Buckingham Palace organizes a three day weekend for the coronation of King Charles III

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LONDON – King Carlos III has indicated he wants a simplified coronation ceremony.

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But that doesn’t mean that an economically struggling Britain won’t keep a extravagant party when it crowns its first king in seven decades in May.

Late Saturday evening, Buckingham Palace announced details of a three-day celebration that rivals Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last June.

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Among the highlights: a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle, a series of street parties across the country and a national volunteer campaign dubbed “The big help”.

The scale of the festivities may seem surprising, as the palace had previously indicated that Carlos wanted a smaller ceremony than his mother’s given the cost-of-living crisis gripping the country.

But the British government now sees coronation weekend as an opportunity to do just that rejoice after a harsh winter, according to people familiar with the planning, and encouraged the royal family to do everything is possible.

However, the palace is expected to shorten the service, which will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey and be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The guest list will be slimmed down and some of the more antiquated rituals of a ceremony going back almost 1,000 years.

But coronations give the public, in Britain and around the world, a chance to take part in the royal festivities.

Elizabeth’s coronation, in June 1953, was the first to be televised, with an estimated worldwide audience of more than 250 million people.

Many of the scenes from that spectacle – a grand procession to the palace from the abbey, with a golden carriage, and the appearance of the king and his family on the balcony – will remain.

And since the British will have a day off on May 8 in honor of the new king, the palace will add two days of festivities.

“Their Majesties the King and Queen consort look forward to Coronation Weekend as an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families and communities across the UK, realms and Commonwealth,” the palace said. in a statement released Saturday night.

The party will kick off on May 7, when rock and pop stars join the coronation choir at Windsor Castle for a televised concert.

No word yet on who will be performing, but if the Queen’s Jubilee concert is any indication, it has been featured Alicia Keys, Duran Duran, Rod Stewart and Brian May, Queen guitarist: lineup will be powerful.

In keeping with what the palace has stated is Carlos’s desire for a coronation that reflects the times, the choir will include people from deaf, refugee and LGBTQ singing groups.

The concert will culminate in a national light show, featuring lasers and drones, a technology used to great effect last spring with images of the Queen and her purse floating above Buckingham Palace.

The series of street parties, dubbed ‘The Great Coronation Luncheon’, are also inspired by the Platinum Jubilee, with the palace planning thousands of gatherings in streets, gardens and parks across Britain.

It will be a showcase for the queen consort, Camilla, who was godmother to a charity that organizes public lunches for lonely people.

On the occasion of this unique holiday, the palace hopes that some will take up volunteer activities.

Charles, as Prince of Wales, has emphasized voluntary service through his charities and considers it one of the main bequests of his coronation, according to the palace.

The palace left some important coronation questions unanswered, including whether the king’s youngest son is the prince Harry, and his wife, Meganthey will be invited.

Harry’s best-selling memoir ‘Spare’ deepened the rift between him and his father and brother, Prince William, claiming, among other things, that he and Meghan were abused by Carlos and Guillermo.

The palace has adamantly refused to respond to the allegations and is not expected to address the issue of inviting Harry and Meghan for some time to come.

May 6 will mark the couple’s son Archie’s fourth birthday, which could affect Meghan’s travel plans, if not her father’s.

In an interview with ITV to promote his book, Harry didn’t commit to making the trip from his home in Southern California.

“A lot can happen between now and then,” he said.

c.2023 The New York Times Society

Source: Clarin

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