Prince Charles was four years old when he attended the coronation of his mother, Elizabeth II, on June 3, 1953, at Westminster Abbey. The official ceremony took place only four months after the death of Queen Elizabeth's father George VI - according to the rules of the British monarchy, this time was set aside for mourning for the departed monarch.
This is exactly what will happen in the case of the coronation of Prince Charles - he will officially become king at the moment when the BCS members are notified of the death of Queen Elizabeth, but the rite of passage of the Prince of Wales will take place only a few months later.
The ceremony of accession to the throne of the son of Elizabeth II will traditionally take place at Westminster Abbey, which has been the official site of coronations for over 950 years. The solemn service will be televised, and thousands of people will arrive at the Collegiate Church of St. Peter as guests of the monarch.
During the initiation ceremony, Prince Charles will take the oath and vow to defend the law and the church, after which the new king of Great Britain will be anointed with oil and crowned with a copy of St. Edward's crown.
But the ceremony of accession to the throne of Charles, according to royal experts, will still be slightly different from the coronation of Elizabeth II. The main feature of Prince Charles's initiation ceremony will be the presence of representatives of other confessions - the coronation will continue to be a church service in England, however, representatives of other Christian confessions and spiritual leaders of other religions will be present at the ceremony and may even conduct readings.
In addition, some changes will affect the first days of the reign of the Prince of Wales - so when the son of Elizabeth II becomes king of Great Britain, the words of the official anthem of the United Kingdom will be rewritten. Instead of “God save the Queen”, the expression “God save the King” will be used. The British currency will also change - according to the rules, the portrait of the reigning monarch is depicted on the banknotes, and therefore after the death of Queen Elizabeth, the banks will replace her with a portrait of Charles (see also: British practicality: what will happen when Queen Elizabeth II dies).
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