.

‘And it takes an entire community, male and female, to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal and in which it shames the victim.’ 

Along with King Charles, Camilla is president of The Elephant Family charity, which was founded by her late brother  

The Queen Consort is known to speak out on issues surrounding sexual violence against girls and women 

In her role, Camilla also holds 13 military appointments, taking over some of the roles from the late Prince Philip 

The video also makes reference to her work with The Elephant Family charity, which seeks to help Asian elephants, and was founded by her late brother Mark Shand. 

And it mentions her patronage of Battersea Dogs and Cats home in London, and the two Jack Russell terriers, Beth and Bluebell, who she adopted from there.

The video also highlights her 13 military appointments, including Colonel Chief of the Rifles, a position she took over from the late Prince Philip, her father-in-law. 

And it explores her commitment to helping older people keep active and feel less isolated. 

Lastly, there is an image of Camilla with the late Queen, accompanied by a quote from Her Majesty, voicing her support of the then Duchess of Cornwall.

It says: ‘It is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.’