King Charles III, UK’s new monarch, has taken his coronation oath at Westminster Abbey in the capital London.
There were spectacular scenes in London on Saturday to mark Coronation Day when Charles III and his wife, Camilla, officially became king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.
Travelling in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of Household Cavalry, The King and The Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation Service.
The Recognition
The King turned to each of the four points of the compass before The Archbishop of Canterbury proclaimed him the ‘undoubted King’.
The congregation shouted ‘God Save King Charles!’.
The Oath
His Majesty swore to govern the people with justice and mercy and to uphold the Anglican Church of England and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
For the first time at a Coronation, His Majesty also prayed for grace to be ‘a blessing to all… of every faith and belief’.
The most sacred part of the Coronation Service saw The Archbishop of Canterbury anoint His Majesty’s hands, chest and head with holy oil in the Coronation Chair. Regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God, the Anointing Screen protects the sanctity of this act.
His Majesty King Charles III, formerly The Prince of Wales, became King on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022.
In addition to his official and ceremonial duties in the United Kingdom and overseas as The Prince of Wales, The King has taken a keen and active interest in all areas of public life for decades.
The King is committed to his role as head of the Commonwealth and has shown significant dedication to the role.
Her Majesty Queen Camilla
Her Majesty Queen Camilla, formerly Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, will support The King, in carrying out his work and duties.
She also undertakes public engagements on behalf of the charities that she supports.
The Queen has become the Patron or President of over 90 charities.
The Queen’s charity work is varied but several themes prevail health and well-being, promoting literacy, the arts, animal welfare and supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault.
Coronation
Charles becomes the fortieth Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, on 06 May 2023.
Westminster Abbey has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066.
The contemporary form of the coronation dates from 1902, when King Edward VII was crowned.
This consists of a state procession from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey, another procession inside, the Recognition, the Anointing, the Coronation Oath, the Homage and finally another procession from the Abbey back to the Palace.
Their Majesties’ Coronation included 12 new commissions of music, including a Coronation Anthem by Andrew Lloyd Webber, a Coronation March by Patrick Doyle, and other works by Ian Farrington, Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O’Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams, and Debbie Wiseman.
Week-long celebrations and events will be held in the UK, the Commonwealth and 280 diplomatic missions around the world, celebrating key UK values of sustainability, community, youth and diversity.
More than 6,000 men and women of the UK’s Armed Forces – and nearly 400 Armed Forces personnel from at least 35 Commonwealth countries [including Uganda] – took part in the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
