Updates: King Charles III crowned in lavish ceremony
All the updates from May 6 as they happened.
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on King Charles IIIs coronation on May 6:
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on King Charles IIIs coronation on May 6:
- King Charles III and his wife Camilla are crowned at a lavish Westminster Abbey ceremony on a dreary, rainy day in London, as thousands line the streets in the capital.
- The head of the United Kingdom’s main republican group and other antimonarchist activists were arrested at a coronation protest in London hours before the historic events.
- Prince Harry, the second son of Charles III, flew in from the United States to attend with dozens of other high-profile guests. Scandal-hit royal Prince Andrew, the king’s brother, is also in attendance.
- While many are celebrating, a recent YouGov poll in the UK found that just 33 percent of those asked cared about the coronation.
King Charles ‘would have been very dismayed by what happened today’: Commentator
Royal commentator Christopher Wilson has told Al Jazeera that King Charles “will have been very dismayed by what’s been going on today [in Trafalgar Square].
“He is a man who spent all of his life with people complaining about him, shouting at him. He was, for a time, public enemy number one. His marriage to Princess Diana broke up. He’s used to criticism, but he believes in a democracy where you can actually express your views,” he said.
“What seems to have happened here is walls have closed in and this is not something that has been done with his collusion. This is a government, political move which has nothing to do with the sovereign at all. He has absolutely no power over what the police can and can’t do. I can tell you he would have been very dismayed by what happened today.”
Youth do not relate to coronation of a 74-year-old man: Royal commentator
Royal commentator Christopher Wilson has told Al Jazeera that “the young people who saw this today saw a 74-year-old man; they don’t relate to that.
“You’ll still have disaffection among the young until you can get more royals out there, looking young, looking cool, looking splendid.
“When Queen Elizabeth was crowned, she was 25 and there’s a huge difference in the amount of well being and good will that comes with being young rather than being old as a sovereign,” Wilson said.
‘Approval rating [of the monarchy] will shoot up tomorrow’: Royal commentator
Royal commentator Christopher Wilson has told Al Jazeera that the coronation “is for the gain of those monarchists in this country.
“There are many people who don’t support the royal family. But I would say that if you look at it percentage-wise, there are more people who are pleased with what happened today than who weren’t pleased,” he said.
“Globally, it’s a huge benefit to Britain, not only because we’ve seen this wonderful ceremony, but Charles is now seen as a man who wants to open up British society, who wants to make a level playing field, to make everybody feel equal. That is an amazing achievement for him.
“He looks like a moderniser, and that’s very good. The approval rating [of the monarchy] will shoot up tomorrow.”
UK’s King Charles III, Camilla crowned in coronation ceremony | Newsfeed
Colombians bring the party atmosphere
Underneath some tress by the viewing area in Hyde Park, salsa music plays as a group of Colombians dance and eat some homemade snacks.
“We were here from very early” says Rafa a gregarious man dragging people under the tree to shelter from the rain. “Its once in a lifetime thing, the coronation.”
Alex, his friend says it’s a “special occasion, especially if you live in London”.
“The royal family is a symbol of hope, order, respect for us,” says Rafa. “We embrace it, we think it upholds a community.”
Alex adds, “It would have been nicer if Diana had been queen though.”Although many people are leaving the viewing area, they intend to stay and have fun.
“Yes, it’s raining but no weather will ruin a great day!” says Alex.
Ceremony officially concludes
Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Almadhoun reporting from Buckingham Palace says the ceremony has officially concluded, but crowds are still vacating the area.
“The crowds number in the thousands, so it will be a while before they leave,” he said.
“It’s been raining more over the last hour yet, the crowds stayed to attend the most important moment: the king and queen coming out to the balcony.”
Bad day for sales for the Big Issue
Petro, from Romania who is homeless and sells the Big Issue, the UK’s number one street paper says it’s been a bad day for sales.
He’s made roughly 30 pounds ($37.92), which is only marginally better than usual despite the thousands of people who made it to Hyde Park.
“I don’t know why, it’s not been a good day; maybe people had no money,” he said.
Images of the day
Here are some of the key moments of the day:
British royalty is sending a message of continuity: Former royal correspondent
Michael Cole, a formal royal correspondent has told Al Jazeera that the British royalty is sending a message of continuity.
“The royalty goes as far back as Alfred the Great in the 9th century. There were coronation ceremonies as far back as 1066. What we witness today is a renewal and a continuation between the special relationship between the monarch and his or her people,” Cole said.
“I’m not only talking about the people of the UK, but also about the commonwealth nations and British territories abroad,” he said.
Great excitement as the fly-past flew over Hyde Park
People in Hyde Park are thrilled after the scaled-back military fly-past commemorating the king’s coronation flew over Hyde Park.
“Thought it was going to be more, but still good,” says Simon Hannam
“We’ve been down and watched everything on the big screen.”
“It’s a big deal. I saw the queen being coronoated, this is my second coronation. I just love King Charles. I think he comes across as caring, sensitive man. We need icons, don’t we?” says his mother, Linda Hannam.
Royal couple greet cheering crowds from Buckingham Palace balcony
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to cheering crowds along The Mall from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The prince and princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, Queen Camilla’s grandchildren and some members from their extended family also joined them.
As they waved, the previously scaled-back military fly-past took place, making the vast crowds cheer louder.
‘King used to protesters all his life’: Royal biographer
Many people have celebrated and welcomed King Charles III’s coronation.
But people and activists from antimonarchist groups also gathered in protest.
While the head of the United Kingdom’s main republican group and other antimonarchist activists were arrested at a coronation protest in London hours before the historic events, royal biographer Christopher Wilson told Al Jazeera that the king is used to protesters all his life.
“He, I think, is a true democrat who believes in freedom of speech,” he said.
The republic movement is not in any way a terrorist movement. It’s simply a voice of protest and they have a right to free speech. After all, Britain is supposed to be the cradle of democracy. free speech has one of the great tenets of our life,” he added.
Coronation fly-past scaled back due to weather
A fly-past by military jets to celebrate the coronation of King Charles has been scaled back due to weather conditions, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said.
With low clouds and rain over Buckingham Palace, the fly-past due at 13:30 GMT will now feature helicopters and the Red Arrows aerobatic team.
Images of the royal salute
King and queen return to Buckingham Palace and witness royal salute
The royal couple returns to Buckingham Palace and witnesses a six-minute royal salute involving members of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Reporting from Buckingham Palace, Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hill says that after the ceremony — in about half an hour or 45 minutes — it is the tradition for the royal couple, along with their family and extended family, to gather on the balcony and greet people.
“Whether the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York, Princes Andrew and Harry, will be there I’m not aware. One way or another, whether they will. We’ll have to wait and see,” he said.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni congratulates King Charles
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has extended her congratulations to King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla and the British people in a social media post featuring a centuries-old mosaic upon which the throne sits for the coronation ceremony inside Westminster Abbey.
Meloni examines the circular mosaic in a photograph, which “was masterfully realised by Italian artisans about eight centuries ago”. She said it remained testimony of the “historic and deep cooperation between Italy and the United Kingdom”.
Meloni expressed certainty that the king “will further reinforce” the ties.
Braved the weather for coronation day
The dreary weather and rain did not dampen people’s spirits on coronation day.
Many private events were fully booked around London.
In a square in Mayfair, a quintessential garden party screened the coronation.
There was plenty of applause between the different parts of the ceremony.
Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Nils Adler says people are dressed to impress, with plenty of men suited and booted while women are wearing fancy dresses.
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla
Local businesses enjoy the benefits of coronation day tourism
Some local businesses in the United Kingdom are enjoying the benefits of coronation day tourism.
Zeneb, who works in a restaurant on Edgware Road, home to a thriving Arab community, says takeout orders have gone “through the roof”.
She says she is excited to see a new king. “We needed a change, the queen had been there for a long time, maybe he can make a difference, we have so many problems now in the world with inflation and everything”.
Marius, who works at a Lebanese restaurant on Edgware Road, says that not so many of the tourists streaming past their establishment have come in, but he is happy about the coronation nonetheless: “It’s a one in a lifetime opportunity, it’s a shame I had to work, otherwise I’d be there with my family.”
China’s Xi sends congratulatory message to King Charles III
China’s President Xi Jinping congratulated King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the UK on their coronation, Chinese state media reported.
Xi said that China is willing to expand cooperation and cultural exchanges with the UK and that the two countries should jointly promote peace and cooperation.
Coronation procession begins
Newly crowned King Charles III and Queen Camilla return to Buckingham Palace in a gold state coach in a lavish coronation procession.
Members of the royal family and 4,000 British and commonwealth troops also join the procession.
Prince Harry had no big role in coronation ceremony
Prince Harry was also present at his father’s coronation ceremony but did not have a significant role to play.
“He had no part to play, this is very similar to his uncle Prince Andrew. They are unimportant on an occasion like this when the king is crowned. That shows the difficulties faced within the family are trivial by comparison with the enormity of Charles, who has pledged to the nation that we all should be equal,” royal biographer Christopher Wilson told Al Jazeera.
King Charles III leaves cathedral to the tune of God save the King
King Charles III makes his way out of Westminster Abbey as guests in the cathedral sing the UK’s national anthem, “God save the King”.
The king and queen will now lead another lavish procession in their horse-drawn carriage and greet people before they return to Buckingham Palace.
Not everyone is up for a coronation party
Tom and Selma are not here to support the new king. They have come today to demonstrate against the royal family.
“I think the monarchy is terrible for democracy,” says Tom, adding that “they are a symbol of the glorification of colonialism.”
Freddie decided to get a sweat on in the middle of the coronation as he had to wait to get back on the tube at Marble Arch.“I don’t care either way,” he says, adding that he is not for or against the royal family.
Scenes from King Charles III crowning