While a date for the King’s coronation has not yet been announced, it is expected to take place in spring or summer next year. As it is a state occasion, it will be publicly funded.
Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:30, UK
King Charles is said to be planning a coronation ceremony that will be less expensive than his mother’s because of the cost of living crisis.
He is also expected to reveal a “slimmed down” monarchy – meaning there could be fewer working members of the royal family.
While a date has not yet been set for his coronation, the King’s is due to be shorter and smaller than the Queen’s in 1953, a royal source told the Daily Mirror.
The ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II cost a total of £1.57m – the equivalent of £46m today.
“The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons so will see his wishes carried through that although his coronation ceremony should stay right and true to the long held traditions of the past, it should also be representative of a monarchy in a modern world,” the source told the paper.
The Telegraph has also reported that the King’s ceremony “will be shorter, sooner, smaller, less expensive and more representative of different community groups and faiths”.
It added that guests could be limited to 2,000, with Commonwealth leaders and a diversity of religions “prioritised among the congregation”.
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Queen Elizabeth II was not crowned until 16 months after the death of her father, George V, leading some to speculate that King Charles could be crowned on the same date to mark the 70th anniversary on 2 June 2023.
Public in a favour of smaller working monarchy, poll shows
The Daily Mirror was also told the King has “long been an advocate of a streamlined or slimmed down monarchy” and may reduce the number of working royals.
“He has already spoken of his wish to continue his mother’s legacy and this includes continuing to recognise what the people are experiencing day by day,” the royal source added.
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The suggestion already appears to have the backing of the public, with a poll commissioned by the Daily Express showing 65% of people are in favour of the idea.
The survey of 2,351 people found that reducing the cost of the monarchy was the public’s second-biggest royal priority, with just 7% opposed to having fewer working members of the royal family.
Just seven working royals could remain under the King’s plans, according to the Express, which would include the King, Queen Consort, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
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King grieving loss of his mother in private
On Tuesday, the King flew to Scotland with the Queen Consort, to mourn the loss of his mother privately.
While he will not take part in any formal public engagements for another week of royal mourning, he has already carried out some constitutional duties by signing off a series of ministerial appointments.
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The Queen was laid to rest together with the Duke of Edinburgh on Monday evening in a private service attended by the King and the royal family, which followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.
Buckingham Palace said the inscription on the ledger stone in the George VI Memorial Chapel now has the names of the Queen, her parents and Philip, along with their years of birth and death.
