King Charles III will have a 'slimmed-down' coronation that skips the ancient tradition used for Queen Elizabeth II, a report says
- The coronation of King Charles III may still be months away but event planning is underway.
- It's long been reported the king wants a "slimmed-down" monarchy, and his coronation may be similar.
King Charles' coronation is reportedly going to be a much more low-key affair than the one his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, had, the Mail On Sunday reports.
When the Queen was crowned in 1954, the occasion's fanfare was immense. More than 8,000 guests were invited to attend the royal event at Westminster Abbey and 129 nations were officially represented at the Coronation service, according to the official royal website.
During traditional parts of the ceremony, the Queen was presented with several golden objects, including spurs, bracelets, and a robe.
However, things are likely to look different now that Charles is king, following the death of the Queen on September 8.
The Mail On Sunday reports Charles' coronation is being planned in line with his reported desire to "slim down" the monarchy. This includes stripping back much of the pomp and fanfare coronations in British history have previously seen to reflect modern times, the outlet reports palace insiders have said.
Changes that are reported to be part of the plan include a dramatically smaller guest list and a more casual dress code. Instead of the 8,000-plus attendees, Charles' coronation is expected to see just over 2,000, the publication reported.
Moreover, ancient traditions such as the presentation of golden objects to the monarch will reportedly be cut to shorten the length of the occasion to just over an hour. According to the Mail on Sunday, the Queen's coronation lasted upwards of three hours. It's also reported that Prince William, next in line for the throne, could play a significant role.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
As Insider previously reported, Charles' coronation may still be months away as no official date has been confirmed. Coronations taking place months after a new British monarch has come to power is nothing new, however, as Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place 15 months after her ascension to the throne.
But speaking to Insider, Marlene Koenig, royal historian and expert in European and British monarchies, says it's likely to take place in June – the same month that Queen Elizabeth II was crowned nearly 70 years ago.
"It's going to be focusing on still with the pomp and the circumstance, but not in the same way," Koenig said of what she expects the coronation to be like.