The Coronation of King Charles III & Queen Camilla

Well, this is a blog post that I've been planning to write for months. As a long-time admirer of the British Royal Family, I naturally had to watch the coronation. I got up at 2:45 AM to watch the live broadcast and even had a scone for breakfast. And I've got copies of lots of pics from this historic event for  your viewing pleasure, even the stunning post coronation portraits.

The Reason & Theology YouTube channel, a Catholic apologetics channel, uploaded a video with the title "King Charles III continues the Protestant Reformation." I thought, "Well, what do you expect? The last time there was a Catholic monarch in the British Isles was 1685-1688. After that, the UK became a Protestant realm for good."

I said "Amen" at the end of the prayers throughout the service. When the service came to the part in which the "Our Father" was said, I joined my Anglican brothers and sisters in praying it. It was a pleasure and a gift to pray in concert with my Anglican brethren. 

One thing I particularly liked during the ceremony was when after the processional hymn ended, a boy about 12 years-old was brought from his place in the choir to greet the King on behalf of the Christian community and the Lord Himself. This is the what the boy said:  "Your Majesty, as children of the Kingdom of God, we welcome you in the name of the King of Kings."⁠

And here is what His Majesty said in response: "In His name, and after His example, I come not to be served but to serve."

It is the King's response that I liked in particular. And throughout the rest of the service, there were signs that King Charles is a common people-oriented monarch. One of them was the absence of the British nobles. In previous British coronations, the nobles have been in attendance. At the moment the monarch is crowned, the male nobles put on their coronets.  When the Queen Consort is crowned, the female nobles put on their coronets. In cases when the Sovereign has been a woman, all the nobles, both male and female put on their coronets when the monarch is crowned. The most recent such instance was the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth in 1953. 

Also in previous coronations, the nobles, starting with the Duke of Norfolk,  have paid homage to the monarch after the Archbishop of Canterbury and several other high-ranking bishops have.

The affair was a spectacle from start to finish. And I expected nothing less from the Brits, who do pomp and pageantry very well. I join my Anglican brothers and sisters, the British people, and the people of the Commonwealth in wishing the newly crowned King and Queen all the best of luck and a long and prosperous reign. I have every hope and confidence that our God will guide them both in carrying out the great responsibility that has been placed upon them.  

So in a spirit not of allegiance, but a spirit of charity: God save the King! God save the Queen! Vivat Rex Carolus! Vivat Regina Camilla!

Enjoy the pics, folks!