The last time Britain held a coronation, was in 1953, it was raining as it rained on May 6, 2023. Back then, Prince Charles, now King Charles III was only four years old. Seventy years later, the King’s coronation, brimmed with ritual and symbolism rooted in centuries-old tradition much like his mother’s. However, it’s not the same Britain as it was 70 years ago.
Today, Britain remains in the grips of the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II was seen as a breakthrough in broadcasting, as it was the first shown on TV. More than 14 million people tuned in to watch King Charles III's coronation on BBC television, the corporation said on Sunday. Approximately 2 million people were on the streets, braving the weather on Saturday 6 May to partake in the coronation celebration and catch a glimpse of the procession to Westminster Abbey and back.
Compared to Queen Elizabeth II’s, Charles’ coronation was a more scaled-back affair, with fewer people in attendance and a shorter service and procession than his mother’s.
Whereas the Queen was crowned alone in 1953 (her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, was not, as is custom for the consorts of female sovereigns), Charles was crowned alongside his wife, the now Queen Camilla. At King Charles’ coronation, there was a greater effort to make the service more inclusive and reflective of Britain’s diversity, most notably through the inclusion of a diverse array of faith leaders. In King Charles’ coronation oath, he said: “Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and belief, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
One of the starkest differences between King Charles’ and Queen Elizabeth’s coronations was their oaths. When Elizabeth II became queen, Britain was still very much an empire—and, as such, she pledged to “govern the People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories.”
King Charles, meanwhile, now rules over a considerably smaller realm. In his oath, he pledged only to “govern the People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, your other Realms and the Territories.” The King knelt before the Altar and said, “God of compassion and mercy whose Son was sent not to be served but to serve, give grace that I may find in thy service perfect freedom and in that freedom knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and belief, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The Coronation of King Charles III was a three-day affair that celebrated Britain’s diversity in its truest form.
"As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future. And I know she's up there, fondly keeping an eye on us, and she'd be a very proud mother," Charles' heir, William, said in a speech at the evening concert at Windsor on May 7, to huge cheers.
Three-day festivities
Across the Coronation Weekend, there were further opportunities for people to come together in celebration of the historic occasion. On Sunday, 7th May 2023, a special Coronation Concert was staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC and BBC Studios, with several thousand pairs of tickets to be made available via a public ballot. It was attended by many renowned British Indians, including actor Sonam Kapoor who gave a short speech on the Commonwealth, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty called it a date night. The Coronation Big Lunch, at which neighbours and communities were invited to share food and fun together, took place across the country on the same date. On Monday, 8th May 2023, members of the public were invited to take part in The Big Help Out, which encouraged people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. More than 2,200 people were invited to the Coronation of King Charles. The final guest list included members of the Royal family, representatives from 203 countries and approximately 100 heads of state. Dame Emma Thompson, Katy Perry and Ant and Dec were among the first celebrities to arrive at Westminster Abbey.
Multifaith blessings
From Hindus in India to Jewish settlers in the West Bank and fundamentalist Christians in the United States — King Charles tried to bridge the differences between the faith groups that make up Britain’s increasingly diverse society. The king’s commitment to diversity was on display at his coronation when religious leaders representing the Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions for the first time played an active role in the ceremonies.
Gopal Kambo, a graduate studying Masters's at Cambridge in music and was selected to join the choir for his musical ability. The fact he is able to do that and still identifies as himself puts paid to the myth that the royals are not inclusive. Raghav Das, a 16-year-old from India’s Bihar state was among the attendees who was one of the 48 King’s Scholars at the Westminster School of London in the choir. His mother Dr Shikta Das was a professor at The Imperial College London.
Amongst other dignitaries of Indian origin who graced the occasion, was British Sikh Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon presented the Glove to hold the Sovereign Sceptre during the Crowning of King Charles III, Lord Syed Kamall, 56, of Indo-Guyanese heritage, represented the Muslim faith and presented the Armills or a pair of bracelets and Lord Narendra Babubhai Patel, 84, represented the Hindu faith and handed over the Sovereign's Ring.
BEM recipients attend the Coronation Service
Many of the BEM recipients who attended the Coronation Service were instrumental in providing services and support to their local communities during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Dr Hareen De Silva received a British Empire Medal for services to general practice during Covid-19. Throughout the pandemic, he worked in various settings including NHS Nightingale, the Test and Trace service, and GP clinics in London. Bansari Ruparelia’s British Empire Medal was awarded in recognition of the services she has carried out for the community. Working on a volunteer basis, she provides support and care to people experiencing social isolation, an issue which she believes has become more widely acknowledged and recognised in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deepak Pathak, who mobilised over 4500 volunteers to support their communities during the pandemic, was among one of around 45 volunteers from the West Midlands and 500 nationally to have been recognised for their contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion. When Covid struck, as global lead of the charity, Deepak was instrumental in turning Sewa Day into a vital resource. He encouraged over 4,500 volunteers to get involved (many who had not volunteered before) and the charity became active every single day, in 42 different towns and cities across the UK. Under Deepak’s leadership, Sewa Day volunteers provided over two million meals to people in need, helped supply food to 80 food banks and supported over 40 hospitals by providing PPE.
Madhu Basudev, who has been volunteering for over 20 years for organisations including Sewa Day and Durga Bhawan Mandir Smethwick, was one of 45 volunteers from the West Midlands and 500 nationally to have been recognised for their contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion too. After seeing how the Asian community were struggling during the pandemic, Madhu set up Sewa Day craft groups to help combat social isolation and lift the community’s spirits. Nearly 15,000 knitted items have been made at the groups and donated to hospitals and shelters.
Among the many Indian and Indian-origin celebrities, politicians and public figures were Indian Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankar who represented India at the coronation ceremony. He reached the UK along with his wife on Friday and was seen greeting King Charles III and other dignitaries at a reception at Buckingham Palace on the eve of the coronation. Sonam Kapoor was one of the high-profile Indian celebrities present at the ceremony. She also delivered a speech and introduced British rhythm and blues artiste Steve Winwood and the Commonwealth virtual choir at the event, the Economic Times reported.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty were also present at the coronation ceremony as a custom. He also read from the Biblical ‘Book of Colossians’. Sunak’s Indian-born wife Akshata Murty was also among the guests. The businesswoman led the procession with the premier, carrying the UK’s national flag.
Sourab Phadke, a renowned architect is a graduate of the Prince’s Foundation Building Craft Programme and an alumnus of the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts who attended the coronation. Dr Isaac Mathai, a Bengaluru-based doctor was also among the esteemed attendees. He is the chairman of SOUKYA, a top Ayurvedic healing centre in India of which Camilla has been a patron since 2010.
Mumbai Dabbawalas, the lunchbox delivery men from Mumbai, India’s financial capital, were also among the invitees and gifted India’s traditional ‘Punedi Pagdi’ turban and ‘Warkari’ shawl to the newly crowned king. Manju Malhi, a noted Indian-origin chef, who is a recipient of the British Empire Medal for her community service during the Covid-19 pandemic, also attended the ceremony. She works with the charity Open Age which helps elderly citizens to remain fit and active.
Sales plummet
The streets of central London including Regent Street, The Mall upto Buckingham Palace were covered with hanging flags bearing Union Jack and some with the official coronation emblem. Shops and theatres were covered with buntings and other decorations. In the Mayfair area of London, street parties were held on the streets and footpaths covered in red, white and blue floral displays, including in the shape of a crown. High street retailers reported a “coronation effect” sales boost as shoppers make a last-minute dash to the shops to stock up on party fare including bunting, champagne and cakes for this weekend’s celebrations. With potentially more than £200m of extra sales riding on the festivities surrounding the coronation of King Charles, retailers’ shelves were cleared of fizz, quiche, and scones as well as buffet favourites such as pies and scotch eggs. Inspired by the official “coronation quiche”, Lidl said its budget-friendly deluxe version of the dish – at £2.79 each – is popular with party planners, with sales up a third in the past month.
Coronation at the Cost of Living
The King’s coronation is set to cost many millions – and it falls to taxpayers to foot the bill. But with no budget revealed for the historic national state occasion, and the government not commenting on the expected total cost, the amount of public funds due to be spent remains unknown. Some predictions suggest Operation Golden Orb – the crowning of Charles III and the Queen Consort – could cost the nation between £50-100m. The late Elizabeth II’s coronation cost £912,000 in 1953 – £20.5m in today’s money – while Charles’s grandfather George VI was crowned at a cost of £454,000 in 1937 – worth £24.8m in 2023 and the most expensive coronation of the last 300 years.
Community members share their experiences of attending the coronation
16-year-old Iona Mandal was fortunate to witness the presence of King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Royal family on Saturday outside Westminster Abbey, as they left for Buckingham Palace after the coronation.
She was invited to the coronation by the Royal Household in recommendation of the National Literacy Trust where she is a young volunteer. The Trust also nominated her for Coronation Champions Awards.
Iona Mandal was seated at St Margaret’s Church, an adjacent church to the main Westminster Abbey, along with other 399 youngsters of 13-18 years of age, representing other charities that the Royal Household support.
Speaking to Asian Voice Iona said that she admired that King Charles brought in the diversity factor to his coronation - It was different from the last coronation in 1953, as it was a shorter affair and represented a different British society. Today’s Britain is much more diverse and that multi-faith and various communities were included and represented at the Coronation, made it worth admiring.
She mentioned that it would have been nicer and more revolutionising if King Charles acknowledged Britain’s past and dark history of colonisation. I am not saying an apology but some form of recognition of Britain’s past doings. “It might have been nice if King Charles had somehow addressed Britain's colonial history in his coronation. In some aspects, it was nice that he brought all the changes to make it more inclusive. But I think, if Britain addressed their past, that might have been more revolutionary. At the same time, I obviously did have a great time at the event, but I just wanted to mention that many others and I haven't forgotten about it,” Iona told us.
Iona wore formal lilac trousers with a top and blazer to the Coronation, that she carefully chose for the occasion. They arrived from Birmingham the night before, 5 May. Her day started with breakfast at the Lambeth Palace. Her father Partha and her then walked to St Margaret’s Church, adjacent to Westminster Abbey, where they were seated. Before the coronation was screened for them on a gigantic screen, there were performances and speeches that were age appropriate and relevant for youngsters and they could ask any question or clear doubts about the coronation. After the coronation they walked back to the Lambeth Palace for lunch, where they were joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury - It was a surreal moment for me. We had just seen him crowning the King. And here he was, so humble, and politely speaking to us.
Harilal Narandas Patel of Cardiff who was invited to the Coronation, told the newsweekly, “It was a magical moment. Absolutely fantastic! Being physically present at Westminster Abbey witnessing the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla was indeed a great and unique experience and a great honour- once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s difficult to express how it feels to be present on such a historical and momentous occasion. When I arrived here in the UK from Uganda over 50 years ago, as a refugee, I never even in my wildest dreams thought I would one day have this one great memory for witnessing a coronation.” “It was nice to see Lord Patel from the Hindu Faith being part of the Ceremony. There was a great sense of peace and harmony in the Westminster Abbey. Being present at this historical event, reminded me of Lord Rama's coronation, popularly known as ‘Rama Pattabhishekam’” Harilal Patel said.
Professor Meena Upadhyaya OBE said, “It was such an honour to attend King's coronation at Westminster Abbey on 6th May; the congregation was asked to be there four hours before the ceremony; this allowed me to absorb the finer details of the abbey and soak the buzzing atmosphere of this glorious, unforgettable day. “Despite standing in a long queue for a considerable length of time for security checks, it was an enjoyable experience as we chatted with each other; people in front of me were from New Zealand, and those behind me were from Northern Island; I also spotted Emma Thompson and had a brief conversation. “As I walked down the aisle to find a place to sit, diversity was instantly discernible; people from across the UK and beyond, of different faiths and nationalities wearing their best dresses, hats, suits, and national costumes. As I sat down, I was so excited to see the globally renowned people (heads of State, Commonwealth officials, senior politicians, dignitaries) parade down the aisle in drips and drabs; it was such an exciting moment.”
The Prince’s Trust International attendees included Gulfsha from India, who was awarded The Prince’s Trust Global Award in 2022 in recognition of her exceptional determination and achievements demonstrated through her participation in the Get Into programme in India. Delivered by The Prince’s Trust International partner Magic Bus India Foundation, Gulfsha completed the Get Into programme she had heard about at college. Learning via an online environment, Gulfsha honed a range of workplace skills and successfully interviewed for her first-ever job. She now works for a consultancy firm, providing price estimates for construction projects.
Jay Patel from Prince’s Trust Canada is a resilient individual who overcame isolation and low confidence after moving from India to Canada in 2021. By completing The Prince's Trust Canada's Youth Employment programme in May 2022, Jay gained valuable skills and secured a job as a cook at Toronto’s iconic CN Tower – one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Now on his way to becoming a Chef, Jay is passionate about inspiring others to find the same kind of support network that helped him achieve success.
(With inputs from Rupali Shinde)
