King Charles Bucks Tradition With Simplified Coronation Dress Code
King Charles officially became the U.K.'s ruling monarch after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II's death, on September 8, 2022. Elizabeth's reign lasted for 70 years. She was formally crowned in June 1953 after the death of her father, King George VI. Charles' coronation, which is set for May 6, 2023, is the first coronation of the 21st century. Charles' wife, Queen Camilla, will also be crowned during the ceremony. In October 2022, Buckingham Palace revealed that "The Coronation will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
Like several monarchs before him, Charles' coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey. However, Charles is embracing current trends for his big day. Buckingham Palace released an emoji of St Edward's Crown, the crown Charles will wear at his coronation, on social media. In addition, pop star Katy Perry and legendary R&B singer Lionel Richie will perform at his coronation.
But there are also other significant changes that Charles has implemented. The Daily Mail reported that Charles yearned to simplify his coronation as much as possible. This has resulted in a smaller ceremony and a casual dress code for attendees.
The ceremony will not be as extravagant as Queen Elizabeth II's coronation
Everything we know about King Charles' coronation centers on the fact that his ceremony will be a complete 180 from Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. At the 1953 event, Elizabeth had over 8,000 guests. The lavish ceremony cost $57 million and lasted four hours. On the other hand, Charles' coronation will have 2,000 guests and will only be an hour long. Experts say that Charles is scaling back the event to cut down costs. An unnamed royal source told The Mirror that Charles is sympathetic towards "the struggles felt by modern Britons" and wants to ensure that his coronation gets that point across.
The source told the publication, "The King has long been an advocate of a streamlined or slimmed down monarchy and this project could certainly be said to fit with his vision. 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." Charles has also decided to exclude or adjust certain coronation traditions to fit in with his desire for a modern monarchy.
For example, the coronation oil he will be anointed with will be made with olives and herbs rather than animal products. While Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to and from Westminster Abbey in a carriage, they have decided to make the procession shorter than it was at Elizabeth's coronation. Charles also decided against wearing an opulent robe for his coronation.
Not everyone is happy about the dress code
Reports indicate that King Charles will most likely wear his military uniform instead of a coronation robe. However, Charles has made it clear that this dress code applies to everyone attending his coronation. Charles has asked for members of parliament to dress in business wear instead of their traditional robes. Royal Editor Danielle Stacey from Hello! explained, "It wouldn't be a surprise if peers and guests dress down for the King's coronation, given how conscious he is of the current cost of living crisis and his desire to have a much more modern monarchy. The world has changed so much since the Queen's coronation 70 years ago and it makes sense for Charles to put his own stamp on it."
Experts, like stylist Marian Kwei, told The Independent that Charles is doing the right thing. She said, "This new style of dress being adopted at the upcoming coronation tells us that his monarchy and those to come, seek to be more relatable, engaging with its masses more intimately."
But, of course, the dress code and Charles' wishes for a less-grandeur coronation have been met with some controversy. Those close to the royal family say he's making a mistake by having a smaller guest list and changing the dress code. Ben Goldsmith, a friend of the royal family, told the Daily Mail that he has fears that the coronation will "end up being a watered-down affair."