King Charles coronation: All the ways the ceremony is expected to break from royal protocol

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned next month during a symbolic coronation ceremony.

The coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on 6 May 2023, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury during a ceremony that follows nearly 1,000 years of tradition.

Although there are many ways the coronation will be similar to Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years ago and to her father King George VI’s coronation in 1937, there will also be a few key differences as King Charles announces departures from tradition.

From the dress code to the role given to his grandson Prince George, these are some of the ways King Charles is expected to break from royal protocol during his coronation.

A relaxed dress code

According to Buckingham Palace, the coronation ceremony next month will “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry”.

For the King, this means choosing to replace some of the historical remnants of the symbolic ceremony with more modern approaches.

One way Charles is expected to embrace modernity is through his own outfit, with reports suggesting that, rather than the silk stockings and breeches traditionally worn by Kings and Queens during coronation ceremonies, the King may instead wear his military uniform.

“Senior aides think breeches look too dated,” a source told The Sun, while the DailyMail previously reported that the King is “unlikely” to partake in multiple outfit changes.

In addition to changes to his own outfit, the event is also expected to see a more casual dress code for attendees.The Telegraph reported that members of the House of Lords have been asked to dress down for the ceremony by swapping the coronation robes and coronets typically donned for the occasion for the parliamentary robes used during the state opening of Parliament each year.

The change stems from an effort to be sensitive to “public attitudes towards the royal family and a desire to avoid excess during the cost of living crisis,” according to the outlet.

A shorter ceremony, a smaller guest list, and a possible multiple-faith oath

The dress code won’t be the only aspect of the coronation pared back. The ceremony itself is also expected to be shorter than Queen Elizabeth II’s own three-hour coronation in 1953.

The King’s coronation will also feature a much smaller guest list of just 2,000 guests, while the late Queen’s coronation was attended by 8,000 dignitaries from 129 nations.

Additionally, The Telegraph reports that the coronation is expected to reflect the “ethnic diversity” of Britain with a diverse guestlist. The King is also reportedly planning to acknowledge multiple faiths during the service while still pledging to be “Defender of the Faith”.

The alleged amendment to the service comes after Charles explained in 2015 that he feels he can be “protector of faiths” while “at the same time being Defender of the Faith”.

Prince George will make history in his role

Earlier this month, Buckingham Palace announced that the King’s grandchild Prince George, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, will hold a special role as a Page of Honour during the coronation.

The decision to grant the nine-year-old, who is second in line to the throne, the honour of being one of the King’s four pages marks the first time that a future monarch is officially involved in the service, according to People.

Foreign monarchs have been invited, and plan to attend

Unlike coronations for British Kings or Queens in the past, where foreign monarchs would typically send an heir or family member, a number of foreign royals have confirmed they will be attending the upcoming ceremony.

Prince William may be the only duke to perform traditional ceremonial role

As a result of the pared-back guest list, the portion of the coronation during which royal dukes typically pledged to serve the monarch may also look different. It’s been reported that Charles’ eldest son will be the only duke to carry out the gesture of kneeling and swearing allegiance to the King.

You can find all the details about King Charles’ coronation here.