The history of coronations at Westminster Abbey | UK News

When King Charles III is crowned today, he will be the 40th monarch to have a coronation at the historic Westminster Abbey.

The historic venue has been hosting Britain’s monarchs for centuries, with its first documented coronation of William the Conqueror taking place in 1066.

When our new King is crowned he will sit in the Coronation Chair, facing the High Altar of the Abbey, which has hosted dozens of royals before him since its creation in the 1300s.

The Abbey has been closed to worshippers and visitors since April 25 in order to prepare for King Charles’s coronation – although the Abbey was unable to tell Metro.co.uk ahead of time what those preparations will look like. It is set to reopen on May 8.

But how will this weekend’s coronation compare the 39 which came before – including that of King Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II? We have all the answers below.

What will happen at the coronation of King Charles III?

Today, King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, which is known as ‘the king’s procession’.

The coronation ceremony will be carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and starts with shouts of ‘God Save the King’ from the congregation as trumpets sound.

King Charles will then swear to uphold the law and the Church of England, before his ceremonial robe is removed and he is seated in the Coronation Chair.

A gold cloth is held over the chair to conceal the king from view as the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints his hands, breast and head with holy oil.

King Charles is then presented with items including the Royal Orb, the Sceptre, and the Sovreign’s Sceptre, before St Edward’s Crown is placed on his head.

He then leaves the Coronation Chair and moves to the throne – and Camilla will then be anointed in the same way.

Following the service, their majesties will return to the palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as ‘the coronation procession’.

They will be joined by other members of the royal family.

Once they return the royal family will appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to conclude the day’s events.

What was Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation like?

The main elements of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation were:

1. The preparation: A procession of the Regalia takes place, from the Jerusalem Chamber to the Abbey precincts and then the High Altar, where the coronation oil is consecrated. Other items of regalia are taken to St Edward’s chapel and Annexe ready for the main procession
2. Entry into the church: The anthem ‘I was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the house of the Lord’ was sung by the massed choirs as the monarch entered the west door. The boys of Westminster School shouted their ‘Vivats’ as the procession emerged into the quire. The monarch sat in the chair of estate, in front of the royal gallery, to the south side of the Altar.
3. The recognition: The sovereign stood next to the Coronation Chair and was shown to people on all sides of the theatre.
4. The oath: The Archbishop asked three questions of the monarch and the oath was taken. At the Altar the sovereign touched the Bible saying ‘the things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God’.
5. Presentation of the holy Bible: The Bible, ‘the most valuable thing that this world affords’, was presented by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland – the first time the Moderator had performed this duty at a coronation. The communion service then began, following the order in the book of common prayer.
6. The anointing: Seated in the Coronation Chair the monarch was anointed with oil. A canopy is held over the sovereign to shield this part of the ceremony from the congregation as this, and not the crowning, is the most sacred part of the service.
7. The investiture: The monarch put on the robes known as the Colobium Sindonis and the Supertunica of cloth of gold. The ceremonial sword and spurs were presented and the sword of state was offered at the Altar. The sovereign was invested with the armills, or bracelets, the stole, the robe royal and the orb. Then the coronation ring was put on and the sceptre with the cross and the rod with the dove were presented. 
8. The crowning and homage: The Archbishop of Canterbury brought St Edward’s Crown from the Altar and placed it on the sovereign’s head. After the Benediction the monarch moved to the throne, in the centre part of the lantern. The royal princes and senior peers of each degree ascended the steps to the throne to pay their homage. A congregational hymn was sung and the rest of the communion service took place, ending with the Blessing and singing of the Te Deum Laudamus.
9. The recess: The monarch retired into St Edward the Confessor’s chapel, behind the High Altar, and put on the Imperial State Crown and Robe of purple velvet and carrying the orb and sceptre the procession moved back to the Annexe, while the national anthem was sung.

What happened during the first coronation at Westminster Abbey?

William the Conqueror was the first monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey.

The Frenchman invaded England and defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Following his victory in Hastings he marched to London, overcoming local resistance en route.

Aldred, Archbishop of York, carried out the ceremony, speaking in English while Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances translated into French.

After the French-speaking Normans and English-speaking Saxons shouted their approval, the Norman soldiers outside thought the noise inside was an assassination attempt.

They started setting fire to houses around the Abbey and smoke filled the church, which caused the congregation to flee and riots to break out.

Despite this William and the officiating clergy managed to complete the service.

When was the Coronation Chair first used?

King Edward II was the first monarch to be crowned on the Coronation Chair in 1308.

The chair was made by order of his father, King Edward I, who originally commissioned it as a ‘relic case’ to house the Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol used during the inauguration of Scotland’s monarchy.

The Stone was captured by King Edward I in 1296 and has been part of coronation ceremonies in England, then Great Britain, ever since.

The chair was originally painted by Walter of Durham and it would have been highly decorated and gilded – coated in gold.

The Coronation Chair is the oldest piece of furniture in the UK which is still being used for its intended purpose.

It’s been altered over time – four gilt lions, the national animal of England, were added in the 16th century.

The chair has only left the Abbey a few times in the last 700 years. During World War II it was evacuated to Gloucester Cathedral to avoid it being damaged during the Blitz.

Which monarchs were crowned at Westminster Abbey and when?

Starting from the most recent coronations and working backwards, the monarchs crowned at Westminster Abbey are:

1. Elizabeth II – June 2 1953
2. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and George VI – May 12 1937
3. George V – June 22 1911
4. Edward VII – August 9 1902
5. Victoria – June 28 1838
6. William IV – September 8 1831
7. George IV – July 19 1821
8. George III – September 22 1761
9. George II and Caroline – October 11 1727
10. George I – October 20 1714
11. Anne – April 23 1702
12. Mary II and William III – April 11 1689
13. James II – April 23 1685
14. Charles II – April 23 1661
15. Charles I – February 2 1626
16. James I and Anne of Denmark – July 25 1603
17. Elizabeth I – January 15 1559
18. Mary I – October 1 1553
19. Edward VI – February 20 1547
20. Anne Boleyn – June 1 1533
21. Henry VIII – June 24 1509
22. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York – October 30 1485
23. Anne Neville and Richard III – July 6 1483
24. Edward IV – June 28 1461
25. Henry VI – November 6 1429
26. Henry V and Catherine de Valois – April 9 1413
27. Henry IV – October 13 1399
28. Richard II and Anne of Bohemia – July 16 1377
29. Edward III and Philippa of Hainault – February 1 1327
30. Edward II – February 25 1308
31. Edward I and Eleanor of Castile – August 19 1274
32. Henry III – May 17 1220
33. John – May 27 1199
34. Richard I – September 3 1189
35. Henry II – December 19 1154
36. Stephen – December 22 1135
37. Henry I – August 5 1100
38. William II – September 26 1087
39. William the Conqueror – December 25 1066

Did any monarchs not have a coronation?

There are two kings who did not have a coronation.

Edward V, the boy king, was presumed murdered in the Tower of London in 1483 before he could be crowned. He was just 12 years old.

Edward VIII abdicated the throne 11 months after succeeding his father and before the date set for his coronation. He was succeeded by his younger brother, George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II.

Are there any monarchs who weren’t crowned at Westminster Abbey?

There are only a few royals who were not crowned at Westminster Abbey.

Margaret of France, wife of Henry the Young King, was crowned on August 27 1172 at Winchester Cathedral. He was the eldest son of Henry II and despite being crowned during his father’s reign, he did not receive autonomous power. He died six years before his father, leaving his brother Richard I to become king.

Berengaria of Navarre, wife of Richard I, was crowned on May 12 1191 in Cyprus. She is known as ‘the only English queen never to set foot in the country’ as it is thought she spent the vast majority of her life in France – though she may have visited England after Richard I’s death.

Henry III was crowned twice in his life – and the first took place at what is now known as Gloucester Cathedral on October 28 1216. He was nine years old when his father, King John, died, and loyalist leaders decided he should be crowned immediately to reinforce his claim to the throne. His second coronation, four years later, is listed above.

Henry VI was also crowned twice – once at Westminster Abbey as listed above, to be named the king of England, and again at Notre-Dame de Paris on December 16 1431 to become the disputed King of France.

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