When his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on September 8, 2022, Prince Charles automatically became Charles III. In his first public appearance as King, Prince Charles mourned his mother's passing and expressed his hopes for the future. He said, "Queen Elizabeth lived a life well lived, and her promise to destiny was kept. I renew that lifelong promise of service to you all today."

The new king will officially ascend the throne in a formal ceremony on September 10, but the actual coronation may not take place until several months later. Nevertheless, many aspects of the coronation are already set in stone, as the royal family and the British government plan for each major royal-related event. (For example, the Queen's death is known as "Operation London Bridge.")

The last time a coronation was held in the UK was when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne almost 70 years ago. The following is all that is known about the coronation of the new king.

It will be some time before Charles III ascends the throne in order to allow for a proper period of mourning and to fully plan the coronation. The Royal Court has announced a schedule of mourning for the Queen's passing, which includes, at King Charles' request, a period of royal mourning from now until seven days after the Queen's funeral. Prince Charles' coronation is likely to be put on hold until after the royal mourning period.

According to the Daily Mail, the coronation will likely take place within the next year, i.e., by the fall of 2023. For example, the Queen's coronation took place one year and four months after her accession to the throne.

In a country with such a long history as the United Kingdom, there is always a set procedure and tradition for the coronation. The royal website states that coronations have been "essentially unchanged for over a thousand years," and it is expected that many of the same events as Queen Elizabeth's coronation will be performed at Prince Charles' coronation.

Charles, like his mother before him, will likely be coronated at Westminster Abbey, where coronations have been held for the past 900 years. The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the ceremony and King Charles will take the oath of coronation. King Charles will then be anointed, blessed, and consecrated by the Archbishop. At that time, he will sit in the same chair (King Edward's Chair) that has been used by English rulers since 1626. In addition, the new king will be weighed down (literally) with jewels symbolizing the monarch's power. The new king will receive a royal scepter and royal orb containing the world's largest cut white diamond and a St. Edward's crown (containing 444 gems) on his head. It is worth noting that Prince Charles will depart from the traditional coronation ceremony for a shorter (and sweeter) ceremony, but more on that later.

In a plan dubbed "Operation Golden Orb," King Charles III and the Palace outlined a shorter, more streamlined coronation ceremony. According to a source in the Daily Mail, Prince Charles' coronation will be reduced in size compared to his mother's coronation. The source explained that it will be "shorter, quicker, smaller, less expensive, and representative of different community groups and faiths."

Since Charles III would be leading Britain into a new era, it makes sense that he would want to take a more modern approach to his introduction as ruler. Nevertheless, it should be noted that while Charles wants his coronation to reflect contemporary England, it is still an Anglican service. Furthermore, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Palace must consider new health and safety precautions.

In February, Queen Elizabeth made a landmark statement that she hoped Camilla Parker-Bowles, wife of then-Prince Charles, would take the title of "Queen Consort" after she ascended the throne. With this new title, Parker-Bowles will be crowned alongside King Charles III in a "simpler similar ceremony." The Queen Consort was last crowned in 1937, when Queen Elizabeth's mother was crowned alongside King George VI. Even the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, was not allowed to be crowned, instead kneeling before his wife at the coronation.

A royal event of this magnitude attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world: almost everyone. In addition to the royal family, royalty from many other countries, members of parliament, and "leading citizens" of Commonwealth countries can be expected to attend.

Despite the opulence of King Charles' coronation, the quest list is considerably shortened from Queen Elizabeth's. While Queen Elizabeth's coronation was attended by over 8,000 dignitaries, Prince Charles hopes to limit the number of invited guests to 2,000.

One major royal family member who may not show up for Prince Charles' coronation is Prince Harry. Prince Charles' coronation will likely be held at Westminster Abbey, in accordance with tradition, and Harry may decline to attend out of respect for his late mother, Princess Diana, whose funeral was held there in 1997.

In regal fashion, King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel in a gold coach after the coronation. The massive, gilded coach was built in 1760 and was last used by Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

It is tradition for the newly crowned King and Queen to travel gracefully to Buckingham Palace in the gold coach and be greeted on the palace balcony. This time, however, the royal family may be slimmer. A source told the Daily Mail, "I wouldn't be surprised to see just Charles and Camilla, Kate and William, and their children on the balcony of Buckingham Palace afterwards."