The Coronation

The symbolic high point of the accession was the Coronation, when Charles was formally crowned. Because of the preparation needed, the Coronation was almost eight months after the King’s Proclamation.

It was held in Westminster Abbey where coronations have been held for the last 900 years – William the Conqueror was the first monarch to be crowned there, and Charles was the 40th.

It is an Anglican religious service, carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At the climax of the ceremony, the St Edward’s Crown was placed on Charles’s head – a solid gold crown, dating from 1661.

This is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and is only worn by the monarch at the moment of coronation itself (not least because it weighs a hefty 2.23kg – almost 5lbs).

Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion – the government pays for it, and ultimately decides the guest list.