Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort attend the presentation of Addresses by each Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, contained in the Palace of Westminster, central London on September 12, 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8.
Dan Kitwood | AFP | Getty Images
Buckingham Palace plans a weekend of community events and voluntarism to mark the coronation of King Charles III, looking to focus on the monarchy’s links to the nation when Britain crowns a latest sovereign for the primary time in 70 years.
The plans were revealed Saturday when the palace released the schedule for the three-day coronation weekend, which is able to begin with the crowning of Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, on Saturday, May 6.
The ceremony at Westminster Abbey can be preceded by a procession from Buckingham Palace to the abbey. It’ll be followed by one other procession, through which Charles and Camilla can be joined by other members of the royal family, and an appearance on the palace balcony.
But there can be more to the weekend than crowns, scepters and ermine robes.
The palace wants the coronation to exhibit that the monarchy still has a task to play in a multicultural nation struggling to cope with a cost-of-living crisis, budget cuts and a wave of strikes by public-sector employees.
While there was widespread respect for Queen Elizabeth II, as demonstrated by the tens of 1000’s of people that waited hours to file past her coffin after she died in September, there is no such thing as a guarantee that reverence will transfer to her eldest son.
The coronation can be a solemn service presided over by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, however the palace also plans a weekend of events that highlight the varied communities and cultures that contribute to modern Britain.
The palace is asking neighborhoods across the nation to participate within the “Coronation Big Lunch” on Sunday, May 7 — the newest incarnation of the block parties which have change into a staple of massive royal celebrations.
That night there can be a concert at Windsor Castle featuring a choir drawn from amateur troupes across the UK, including refugee choirs, National Health Service choirs, LGBTQ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. The “Coronation Choir” will perform alongside one other one made up of singers from across the Commonwealth who will appear virtually throughout the televised concert that may also include as yet undisclosed headliners.
Through the concert, locations across the country can be lit up using projections, lasers and drone displays.
The subsequent day, the palace is inviting people across the country to participate in ”The Big Help Out,” encouraging them to volunteer in their very own communities.
“The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas,” the palace said in an announcement. “The aim of The Big Help Out is to make use of volunteering to bring communities together and create an enduring volunteering legacy from the coronation weekend.”
