What happens after the funeral?
After the funeral in Westminster, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to Windsor Castle, where a ceremony will be held at St George’s Chapel. She will be buried in the castle’s King George VI Chapel, alongside her father, mother and sister’s ashes. The coffin of her late husband Prince Philip, who died last year, will also be moved from the royal vault to St George’s Chapel to be buried with the Queen, as the couple requested.
When is the coronation of King Charles III?
When the Queen died, the throne passed immediately to the heir, Charles, her son and former Prince of Wales. He will be officially crowned king at the coronation, which could take place in the spring or summer of next year. For the past 900 years – since William the Conqueror – the coronation has been held in Westminster Abbey. Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion: the government pays for it and chooses the guest list.
What crown will she wear?
The Archbishop of Canterbury will place the St Edward’s Crown, which dates back to 1661, on Charles’ head. This is the iconic solid gold crown from the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, which is studded with 444 colored gemstones including rubies, garnets, sapphires and tourmalines, filled with a purple velvet center and trimmed with fur. It is only worn by the monarch at the time of coronation, partly because it weighs 2.23 kg.
Can we expect new jewels or other rituals?
Coronations are traditional affairs, although it is understood that King Charles would like a more limited edition compared to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. However, it will still be loaded with jewels. In addition to St Edward’s crown, he will be given the coronation ring, nicknamed the ring of England, which is placed on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand. The ring has been in use since 1831 and is a symbolic sapphire ring with baguette-cut rubies in the form of a cross above the face, representing the cross of St George and the flag of Scotland. He will also be presented with a scepter dating back to 1661, which has been used at every coronation since then. In 1910, King George V added the Cullinan I diamond, a 3,106-carat stone discovered in South Africa in 1905. Prince Charles will also receive two gold bracelets to symbolize the monarch’s bond with the people.
Where will King Charles live?
About 100 staff at Clarence House, where Charles and Camilla lived until the Queen’s death, have been notified they could lose their jobs because she will no longer be living there. While we know King Charles is leaving Clarence House, we don’t know where he’s moving to. Queen Elizabeth II had many residences including Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and Windsor Castle. There has been no official announcement yet, but it is expected that the new monarch will live in Buckingham Palace, which Charles considers an important symbol of the monarchy. However, Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a £369m taxpayer-funded refurbishment which will not be completed until 2027. This could mean that Charles and Camilla are delaying their move.
What will change under King Charles III?
As the king of a constitutional monarchy, Charles cannot change that much, as only the elected parliament can make and pass legislation. This system is supported by the expectation that the King will remain politically neutral, although Charles is known as a passionate advocate for many causes, including the climate crisis. Charles is understood to want a slimmed down official royal family and there has been speculation that decisions will be made to reduce the family’s cost to the public purse. An important area will be the modernization of relations with Commonwealth countries. He has previously commented at a Commonwealth summit of his desire to “deepen my own understanding of the lasting impact of slavery”. His coronation comes after Prince William’s much-criticized royal tour of the Caribbean countries and Barbados’ decision to remove the Queen as head of state.
What will happen to the royal warrants?
Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition given to goods and services provided to the Queen and a valuable marketing tool that allows holders to display a royal coat of arms. Royal warrants granted by the Queen will be canceled two years after her death, giving companies time to remove the coat of arms from their packaging and advertising. If King Charles III wishes to grant them another royal warrant, then they can receive the distinction again.
