THE British Embassy in Manila will be marking the coronation of their majesties King Charles III and his queen consort Camilla Parker-Bowles on Saturday, May 6, at Liwasang Aurora inside the Quezon City Memorial Circle.
The event will feature a livestream of the monumental event from Westminster Abbey. It will also showcase British food, culture and music.
The celebration will be open to all those who wish to join in marking this historic occasion. Guests will also be treated to a special exhibit showcasing the life milestones of the new British monarch.
His Majesty’s ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said: “The [coronations] of our new king and the queen consort will be a very solemn occasion for many of us, but it will also be a moment of celebration and pageantry. It is important for those of us in the British Embassy-Manila to be able to share this moment with the Filipino community.”
Beaufils shared that they “can’t wait to host our Filipino friends for what will be a very special occasion, and a uniquely British combination of ceremony, celebration and tradition.”
The embassy likewise provided these key facts about this historic moment:
- The coronation of their majesties is a significant cultural event for the United Kingdom with global reach.
- World leaders from far and wide will attend, witness and celebrate the historic coronation ceremony and accompanying events.
- On Friday, May 5, a number of coronation-linked events are set to take place, which will welcome overseas dignitaries to the UK ahead of the ceremony.
- On Saturday, May 6, at the ancient Westminster Abbey in the heart of London, the Archbishop of Canterbury will crown His Majesty King Charles III and Camilla Parker-Bowles as “Her Majesty, The Queen Consort.”
- It promises to be a day of pageantry and spectacle, with people from all over the world visiting Britain’s capital to witness the historic spectacle.
- Leaders from around the globe will attend the coronation ceremony: the first since Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in June 1953. She devoted 70 years to loyal service as the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
- His Majesty will be crowned “King of the UK and 14 other independent realms,” of which he is also the head of state.
- Westminster Abbey has been Britain’s coronation church since 1066. King Charles III will be the 40th monarch to swear the traditional oath of faithful service.
- Other historic elements include ceremonial robes, a golden orb and scepter, and a 700-year-old throne known as the “Coronation Chair” which sits above the “Stone of Destiny” used to inaugurate Scottish kings.
- The king will be crowned with the solid-gold St. Edward’s Crown, originally made for King Charles II in 1661, and decorated with 444 precious stones including rubies, amethysts and sapphires. It is so heavy that the monarch will only wear it briefly at the moment of coronation.
- Alongside ancient rituals will be modern and personal touches that reflect the king’s role today and look toward the future. Archbishop Justin Welby will anoint King Charles with holy oil made in Jerusalem to his majesty’s specifications using only plant-based ingredients.
- The king has commissioned 12 new pieces of music for the occasion, including an anthem from British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- n Songs will be performed in English and Welsh, with a gospel choir and Greek Orthodox music in memory of the King’s father Prince Philip, who was born in Corfu, Greece.
