From the High School Lesson Book: Coronation of King Charles III

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Are you planning to watch the coronation? I remember getting up at three in the morning to watch royal weddings on TV. I'm not getting up that early for this, but I do plan to watch some of it. It looks like the live coverage begins at 5 a.m. Eastern. The procession will begin at about that time, with King Charles and Camilla travelling from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. The coronation ceremony begins at 11 a.m. (which is 6 a.m. Eastern). After the ceremony they will process back to Buckingham Palace, where the royal family will gather on the balcony for a military fly-past of over sixty aircraft. 

 

• Visit CBS News for the entire schedule and more information.
• Visit the BBC News website to see the Coronation procession route, what to look out for and when. There you'll find a map of the route, details about who will be in the procession and escort, which uniforms members of the armed forces will be wearing, and links to even more information.
• BBC News also makes available the Coronation timetable: Your complete guide to the day to help viewers understand the entire ceremony, Westminster Abbey, and the symbolism and history of much of what will take place.

Curious about the music you'll hear at the Coronation? ClassicFM has been sharing lots of information on their website and Instagram. Here are some highlights:

• What music will feature at His Majesty the King's coronation at Westminster Abbey? There will be a new coronation anthem by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and eleven other pieces by British composers commissioned by King Charles. There will be three soloists singing, and the service will be sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey and the Choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace. Also participating will be choristers from the Chapel Choir of Methodist College, Belfast and from Truro Cathedral Choir; singers from The Monteverdi Choir; The Ascension Choir; and the King's Scholars from Westminster School. You'll also hear music from the Royal Harpist, a Byzantine Chant Ensemble performing Greek Orthodox music, trumpet fanfares, and the great abbey organ.

Find out more about St. Edward's Crown, courtesy of the BBC. Find out more about all the Crown Jewels at Historic Royal Palaces.

• Did you know? St. Edward's Crown is only worn at coronations, and is otherwise kept in the Tower of London. The last time it was worn was at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
• Did you know? The crown is 360 years old, is made of solid 22-carat gold, and weighs nearly five pounds.
• Did you know? The crown is set with 444 gemstones, including sapphires, rubies, amethysts, and topaz. There are four crosses and fleur-de-lis on the band, two arches that meet in the center, and the arches are set with gold beads. The band is trimmed with ermine.
• Did you know? St. Edward's Crown was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 and named for an earlier king, Edward the Confessor, from the 11th century.

• Did you know? The collection referred to as the Crown Jewels includes St. Edward's Crown, over one hundred objects, and thousands of gemstones. The entire collection is held in trust by the monarch for the nation, and has been housed at the Tower of London since the 1660s.
• Did you know? The Coronation Regalia includes St. Edward's Crown, the Sovereign's Scepter with Cross, the Sovereign's Orb, and the Coronation Spoon. The Sovereign's Scepter with Cross holds the 3106-carat Cullinan Diamond. The Sovereign's Orb is meant to represent to the monarch that their power is derived from God. Are you curious about the spoon? It's used during the coronation to anoint the monarch with holy oil.

 

CNN has published A visual guide to King Charles III's coronation, which has a lot of information and photos, and is worth checking out.

Go to the Royal Collection Trust website for Highlights of the Royal Mews, and learn about the horses, coaches, and carriages that you'll see in the processions. Beautiful!

See my related article From the High School Lesson Book: Victoria Day to find out more about the relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom, and why Canada has a long weekend in May to recognize a British monarch.

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