Charles III is scheduled to be officially proclaimed King of the United Kingdom this Saturday at St. James’s Palace, the official administrative residence of the Crown. The ceremony will take place before the Accession Council, a ceremonial body that meets to officially proclaim the successor’s accession to the throne.
It is made up of members of the Privy Council or Privy Council, a group of senior parliamentarians, past and present, and peers, as well as senior civil servants, Commonwealth High Commissioners and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
In principle, 700 people have the right to attend this ceremony. Some 200 people were present at the last Adhesion Council. During this event, the death of Elizabeth II will be announced by the president of the Privy Council, in this case Penny Mordaunt, a Conservative MP. A proclamation will be read aloud.
The content of this can change, but traditionally it is a series of prayers and promises to congratulate the former monarch and promise to support his successor. This proclamation is then signed by various personalities, including the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Lord Chancellor, Brandon Lewis.
“God Saves the King”
The king then attends a second ceremony, again with the Accession Council and the Privy Council. Charles III will make a declaration and take an oath to commit himself to preserving the Church of Scotland.
Introduced by a fanfare of trumpeters, Carlos III will be proclaimed the new king. The statement will be made by a certain David White, an official known as the Garter Principal King of Arms on a balcony at Saint James’s Palace. The latter will pronounce the words “God save the King”, which will later be used in the national anthem. A novelty since 1952 and the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II during which the words “God save the Queen” were spoken.
The coronation will not take place immediately. For example, Elizabeth II was crowned in June 1953, more than a year after her accession to the throne in February 1952. For several hundred years, this ceremony has been held in Westminster Abbey. During this act, the Archbishop of Canterbury will place the crown of Saint Edward – dating from 1661 – on the head of Carlos III. Following an anointing, the new monarch will take the coronation oath and receive his last royal attributes, the orb and scepter.
Source: BFM TV
